Brad Lidge: The Pitching Walenda

September 2:  PHILLIES 12, Colorado 11

Brad Lidge enjoys working without a net.  If he continues toying with ninth-inning leads like he has been for the last two seasons, many Phillies fans are going to need to be gathered up with a net and taken to Byberry.

In a pennant race, every win is precious, and with the Phillies' recent records in September, Mr. Lidge's highwire act is eventually going to wear thin.  I know I've grown weary of it, and have been since last August.

All things considered, Phillies fans have to be pleased by the 6-1 road trip out West, always a dangerous proposition.  And since the Mets decided to actually play baseball tonight, the Phils enter their weekend series with Milwaukee just two games back of the Braves, and two games up on the Giants for the wild card (pending, of course, the outcome of the Giants' game out West later).

It was a great comeback by the fellas, Howard jacking one, followed by Werth's bomb to tie the game.  Chase's five RBI in the seventh were welcome relief to fans tired of seeing ducks left on the pond time and time again.  Given the team's recent history in September, there is much optimism to be had in the Quaker City (and anywhere Phillies fans can be found).  Let's take a look at the team's record in September in the Charlie Manuel Era:

2005   15-12   .556
2006   18-10   .643
2007   17-11   .607
2008   17- 8   .680
2009   17-13   .567
2010    2- 0  1.000
TOTAL  86-54   .614

Folks, it's one thing to have a September such as 2008.  It's another, completely, to have winning September records on as consistent a basis as the Phils have had under Charlie.  The streak actually started with a 17-8 September in 2004 under then-skipper Larry Bowa.  If you include that, the Phils have, since moving to The Bank in '04, gone a collective 103-62 (.624) in the month of September.  If that doesn't make you go "hmmmmmmm", nothing will.

As a matter of fact, let's take a look at the September records of every Phillies team to qualify for the post-season prior to 2004:

1915   21-10   .677
1950   12-16   .429
1976   15-14   .517
1977   19-10   .655
1978   19-12   .613
1980   19-10   .655
1981   16-12   .571
1983   22- 7   .759
1993   14-13   .519
TOTAL 157-104  .602

One would guess that most of you reading this would have assumed great Septembers by Phillies teams making the post-season.  1950 stands out because a .500 month means no need for Dick Sisler's homer against the Dodgers as the Phils would have taken the division by three games.  1993's lackluster September could have been disastrous, as the Expos (if you recall) went on a 20-2 run in late August and early September that made a real race out of the NL East.

And so, dear Phillie fans, we start September on a positive note, and can make it even more positive by knocking the Brewers around this weekend.  I hope everyone will have a happy, safe, and baseball-filled Labor Day weekend ... enjoy the food, friends, family, and Phillies!!!

Order up!