Three Phillies will have surgery this week: Brad Lidge, right elbow (loose bodies), Raul Ibanez, groin/abdomen (sports hernia), and Scott Eyre, left elbow (loose bodies). All season long there was simmering speculation about the state of Lidge's knee. It now turns out that the injury was to his elbow.
Lidge may also need tendon surgery. If so, he will not be ready for the start of spring training. Ibanez suffered his injury before the All-Star break and was never the same. I hope that Eyre, who is contemplating retirement, returns, though that will depend in part on the success of his surgery and on his family. Come on, Scott, one more year with your "goofies" in the bullpen.
