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Brace Yourselves: Brad Lidge Is Closing Again

Does anyone think this is that bright of an idea? Then again, does Phil Garner have much of a choice? Ever since his early season awfulness, Brad Lidge has once again become Garner's best reliever and now Garner is trying to transition Brad Lidge back into the closer's role.

Astros reliever Brad Lidge returned to Wrigley Field on Monday for the first time since the April series in which manager Phil Garner informed him that he had been removed as closer after one week of the season.

Lidge is making a transition back into the closer's role as Garner reserves the right to go with Dan Wheeler depending on circumstances, but it's clear Lidge was pleased to be at the Wrigley Field under a better frame of mind than he had on April 9 when he was told Wheeler would close.

"It's kind of I guess reverse circumstances," he said Monday before the Astros made up a game that was snowed out in April 11. "It's definitely been a good, long stretch, I guess.

Since May 1st, Lidge has only allowed two earned runs in 21 and 1/3 innings. He's struck out 28 batters in those innings and unintentionally walked only six. He's only given up eight hits in that span. On one hand, he's got to be the closer. Everyone else in that pen, current closer Dan Wheeler included, has been pretty bad. On the other hand, he's been such a mess at the end of games the past two years, is there any Astro fan out there that won't be peeing their pants when he takes the mound in a save situation?
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