CENTENNIAL — The picture that many Coloradans have in their minds of Brad Lidge was taken last fall, when he fell to his knees and raised his arms with little-boy joy in front of the mound in Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.
It had to be shot at high speed — the strapping, 6-foot-5 closer with the menacing look and windup quickly was mobbed by the likes of large Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard after recording the World Series-clinching out.
Thirteen years ago as a Cherry Creek Bruin, well before his pitch became a slider nastier than your garage floor after one of our snowstorms, Lidge was in baseball limbo, a player switching positions.
“I kind of went from being somebody who didn’t have a prayer of playing beyond high school . . .” Lidge said this week while handling offseason commitments and workouts, personal chores he’s only too glad to perform. “Just being blessed enough to have a path is pretty cool.”
In 1995, Lidge was a noteworthy part of the Bruins’ 1994-95 class that won big-school titles in football, boys basketball and baseball, the only such triple crown in Colorado annals. He wasn’t going to start in a loaded outfield, and coach Marc Johnson liked his arm, so why not try it on the mound?
“(Johnson) told me, ‘Hey, you’ve been fooling around with it; it’s your path,’ ” Lidge said. “I had no idea where it was going.”
The Centennial League led to the Big East (at Notre Dame), then the National League and 2008’s 48 consecutive saves, seven in three postseason rounds. Lidge recalls not being skeptical of the switch, because he was “fortunate that Cherry Creek was so good in baseball that I couldn’t play and start on the team. I liked doing it. It was always something I liked to do, throwing a baseball as hard as I could.”
His final outing as a schoolboy was interrupted as well as foretelling. A still-legendary rain and hailstorm in Colorado Springs postponed the completion of Lidge’s semifinal start against Smoky Hill with Creek leading 5-3 after four innings, then Matt Newton finished up — for Lidge — on a rare Sunday playoff that also was the first of five consecutive Bruins baseball titles. Remember, Lidge, 7-0 that year, had a two-day wait for the World Series clincher against the Tampa Bay Rays in which he earned the save.
After Newton’s save, the Bruins beat Arvada West 6-3 for the title in what Wildcats coach Jim Capra still refers to as “the most talented high school baseball game in Colorado,” a matchup that also included the likes of Darnell McDonald, Josh Bard, Kevin McDougal and Roy Halladay.
Lidge may be on “SportsCenter” whether he earns a save or gives up a home run, probably more if he gives up a home run, but doesn’t forget he’s a former in-state player.
“I’m busy, but not too busy to reflect back to where it happened, that state championship in 1995,” Lidge said.
And give back — Lidge will be honored by the Bruins’ hall of fame Jan. 31 at The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center, but his mere presence as a World Series winner raises more than considerable funds.
Lidge calls Johnson “the guy who got me started” and pointed the way to Phils manager Charlie Manuel.
“Brad’s had so many people help, his coaches, parents and teammates, that he realizes everybody has had a little part of that and he’s been so good for our program,” Johnson said. “He makes the time and says, ‘That’s my high school program.’ It’s just a huge sense of pride, and you should see the sense of pride he has given us. We had about 30 guys jump off the couch when they won.
“I think the best thing about him is that he’s a quality person, as humble and gracious as you’ll see. You’ll never hear him degrade somebody. He’s as first-class as there is, and we’re very proud of him.”
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
