Morning Extras: Lidge, Westbrook and Potential Heart Attacks

Let's make this quick. Which player almost gave you a heart attack this weekend? For me, it was Brad Lidge. But the Phils downed the Fish and the righty reliever saved his 40th game in as many tries. Some have been lights out. Some, like yesterday, have been....interesting. A win is a win and a save is a save. The Phillies exited a tough series with Florida in better shape than when they got there, and find themselves in first place by a game and a half over the Mets (and three up on the Brewers for the Wild card - you know, just in case) with six games to play. If anyone on this site starts with the Magic Number stuff I'm going to punch them in the throat.

Six games in seven days. Let's hope they win the next five, then we'll figure out the rest. How about that?

Some of you might be feeling constant palpitations because of the news out of Eagles camp regarding Brian Westbrook. Despite the big win over a good team, and the resurgence of the defense, the story after the game is 36. Westbrook rolled his ankle after leaping and slipping on an offensive lineman laying in his landing zone. He will undergo an MRI today. I wonder if it will be a Westbrook Open MRI. That machine is bad ass.

Eaglesville has some perspective. Not overstating things in the least. Nope. "LET'S STAY CALM PEOPLE! DON'T PANIC."

Looking at the bigger picture, the Birds can't afford to have Westbrook out for any extended period of time. Realistically, if they lost the All-Pro running back their chances of a deep playoff run would be nil. That goes for just about any team in the NFL -- if you lose your best player, your season is essentially over.

FOOTBALL LINKS:

• I love this story about Brian Dawkins just because the second line is, "All that was missing was the cape." Yet the headline writer gives us, "Brian Dawkins dons his cape." Hehe. Good story though.

• The League asks how much violence is the appeal to the NFL. David Aldridge gives his opinion on the matter. Gambling, violence and beer.

• Speaking of beer, Mike Golic's kid got arrested with a bunch of other Golden Domers. Golic mentioned it on his show, saying he's a good kid who made a mistake and "everything is going to be fine."

• Oh, and Lane Kiffin is going to get fired. Or he won't. But he will. Today. Or maybe not. Yes he will.

BASEBALL LINKS:

• David Murphy argues that Brad Lidge is the most valuable player on the Phillies this season. It's a good argument.

• Yankee Stadium is no more. Think about this what you want. I guess it's a big deal. And yes, I cried a little when the Vet got knocked down.

• METSBLOG UPDATE: Panic has come to Flushing. Says local boy Scot Schoeneweis:

“There’s no explanation anymore. I just don’t know what to say…I just don’t know what to say."

RANDOM LINKS:

• USA! USA! USA! And when you have Boo Weekly, who needs Tiger Woods. Seriously, enough with the stares and the look-how-rich-I-am-and-how-hot-my-MILF-of-a-wife-is. We need more PONY RIDES DOWN THE FAIRWAY. (Yes, I'm a Phil guy, but today, I'm an America guy).

• I was rooting for Dexter, but Mad Men was a nice consolation as Best Drama. Tom Shales is one of the best TV critic in the country, and he has a rundown of the Emmys.

• Last, my Wegmans has a liquor license. And they aren't using it. Sonsabitches.

Comments

[Fat Ted]

Got my Phillies playoff tickets to the NLDS game 2 just now. What did everyone else get?

Go Phils!

[theKrisheim]

best link of the weekend...

http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/?p=14319

[Loqiel]

Metsblog is a train wreck in progress. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing.

We have to guard against getting too happy though: we can still finish out of the playoffs.

[sjf]

Am I the only one who wishes the Phils had blown a save/ninth inning lead? To do so in the coming week would be dreadful, but I just have a terrible ominous feeling about the Phils making the post season, and hearing that stat ad nauseum, waiting for the inevitable irony of October.

[jim]

We gave Lidge a new name this weekend- "Motel 6" He is still perfect, but he has been leaving a night light on lately...and that needs to stop. GO PHILS!

[Loqiel]

I was thinking about that earlier. The last couple saves for Lidge have been tightrope acts, although I credit the Marlins and Braves for being resilient.

[T]

Let's win a couple in a row and lock this up to get some rest before the playoffs. I don't want this to be decided at the last game of the year again or we'll have no mental focus on playoffs. Last year was their playoff mulligan, let's hope they can take advantage and win these next few to make it easier.

[MPR529]

i wanted brad to blow ONE save at some point throughout the year so he avoids doing it in the playoffs. Although over the next week would be horrible. I guess a reliever could potentially go 100% all season including playoffs, eh? please?

[AZTerror]

so far this september has been MAGIC. the offense is beginning to put up the NUMBERs we expected from them all year. especially from ryan howard who has a 6 on the back of his jersey.

[AZTerror]

@ MPR,

Well the going perfect all year seemed to work out real well for Gary Anderson a few years ago...DAMNIT!

[DLo34]

@ MPR

Come on man, the law of independent trials.

[Mike H.]

Yeah, it's not like the Fish and Braves have sent up a bunch of rookie right handed bats to face Lidge. The only exception is Maybin striking out on Saturday night. If you're right handed and never seen Lidge before, you're just going to get humiliated.

[MPR529]

i know i know, but I just can't take the pressure! i should be all smiles today and I am mostly...

[jd]

as for westbrook-
if he is hurt, i can see us getting by the next 3 opponants without him. then the bye week.

that's 4 weeks we can rest him for the back of the schedule.

just being an optimist.....

[DLo34]

@ MPR

It's cool man. We're all very cautiously optimistic. We've all been left at the altar before by these teams. It is crazy though to think that there are now 4 playoff calibur teams in this city. 3 of which could legitimately compete for a championship.

[MPR529]

very hard to believe indeed. it's a nice feeling, but there's another feeling that I want more that I ain't never had (age 4 in 83 and the soul, phantoms & wings don't count).

Oh, that feeling I'm talking about ain't the fisting of Kendra.

[johndewar]

@DanLevy: That Wegman's is the only thing they did with that land that I actually liked.

And I can't believe they can't get that whole liquor license thing worked out.

If a corporation cannot own more than 2 liquor licenses in NJ (as the article you linked to purports), then how in the hell is it that Canal's has a virtual monopoly on liquor stores in Camden and Burlington Counties?

[Brian]

Westbrook has no ligament damage, is day-to-day:

http://www.delcotimes.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20132291&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=662709&rfi=6

[jnew]

Does the blown save in the All-star game count? OK well it wasn't exactly a save situation, the game was tied, but it calms my nerves on the whole perfect save streak, at least a little

[Jonn]

I'd be slow to write off a Westbrookless team because of the way Bucky played. We lost Donovan how many times and still made the playoffs. Calm down people.