Lidge, the team's invaluable closer, is experiencing stiffness, soreness and inflammation in his right shoulder, which might explain why he needed 26, 28 and 24 pitches, respectively, to get through his last three appearances. It also explains why he wasn't used in save situations the last two days.

Manager Charlie Manuel, privately irked about the way Lidge was handled in the All-Star Game - he warmed up six times before entering the game in the 15th inning - isn't hiding his displeasure anymore.

"He wasn't geared to throw that many damn pitches," he said.