Oakland Athletics: The Top 50 Oakland A’s of All-Time
#43: Cory Lidle
Right-hander Cory Lidle is the forgotten member of that early 2000s rotation, the fourth man up behind a trio of very good pitchers. His very best season came in 2001, when he went 13-6 and posted a 3.59 ERA as the Athletics won the Wild Card race.
Lidle was also an important part of the rotation during the A’s infamous 20-game winning streak. He did his part, providing a strong start every time his turn came up in the rotation – and yet, most people forget about him when they discuss that streak, focusing on the so-called Big Three instead.
After his time with the Athletics, Lidle moved on to Toronto, Cincinnati and Philadelphia, before finally ending up with the New York Yankees in 2006. He arrived in July, following a mid-season trade from Philadelphia, and proceeded to pitch fairly well until the postseason. He pitched in relief during Game 4 of the American League Division Series, and it ended badly, as the Yankees fell to the Tigers to lose the series.
Less than a week after the playoffs had ended, Lidle was flying a small aircraft along with his flight instructor when a sudden gust of wind caused him to crash into an apartment building on the Upper East Side of New York City. Lidle and his instructor were both tragically killed in the accident. Although Lidle is almost always remembered for the circumstances surrounding his death rather than his time with the Athletics, certainly his time with them was a much happier memory.
Next: Top 50 Oakland Athletics: #42