2018 HOF Candidate: Brad Lidge

We made it!

Somehow after barely posting for the last year, we were able to get through all 5 of the Phillies related HOF Candidates - and for some reason I am happy about that

2009 Allen & Ginter's Baseball Highlights #AGH23 Brad Lidge

Other than a terrific DayF original this is my favorite of the many cards that have been dedicated to Brad Lidge closing out the 2008 World Series. 

I am not as big a fan of A&G base as other folks, but I do love the highlight cards. For me the attraction is honoring the games great moments, and it is cool to have a card dedicated to a Championship won by your favorite team. 

Lidge was a perfect 41/41 in saves during the regular season and then went on to complete 7 additional saves in the postseason.

Baseball-Reference snippet of Brad Lidge 2008 Saves (regular season)

The above is how Baseball-Reference sums up Brad Lidge's 2008 save efficiency. Nothing like looking at perfection.


Flip

2009 Allen & Ginter's Baseball Highlights #AGH23 Brad Lidge (b-side)


Clear and concise, the card mentions the 41 saves of the regular season, followed by the most important one of the postseason - The Phillies 4-3 World Series Clincher versus the Rays. We have posted a few times about this game, check here if you would like to read more.

Verdict
Brad Lidge got the final out in one of the best games that I have ever had the chance to attend HOF !!

Sources and Links
2018 HoF Candidates
Brad Lidge Index
2008 World Series Champions
Baseball-Ref

Brad Lidge Index

This is an index to our postings related to the closer for the 2008 World Series Champions, Brad Lidge.


2009 Allen & Ginter's #AGHS23 Brad Lidge

DayF Original Lidge Retirement
DayF Original Collection of Game 5 Cards
2009 Topps #278 2008 World Series Game 5 Anniversary
2009 Allen & Ginter's #AGHS23 HOF Ballot Profile (shown above)
2009 UD #298 Phillies All-Decade Team
2009 Phungo #54 - Phungo Original
2008 Topps #UH304 Home Field Advantage in the World Series

2004 Heritage #353 Pack Break (1955 Topps Retro)

2009 06 13 Game Report - Lidge Long Tossing / Rehabbing pre-game
2008 World Series Champs Puzzle - Brad Lidge Photo

Fan Authentics Card Show 2015 1030-1031 Oaks PA

I was in a crazy mood for this years Fan Authentics show. I picked up lots of stuff but wasn't looking for anything special. Most of my time was spent in Dime Boxes but I also dedicated a fair chunk of my trip to BuyBacks - which I think were mostly from 2015T Update.

Here are some highlights, If time permits I may come back at a later time and give some of these cards more analysis.

1958 Topps Pancho Herrera

Buybacks made up a big part of my day1 finds. I handn't picked up many Phillies Buy Backs and I believe this Pancho Herrera is my earliest. This card went for 50 cents or a Dollar.

Collecting goal may be to pick up a Phillies BuyBack from each year of Topps.

1974 Topps Steve Carlton BuyBack
1978 Topps World Series Highlight Reggie Jackson

Even found Buybacks of Hall of Famers. Each of the above 70s era cards went for $2.


1959 Topps Buybacks Walt Moryn, Morrie Martin, Murray Wall

Found 3 buybacks from one of my favorite early sets. 50 cents or a Dollar on each.

1975 Topps Jim Kaat

Found lots of 1975T buybacks. Most are destined for Night Owl territory, but Kaat is likely staying in the Phungo collection.

 

1975 Topps Buybacks

These are the 1975T BuyBacks, Twitchell will stay local, the rest are destined to travel.

1974 Topps Fred Kendall Buyback

I bypassed the Padres Kendall initially, until I saw the one with the Phillies flags. Will definitely return to this one at a future date. (.50 each)

Vintage

1958 Topps Kluszewski/Williams

Picked up the Ted's card for $9.

1967 Topps Checker w/ Jim Kaat

Focusing a bit on 1967T a bit getting ready for 2016 Heritage. Curious if the Checklists which have been left out of recent editions of Heritage will return in the upcoming release. The presents of a player on the card may factor in Topps decision.

1973 Topps Dick Allen

This is a Stamp Card as well, but it is of the 75th anniversary variety. ($1)


World Series

1973 Topps World Series Highlights Johnny Bench

And there were buybacks of WS HL cards that included Hall of Famers. ($1-$2)

1967 Topps WS HL Brooks Robinson

More 1967 Topps, This is the Vanilla no stamp variety.  ($1)

 

Special Collections

2010 Topps Ring of Honor Brad Lidge

Another more modern WS Highlight Card. This is one that reps a game that Team Phungo was very happy to have attended. (Dime Box)

Nolan Ryan No-Hitter Number Six

Added to my Nolan Ryan No-Hitter Collection with this one. Will probably be a future posting on this one at some point. (dimebox)

Len Dykstra, Ken Griffey Jr

As part of Our 2016 HoF Ballot feature we discuss this card (DimeBox)

Dom Brown RC Auto

I am not sure that I was supposed to get this but, they were handing out free autographed Dom Brown RCs when I entered the Show on Friday.



 

Happy 5th Anniversary 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies: 2009 Topps #278 Post Season Highlights

Tempus Fugit - 5 years ago This blog was in it's infancy and the Philadelphia were World Champions.  A lot has happened in those five years.  The Phillies aren't nearly the same squad but it is fun for a day to look back at that magical 2008 run.

2009 Topps #278 Post Season Highlights (black parallel)

I like the cards that commemorate the great moments in the game, and this is also a game that I was lucky enough to attend - it is a card that I will always love.  There are several other cards that commemorate the Phillies run including this DayF custom.

