Thoughts on Brad Lidge’s 9th blown save of the year in Pittsburgh tonight.

1. Lidge has 9 blown saves, 8 of which have happened away from Citizens Bank Park. Which is why we haven’t been talking much about Lidge being booed mercilessly in Philly. Time to leave Brad at home for the road trips. Imagine what the Phillies record on the road would be with something in between the 2008 and 2009 Brad Lidge.

2. Finding historical stats on blown saves has been difficult. It is not an officially recognized MLB statistic, and even the most robust baseball statistical websites lack all-time and season blown save results.

But if you go back to 2002, the worst season for blown saves was in 2006 when Royals’ closer Ambiorix Burgos blew 12 saves. Let’s hope Charlie doesn’t given Brad a chance to challenge it.

Burgos, by the way, was a 22 year old pitching for a team that went 62-100. So it’s hard to compare his 12 to how painful Lidge’s 9 have been.

3. My take at this point is that Charlie needs to draw a line in the sand and decide how much more of this he can take before Lidge is displaced from his role. Is he waiting for Brett Myers to return to see if he is a viable option? Is he just taking this day by day and hoping that Lidge just magically snaps out of it?

I don’t see how Manuel can possibly keep running Lidge out there, although I suppose the 7 game lead the Phils have even after tonight’s loss is making it easier on him to keep calling the pen and getting Lidge warm in the hopes he figures it out.

4. Tonight’s game was a good microcosm of Lidge’s season. He didn’t walk anyone, but he faced 3 hitters and gave up a solid hit to each of them. In 2008, Lidge averaged 11.9 Ks/9 IP. In August, he is averaging 7.26 Ks/9 IP. Most great closers miss more bats than that. Lidge has to start striking out more guys or he is going to be hard pressed to turn his year around.