TR, interesting post.
At the time, I agreed with your view. He completely changed that game with that play.
This morning I listened to Bobby Valentine.
While he did not take away from Damon's play, boy did he provide some commentary on the Phillies, Lidge and their manager.
He pointed out how Lidge threw mostly sliders up to the AB with Damon, to get 2 outs. Damon then made him adjust and throw fastballs, not his best pitch.
Ran on the slider. When he got to 3rd, Lidge went completely away from his slider and Arod beat him with the FB, not his best pitch.
Valentine's point was when you get to that level and that point in the game, no one takes you out of your game and your best pitch.
If they do, then Charlie should have walked out there and either removed Lidge or the catcher, whoever would not call the slider for apparent fear of a PB/WP.
Sometimes I think you just say the other guy did his job and congratulate him. That was my view on Damon's play, until I heard Valentine.
To an extent, Damon really did his job in taking Lidge away from his "out" and best pitch. On the other hand, Lidge let him do it.