More Phungo 2008 World Champions Postings
2008 10 29 - 10th anniversary with some Phungo Pix and a game ticket
2008 10 30 - Our initial celebration posting, the photo is quite blurry, yet I love it.
2008 10 31 - Series Recap
2008 11 03 - Cole Hamels World Series MVP


DayF original 1/1 

All-Star Game Debriefing - Does Home Field Advantage Matter?

Prior to this week, the last time the All-Star Game was held in New York the NL took the loss 4-3 in a 15 inning epic that ended on a sac fly by Michael Young off of Phillies closer Brad Lidge.

2008 Topps #UH304 Brad Lidge (stolen from Trading Card Database)


Since 2003 the All-Star game has decided home field advantage in the World Series. Lidge couldn't know it at the time, but the NLs loss would cost the Phillies Home Field in the 2008 World Series. Fortunately for him the Phils and their fans like myself, The Phils took one game in Tampa and all 3 of their home games and didn't need HFA to win the 08 series.

Fox was throwing around some stat about how often the World Series was won by the home team. I wanted to look deeper into this and find out if the Home Team won or perhaps it worked out that the Home Team was the better team.  Here is what we found.

Year	Away	G>.500	Home	G>.500	Len	Home W Diff	Home Team Wins	Best Rec Wins	Home + Best Rec	Away + Best Rec	Home Worse Rec	Away +worse Rec
2012	Tigers	14	Giants	26	4	12	1	1	1	0	0	0
2011	Rangers	30	Cardinals	18	7	-12	1		0	0	1	0
2010	Rangers	18	Giants	22	5	4	1	1	1	0	0	0
2009	Phillies	24	Yankees	44	6	20	1	1	1	0	0	0
2008	Phillies	22	Rays	32	6	10	0		0	0	0	1
2007	Rockies	17	Red Sox	30	4	13	1	1	1	0	0	0
2006	Cardinals	5	Tigers	28	5	23	0		0	0	0	1
2005	Astros (NL)	16	White Sox	36	4	20	1	1	1	0	0	0
2004	Cardinals	48	Red Sox	34	4	-14	1		0	0	1	0
2003	Marlins	20	Yankees	40	6	20	0		0	0	0	1
2002	Giants	29	Angels	36	7	7	1	1	1	0	0	0
2001	Yankees	30	Diamond Backs	22	7	-8	1		0	0	1	0
2000	Mets	26	Yankees	23	5	-3	1	1	1	0	0	0
1999	Yankees	34	Braves	44	4	10	1		0	0	1	0
1998	Padres	34	Yankees	56	4	22	1	1	1	0	0	0
1997	Indians	11	Marlins	22	7	11	1	1	1	0	0	0
1996	Braves	30	Yankees	22	6	-8	1		0	0	1	0
1995	Indians	56	Braves	46	6	-10	1		0	0	1	0
1994
1993	Phillies	32	Blue Jays	28	6	-4	1		0	0	1	0
1992	Blue Jays	30	Braves	34	6	4	0		0	0	0	1
1991	Braves	26	Twins	28	7	2	1	1	1	0	0	0
1990	Athletics	44	Reds	20	4	-24	1		0	0	1	0
1989	Giants	22	Athletics	36	4	14	1	1	1	0	0	0
1988	Athletics	46	Dodgers	27	5	-19	1		0	0	1	0
1987	Cardinals	28	Twins	8	7	-20	1		0	0	1	0
1986	Red Sox	29	Mets	54	7	25	1	1	1	0	0	0
1985	Cardinals	40	Royals	20	7	-20	1		0	0	1	0
1984	Tigers	46	Padres	22	5	-24	0	1	0	1	0	0
1983	Phillies	18	Orioles	34	5	16	1	1	1	0	0	0
1982	Brewers (AL)	28	Cardinals	22	7	-6	1		0	0	1	0
1981	Dodgers	16	Yankees	11	6	-5	0	1	0	1	0	0
1980	Royals	22	Phillies	20	6	-2	1		0	0	1	0
1979	Pirates	34	Orioles	45	7	11	0		0	0	0	1
							26	15	13	2	13	5
	Away	G>.500	Home	G>.500		Home Diff	Home	Rec	Home+Rec	Away+Rec	Home-Rec	Away-Rec

The Chart goes back 33 World Series and list the team that ended up being Away and Home for the Series - the team in Green won the series. 7 Game series are noted in yellow.

The G>.500 is the number of games each squad finished above .500.  The Len column is the length of the series. Home Diff is the number of games the Home squad was ahead or behind the away team.  

To the right of the chart a A '1' in a column indicates a win in a certain category. Those catgories and composite records are as follows

Home Team 26-7 
Better Record 15-18

Better Record + Home 13-5
Better Record + Away 2-13
Worse Record + Home  13-2  
Worse Record + Away 5-13 

There are 2 things worth noting here, 33 series is not a huge sample size, but it isn't small.  The second is that the best team doesn't always have the best record.  And indeed it does seem to be the hotter team has been winning Series recently.

I will admit those two issues with the study here, but there are some astounding numbers. 
1) The 2-13 record of teams w/ better records w/ Road Status. Thats abysmal. In fact it is worse than being the Away Squad and having the worse record in the contest (5-13)
2) I went back to 1979 just so I could find a game 7 that was won by the road squad.  There have been 9 Game 7s since then, every single one of them won by the Home team. Assuming both teams are near equal the odds of 9 home consecutive home wins is over 500-1.      

Source
Baseball-ref.com