The image of Brad Lidge falling to his knees after striking out Eric Hinske to secure the Phillies’ second World Series title in franchise history and first since 1980 is one of the most iconic images in Philadelphia sports history.
Lidge returned to Citizens Bank Park over the weekend to participate in alumni events, and the former Phillies closer traded places with his former backstop Carlos Ruiz when the popular “Chooch” threw the first pitch of Friday’s game to Lidge.
Not only is Lidge arguably the best reliever in franchise history, aside from Tug McGraw, but that became clear at the end of the sixth inning of Friday’s broadcast of the Washington Nationals-Philadelphia Phillies game, when Tom McCarthy and John Kruk revealed a surprising side of the former closer.
“I’m overwhelmed because Brad Lidge told us what he’s doing now,” said the Phillies commentator. “He’s getting his PhD in archaeology. What do we do?”
“So what do we do? We can tell people that Brad is going to get his PhD in archaeology,” Kruk said. “And then we can let him get his PhD, and when he wants to start again in four to six years or so, as he says, hopefully, God willing, we’ll still be there.”
McCarthy mentioned that Lidge would be traveling to Italy as part of that program. That’s where he lost Kruk, who is required to wear an AirTag in MLB stadiums in case it gets lost. The Phillies’ color analyst was curious if that meant Lidge would be going digging or “looking for the old stuff.”
McCarthy mentioned Jamie Moyer, which was the perfect opportunity for Kruk to crack a good, old-fashioned dad joke.
“Jamie (Moyer) is so old, Brad could dig him up,” Kruk joked.
“Jamie (Moyer) is so old that Brad might dig him up” – @JohnKruk about Brad Lidge’s path to becoming a doctor of archaeology pic.twitter.com/Dm5qNg3fyJ
— Nick Piccone (@_piccone) 17 August 2024
McCarthy laughed in the background for about 10 to 15 seconds and was close to tears before he said, “Sorry, Jamie.”
Kruk, a national hero, said his reference to Moyer and his age was pure love.
Moyer, 61, has had a 25-year MLB career, pitching for the Phillies from 2006 to 2010 before making his final major league appearance with the Colorado Rockies in 2012. To put that in perspective, Kruk, at 63, is just two years older than Moyer and made his major league debut two months before the 1986 All-Star pitcher.
Kruk, a three-time All-Star with the Phillies, played his final season in 1995. Moyer played 17 more seasons.
Moyer actually moved to Kruk’s world for a season after his playing career. Along with Matt Stairs, Moyer joined McCarthy in the commentary booth for the 2014 season. But that only lasted a year, as Moyer did not return for the 2015 season, as he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Well, he returned to the bench this weekend, and while Lidge may have had to dig him up and dust him off, Moyer remains a cornerstone of franchise history from the beginning of this century. But if Lidge can find something truly old — other than Moyer — there might be a place for it on the Phillies Wall of Fame.
