Joe Blanton Trade Rumors: Updates on Latest Trade Talk

Joe Blanton may as well be invisible.

Because when your rotation is as deep and talented as that of the Phillies, the person responsible for taking the ball last is of minimal concern.

A somewhat forgotten byproduct at the back end of the Philadelphia staff, Blanton was already obscured by the shadows cast by Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt.

Then came the signing of Cliff Lee, which has led to reports that the 30-year-old will be one of the first to go in what could be a series of cost-cutting moves designed to make ample room for the staff’s newest gem.

Needless to say, with the Phillies investing more than $60 million in the “Fearsome Foursome” for 2011, it was only a matter of time before reservations at the chopping block were made for Blanton, who is owed $17 million over the next two seasons—an extraordinary amount of money designated for a player expected to be no more than a fifth starter.

Maybe that’s why Philadelphia is inquiring about the much older but significantly cheaper Pedro Martinez, who was a surprise contributor to the Phillies’ World Series run in 2009 and could be offered a risk-free contract laden with incentives.

Must Read: Power Ranking the Top Players Who’ll Change Teams Before 2011

 

Acquiring a bargain option like Martinez would make trading Blanton, who won nine games and posted a 4.82 ERA in 28 starts a season ago, an absolute no-brainer.

But making the decision to part ways with Blanton may be the easy part for Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. Teams have reportedly stipulated that any deal involving Blanton would require Amaro Jr. and the Phillies eating some of Blanton’s salary, so the pitcher’s presence would still linger on the books.

If you’re paying a portion of his salary anyway, wouldn’t it be easier just to retain Blanton, who has started at least 30 games and pitched at least 190 innings in a season five times?

Then again, Amaro Jr. made it clear at the Winter Meetings that the Phillies need to begin developing young players, and a Blanton deal would likely provide the farm system with some mid-level prospects.

Under that scenario, any number of teams would presumably show interest in striking a deal for Blanton, allowing Philadelphia to purse the cost-effective Martinez, insert a player such as Kyle Kendrick into the rotation, or option someone from the Triple A level to replace Blanton.

Boston was reported to be one of the first teams to inquire about Blanton, but that amounted to nothing more than a rumor after the Red Sox indicated that no deal was in place. Next up seems to be the Brewers, which, like all other teams eyeing Blanton, want the Phillies to foot a good portion of the bill.

Several other teams that, according to the Web site MLBTradeRumors.com, could be a fit for Blanton include: Washington, Minnesota, Seattle, Baltimore, Kansas City and Oakland. Even Texas and the Yankees could be interested, seemingly in search of a cheap alternative after missing out on Lee.

With pitching at a premium across baseball, the Phillies will field plenty of interest regarding Blanton between now and Spring Training. For now, the team appears to be in a holding pattern, fully content on letting the offers play out so they can choose the best plan of action.

Which, if teams are going to demand the Phillies eat Blanton’s paychecks for the next two seasons, oddly enough could be not trading him at all.

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MLB Winter Meetings: The 10 Most Ridiculous Rumors We Heard Last Week

Every season, the MLB Winter Meetings give rise to dozens of fascinating rumors about blockbuster trades or surprising free-agent signings. Some come to fruition, but the majority of them leave us wondering who on earth ever thought such a thing would actually happen.

Trade rumors sometimes spring fully formed from the heads of sportswriters. At other times, teams make cursory inquiries on players they have no real intention of acquiring, and writers misunderstand.

One way or another, though, we always hear a fair number of crazy rumors during the week-long swap meet. Read on for the 10 most outrageous rumored moves of the Winter Meetings.

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Cliff Lee Signs with the Phillies, 2011 World Series Betting Odds Adjusted

Shocker alert: With pitcher Cliff Lee signing with the Philadelphia Phillies, Vegas now considers the Phils the heavy betting favorites to win the 2011 World Series. Online betting giant Sportsbook.com currently has them listed at +160 to win it all.

Before it was announced that the lefty was headed back to the land of cheese steaks and Rocky, the odds-makers had the Phillies at +600 to win their second Fall Classic in four years. The only team that was a bigger favorite was the New York Yankees—no surprise there.

Can you blame the bookies for cutting the Phillies betting odds? After all, they now have not only the best starting rotation in the MLB, but arguably the best in the history of baseball.

Think about it. The top four of their rotation now consists of current NL Cy Young winner Roy Halladay (21-10, 2.44 ERA), Lee (12-9, 3.18 ERA), Cole Hamels (12-11, 3.06 ERA) and Roy Oswalt (13-13, 2.76 ERA).

