In the middle of his magical 2008 season, Brad Lidge inked a three year extension instead of becoming a free agent at the end of the year from then GM Pat Gillick. While Gillick made several shrewd moves to pick up the likes of JC Romero, Matt Stairs, Chad Durbin, and Jayson Werth, Lidge’s contract is a gaffe in Gillick’s tenure only comparable to the minuscule return the Phillies received for Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle and his nearly unforgivable signing of Adam Eaton.When discussing the Jonathan Papelbon contract, many Phillies Nation readers aptly pointed out that from 2009 through 2011, Lidge received nearly the same per year contract value that Papelbon will be paid. This is true. It is also true that even a cursory exploration of comparing the seasons leading up to both extension, Papelbon was leaps and bounds the better pitcher.Using fWar from FanGraphs and a concept they introduced, when comparing nth best seasons, only Lidge’s stellar 2004 compares to how well Papel...
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