Why does this article bother mentioning Lidge at all?
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: Center fielder Bourn. The key piece to an offseason trade that sent All-Star closer Brad Lidge to the Philadelphia Phillies, Bourn was expected to solidify the top of the lineup and steal bases.What Bourn did, instead, was post one of the worst offensive seasons in the game, recording the worst on-base percentage (.288) and lowest OPS (.588) in the majors. He did manage to steal 41 bases, but was caught 10 times.
All Lidge did was go 41-for-41 in save opportunities while posting a 1.95 ERA for the Phillies.
Apparently, Woody Williams isn't eligible because he didn't get out of Spring, despite the fact that he sucked 6 million from the war chest for riding the pine into retirement... way to go!
If there's one thing I've been consistent about this season, it's that the gruesome threesome of Villareal, Bourn, and JR Towles should never have worn that Astros jersey as long as they did... should have been Roundrocked or dumped.
Bourn on his own has been truly awful this season. You can't steal bases if you can't get on base, and the Astros needed a center fielder and not a Designated Pinch Runner. that pitchers eventually figured out how to bait into easy kills at second base.
But mentioning Bourn in terms of Lidge, well, that's pointless. Lidge was gone no matter what - he was truly awful last season and wasn't going to get any better without leaving this city.
He left. He got better. No surprise there. WTG Lidge, and we're all looking forward to every time you face down Pujols and put the International Space Station at risk of a baseball smashing a solar panel.
Get over it.
Were Bourn and Towles made unseasoned starters by Wade from the get-go in 2008 because Purpura fucked up with the Pence and Burke in 2007? Don't waste your so-called hot prospect in Round Rock when he can be lighting up the league in Mintuemaid?
Whatever.
Villareal was chosen because he can soak up innings... and soak them up he did,watching ball after ball sail over his head and the frames filled up with interesting-looking numbers.
Here's hoping that C and CF don't turn out to be low-200 sinkholes in the lineup next year.