Romero, Lidge hope to be ready by opener
February 28, 2010
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP)—J.C. Romero(notes) was throwing off of a mound for the firsttime since undergoing elbow surgery in October, and Brad Lidge(notes) was tossing hisslider for the first time as two of the Phillies’ top relievers try to getthemselves ready by Opening Day.
On Sunday, Romero was delivering 23 pitches—all fastballs—while Lidge,who is recovering from surgeries on both his elbow and his knee, was hurling 35of his own in just his third bullpen session of the spring—including sixsliders.
Both pitchers are maintaining their goal is to be on the Opening Day roster,but both said they didn’t want to rush anything, saying it would be OK if theyneeded a week or more of extended spring training.
The duo are an integral part of the Phillies’ bullpen, and were two keyingredients during the team’s march to the 2008 World Series title.
However, they both endured rocky 2009 seasons filled with injuries andsuspensions and suffered through the worst years of their respective careers.The Phillies hope the two can return to form in an effort to get the Phillies tobecome the first National League team in more than 60 years to reach the WorldSeries in three consecutive seasons.
After a perfect 2008 in which he converted each of his 48 saveopportunities, the 33-year-old Lidge had a miserable 2009. He was 0-8 with a7.21 ERA, allowed 11 home runs and led the majors with 11 blown saves.
As for Romero, also 33, he missed the first 50 games of the 2009 seasonafter a supplement he bought over the counter at a New Jersey GNC store wasdeemed to have a banned substance, androstendione, that Romero maintains heinjested unknowingly.
He followed that with an injury-riddled season that saw him throw just 16.2innings as he dealt with a torn flexor tendon that needed to be repaired atseason’s end.
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