The Philadelphia Phillies traded for Joe Blanton midway through the 2008 season, and the former Oakland A’s ace played an instrumental role in the team’s success down the stretch. He went 4-0 in 13 starts and hit a home run in his only World Series start, helping the Phillies capture the their first World Series championship in 25 seasons.
Blanton followed with his best year as a pro in 2009, going 12-8 with a 4.05 ERA in 195.1 innings pitched. The Phillies rewarded him with a three-year, $24 million extension that expires after this coming season. Blanton struggled in 2010, going 9-6 with a 4.82 ERA and barely pitched in ’11, logging just 41 innings while battling an elbow injury.
The Phillies have been shopping Blanton around all winter, as has been their offseason regimen for quite some time now. No one will likely pay $8.5 million for a 31-year old starting pitcher coming off an elbow injury and just one win, but if the Phillies pay part of Blanton’s salary, it’s not at all inco...
Original Story:
