In a perfect world, a manager loves to have his bullpen set as neatly as the silverware at a fine restaurant. One reliever for the seventh. The setup man for the eighth. The closer for the ninth, then go back to the clubhouse and have a beer to celebrate the win.
That's not the way it works for the Phillies these days. Their world, when it comes to the 'pen, has dead ends and graffiti and tends to be a little scary after dark.
So when the Phillies took a three-run lead into the ninth in Game 5 of the World Series last night at Citizens Bank Park, there was plenty of intrigue to see who would get the ball to face the bottom of the Yankees' order.
And it wasn't Brad Lidge, the titular closer. Instead, Ryan Madson loped across the outfield and to the mound.
It wasn't quick, clean or easy. Madson gave up a double and a pair of singles. The Yankees scored a run. The tying run got to the plate in the person of dangerous Mark Teixeira. The damage might have been worse if Madson hadn't gotten Derek Jeter to ground into a doubleplay.
But when all was said and done, Harry Kalas was singing "High Hopes" on the big video board in left and Madson had notched his first career postseason save.
Relievers, too, tend to prefer defined roles. But Madson said the current Phillies bullpen understands that's not realistic at the moment.
"It doesn't matter. It's just one of those things," Madson said. "It's been that way since September. It doesn't matter what you label us. We just have to be ready to come in and get outs.
"We were sitting [in the bullpen] laughing and joking. But I was ready to go."
Asked at what point he starts to feel that he might have to pitch, he didn't hesitate. "The second," he deadpanned.
This orchestrated chaos is partly the result of lefthander J.C. Romero being out with an elbow injury, partly because Brett Myers has pitched so little following June hip surgery, partly because Chan Ho Park missed the first round of the playoffs.
But it's mostly because Lidge blew 11 saves during the regular season. Manager Charlie Manuel nursed him carefully through the NLDS and NLCS and he made five appearances without giving up a run. Then came Sunday night. He came into a tie game in the ninth. He retired the first two batters easily. Then the Yankees scored three runs. So who's the closer?
Manuel said he was worried that Lidge could have been mentally drained from his rough outing in Game 4. "I know him and I think it could bother him a little bit," Manuel said. "I figured I can play with him and Madson a little bit right now. But at the same time, Lidge has been our closer and that's kind of how I see it."
Manuel stopped short of saying he'd definitely use Lidge in a save situation in the ninth tomorrow night, though. We'll all just have to wait and see what happens when the bullpen door swings open.