The only question that remains: Who will be the fifth starter? Joe Blanton? Kyle Kendrick? Vance Worley? Who cares! Ryan Howard could take the mound every fifth day, and this squad could win 100 games.

Speaking of Howard, don’t forget that the Philadelphia’s offense piled up the second most runs in the National League in 2010. Pretty impressive yes, but it was considered a “down year” offensively in the City of Brotherly Love. They were marred with injuries all year and stars Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins all had below-average years with the bat.

Philadelphia does have some questions in the corner outfield spots. Last week right-fielder Jayson Werth and his 27 home runs signed with the Washington Nationals. In left field, Raul Ibanez isn’t getting any younger. The 38-year-old hit just 16 bombs last season after knocking 34 out of the ballpark in 2009.

Phillies fans shouldn’t be too concerned though. It’s obvious by now that General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. will do what it takes to supply Manager Charlie Manuel with the best players possible.

Sportsbook.com 2011 World Series betting odds:

Philadelphia Phillies                            +160

New York Yankees                              +500

Boston Red Sox                                   +600

San Francisco Giants                           +1500

St. Louis Cardinals                               +1500

More 2011 World Series betting odds

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Countdown to Spring Training: 10 Non-Roster Invitees Who Could Earn a Contract

With the Philadelphia Phillies’ heist of former Cy Young-winner Cliff Lee from the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers stealing the spotlight in MLB, the countdown to Spring Training 2011 is being lost in the fray.

Big-name acquisitions in free agency, like Adrian Gonzalez heading to the Boston Red Sox, will always garner the most attention, but we can’t forget about those less-heralded players that will ultimately make the difference in who wins the World Series.

That being said, here’s a list of 10 non-roster invitees to Spring Training who could earn a spot in the majors.

And no, Kenny Powers doesn’t count.

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Phillies Form the Best Pitching Rotation In the League

A pitching rotation as hellacious as the one the Philadelphia Phillies are currently possessing rarely happens in baseball. Many of us are still wondering how the negotiating process went down. And why Cliff Lee didn’t announce his decision on a one-hour special.

Everything about this negotiation suggested that Lee and Braunecker were playing perfectly in terms of maximizing the money. Now it appears money was never really a factor.

The Yankees have now found themselves in a real bind, a position that they are unaccustomed to being in. They now need to be careful and not overpay for relief pitchers or trade their top prospects.

But, the problem is the Red Sox have just positioned themselves to be AL East Champs in the future. The Yankees’ championship window was already slightly cracked with aging stars Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte. With the moves that the Red Sox have made, they may have slammed that window shut.

The Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Lee and Cole Hamels combination has already drawn comparisons to the 1990s Atlanta Braves.

Last season, Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels, Lee and Joe Blanton posted a overall 3.17 ERA. More than likely this will be a sign of things to come next year.

Lee’s 10.82 K/BB ratio was the best in baseball. The second best mark at 7.30 K/BB is held by Lee’s new teammate Halladay. Hamels was ranked 13th at 3.46 K/BB.

Now the 2008 World Series MVP, Hamels, will move down to the No. 4 spot in the rotation. Last season, Hamels posted a 3.53 ERA with a 1.179 WHIP.  

During certain times next season, it will be almost unfair to trot out such a rotation and the Phillies will certainly be in the World Series discussion. Somewhere out there in Washington, DC, Jason Werth is crying into his pillowcase stuffed with money.

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2010 Hot Stove: Why the Phillies WILL Be the 2011 World Series Champions

The Philadelphia Phillies have been one of the most successful baseball teams in the MLB the past three seasons. Recently, as most of you have heard, the Phillies lost their all-star left fielder, Jayson Werth, to the Washington Nationals for a ridiculous amount of money, but also gained the most coveted free agent in the 2010 class, Cliff Lee. Also, they are looking to shop Raul Ibanez, which would mean they would not have a stable outfield. However, this is no reason why the Phillies should not still be an elite team.

 

1)    Starting Pitching

Pitching wins championships, and the Phillies have plenty of it. Their Big Three, Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, all return next season. Now the Phantastic Phour after the HUGE signing of Cliff Lee, the Phillies can almost not even dress any relievers.

Halladay is coming off a career season, winning 21 games and striking out 219 batters, both career highs. He also added another Cy Young Award to his collection, a perfect game and a no-hitter in the postseason. Cole Hamels had a great season to bounce back from a terrible 2009 campaign. He posted a 3.06 ERA after an abysmal 4.32 ERA in 2009. After the Phillies acquired Oswalt, he was un-hittable. His record did not show it at 13-13, but he had a 2.76 ERA, and after losing his first game as a Phillie he won seven straight.

