New Year's Resolution: Joe Blanton

Every day this month, we here at Philthy Stuff will be counting down the New Year's resolutions of each member on the Phillies, and what they can do to guide this team back to October. Next up, Joe Blanton. During spring training last year, before anyone threw a pitch in an exhibition game, the Phillies held a press conference, where they proudly displayed their vaunted “Four Aces.” Except there was only one problem: There were five pitchers at this press conference. While writers and fans were all agog to see Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt on the same dais, no one seemed to care that Joe Blanton -- he of the 2008 World Series champion Phillies -- sat alongside them. His presence would bring a few laughs when one writer mistakenly forgot that Blanton was even on the 2008 team, and Lee scoffed at the “Four Aces” label because, in fact, it takes five pitchers to make up a rotation. And let's face facts: Blanton is no ace. Sure, ...