Paul Hagen: How about Walker as solution to Phillies' mess at closer?

MILWAUKEE - It's not that the Phillies aren't willing to put all their game-on-the-line-in-the-ninth-inning options out on the table now, aren't open to think what not so long ago would have been unthinkable when it comes to whom manager Charlie Manuel will hand the ball to in save situations.

It can no longer be Brad Lidge. Not now. Not with a week-and-a-half left in the season, not with all the promise and peril of the postseason looming, not with homefield advantage in the first two rounds still up for grabs.

That much is painfully clear. If it wasn't before Lidge suffered through yet another agonizing meltdown in Florida Wednesday night, it is now.

Give the Phillies points for not turning their back on the reliever who was such a big part of that championship season. But, to quote the famous line from "The Godfather," it's nothing personal. Just business.

Hell, as wrenching as admitting that 2008's perfect closer can no longer be trusted when the chips are stacked in the middle of the table is, that's the easy part. The part that has to fry the brain pans of Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee is the logical followup question.

If not Lidge, then who?

The Phillies didn't have to answer that last night. A six-run fifth inning that set up a 9-4 win over the Brewers at Miller Park and reduced their magic number to four allowed them to sidestep that touchy issue for at least another 24 hours.

Manuel's pregame comments on the subject weren't particularly revealing. In fact, he said pretty much the same things that he's been saying for the past few weeks. That he still has confidence in Lidge, but that winning games is paramount, etc.

Still, the vibe was different somehow. Asked directly if he had reached the point where he might consider something that would have previously been out of bounds, he seemed to embrace the idea.

"Yeah, I mean, that might be what we have to do," he said. "We'll see. Whatever we think. Whatever we want to do. I'll do that. We've got to win some games."

Asked if his philosophy had changed since the night before, when he suggested that he had no choice but to continue with the status quo, he shrugged.

"I don't know. You can call it whatever you want to call it," he said.

And he alluded to the fact that he doesn't have a smorgasbord of options to select from at the moment. "If you look and see what our pitching situation is right now and who we have there, I mean, you know . . . "

What about Tyler Walker?

Yes, he's a 33-year-old journeyman who was released by the Mariners this spring. Yes, the Phillies originally signed him to a minor league contract. Yes, it's an idea that is kind of hard to wrap your brain around at first.

On the other hand, he's pitched pretty well for the Phillies. Opponents are batting .215 against him. He'd held the other team scoreless in 23 of his 28 appearances. And, most important, he's been a closer before. He had 23 saves for the Giants in 2005.

Manuel's reaction when the idea was floated was interesting.

"He's done a good job for us in the role where he's at," he began.

(Pause)

"But . . . "

(Pause)

"You know . . . "

(Pause)

"We'll do whatever it takes to win a game."

(Pause)

"That might give [reporters] something really good to write about," he concluded with a chuckle.

A few hours later, though, he brought Walker into a mopup situation in the eighth. And a long fly to right by Jody Gerut fell about 3 feet short of being the grand slam that would have put the Brew Crew right back in the game.

If not Lidge, then who?

There has been a school of thought that whichever starter, J.A. Happ or Pedro Martinez, gets bumped from the postseason rotation would be a possibility. Problems: Neither has any extended experience pitching out of the bullpen. Neither has demonstrated an ability to warm up quickly and pitch 2 or 3 days in a row. And both are coming off nagging injuries. Happ had a pulled muscle in his side, Martinez a stiff neck.

At one time, it looked as if Brett Myers might ride in on a white horse and save the day. That probably would have been the best alternative, given the success and obvious enjoyment he had in the role in 2007. He came back much more quickly than expected from hip surgery, but then his shoulder started bothering him. There's no way of knowing for sure whether he will be ready by the start of the division series.

Ryan Madson? He has nearly as many blown saves (six) as saves (eight). And, besides, if he pitches the ninth that still leaves a gaping hole in the eighth.

Chan Ho Park? Two saves in his career, even if he wasn't sidelined by a strained hamstring. J.C. Romero? Also out with a tight forearm, four big-league saves. Clay Condrey? Chad Durbin?

The hard fact is that there are no easy solutions. The cold truth is that there is no right answer. The Phillies have given Lidge ample opportunity to right himself. He hasn't. He can try, try again next season.

For the rest of this season, the Phillies have to go with somebody different. Figuring out who that should be is the hard part. Getting it right will determine how long past the final day of the regular season the Phillies will be playing.

Send e-mail to hagenp@phillynews.com