Oh, not to mention, they now have Cliff Lee. Lee is coming off another spectacular postseason. He played in his second World Series, one with the Phillies and one with the Texas Rangers. Last season he posted a very good 3.19 ERA, but for the first half of the season he played on a terrible Seattle Mariners team. He was 12-9, and was injury-plagued in the begging of the season.

This prized free agent signing gives the Phillies the most feared starting rotation in the MLB, if they didn’t have it already. Also, Joe Blanton (who they are also looking to shop) and Kyle Kendrick are pretty good options for fifth starters, winning a combined 20 games in 2010.

 

2)    Charlie Manuel

As much as I hate Charlie’s in-game strategy, the players love him. He can get any player to play hard. He’s led the team to four straight division titles, back-to-back National League crowns in 2008 and 2009, and another three straight NLCS berths from 2008-2010. The players will always listen to him, and respect him.

For example, Jimmy Rollins did not run a ball out to first base on a ground ball last year. Charlie immediately pulled him from the game, and benched him the next game. He sent a message to the team, to make sure this did not happen again. The Phillies will continue to win under Charlie Manuel. One thing he needs to work on if his public speaking ability in post-game press conferences, but that’s irrelevant at this time.

 

3)    Howard, Utley, and Rollins

Despite losing Werth, the Phillies return their core players Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins. All had injury problems last season, so they’re bound for bounce-back seasons.

Jimmy has not been the same after his 2007 MVP season. His stats and games played have taken a very noticeable drop since the 2007 season. Howard, despite being on the DL twice last season, still hit for 31 HRs and 108 RBIs. Utley has been debatably the best second basemen in the league, but also had an injury-plagued season.

All these players will pick up the team, and fill Werth’s RBIs and HRs. In the postseason, the Phillies looked like a Little League team at the plate. Especially Ryan Howard looking at strike three to end the season. That is just inexcusable, and the Phillies will have to be better from the plate this season.

 

4)    Fielding

The Phillies are one of the best-fielding teams in the Majors. As a team they only had 83 errors, which was sixth-best in the league. They also were sixth in fielding percentage, and eighth in total assists. Yes, they lose Werth’s big arm in right field, but Carlos “Chooch” Ruiz is one of the better-fielding catchers in the game, and Shane Victorino just won his second Gold Glove in two years.

 

To wrap things up I will admit the Phillies are losing a big part of their team in Werth, but they will continue to have success like in recent years. A point I did not address in the article is their bullpen. Brad Lidge has to be the Brad Lidge of 2008 for them to be a World Series team again. Without Werth it will be a struggle, but the veteran Phillies will survive and still have great success. 

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Do You Be”Lee”ve? 7 Questions Phillies GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. Has To Ask Himself

Last night, the Philadelphia Phillies basically shocked the world as they signed one of the top pitchers in baseball, Cliff Lee.

An unexpected move considering that the Phillies already had one of the best, if not the best rotation in all of baseball in Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt.

The Phillies have used an enormous chunk of their payroll to snatch Cliff Lee from the foaming mouths of the Yankees’ front office and the desperate pleas of Rangers’ ownership.

So, now waking up in his incredibly soft and comfortable bed in either his spectacularly expensive home or five-star hotel, Ruben Amaro Jr. must now ask himself 10 questions.

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Cliff Lee and the Philadelphia Phillies: Why They’re Doomed To Disappoint

Cliff Lee is a happy man.

Forget the fact he swindled himself out of more than $30 million to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. Okay, maybe not swindled, because Lee voluntarily left that money on the table.

He knew what he was doing. He knew he’d be the most at peace in Philadelphia. His trial run there in 2009 — despite the fact the Phillies failed to sign him that time around — was nothing short of magical.

So, it is with shallower pockets but a lighter heart that Lee comes to Philadelphia, providing an already intimidating gang of starters with an additional bully.

Watch out, National League East: Lee’s signing may have been the ultimate kill shot. Sorry, Atlanta Braves: the division was previously a table for two, and you’ve just been asked to leave.

Not only are the Phillies unanimous favorites to win the East, odds makers in Vegas have been influenced by the Lee deal, adjusting Philadelphia’s chances of winning it all from 5-1 to 5-2 overnight — the best in baseball ahead of the Yankees.

The quartet of Lee, Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay, and Roy Oswalt is unrivaled in baseball: Thirteen All-Star appearances. A combined record of 481-275 and an aggregate ERA of 3.47. Two World Series titles. One perfect game. One no-hitter.

All that and at an average age of 30 — not exactly youthful in baseball years, but not yet geriatric.

The Phillies should be dominant on the mound, just as they should be proficient at the plate — even sans Jayson Werth. Though, it appears, they won’t have to score very much.

On paper, Philadelphia has the look of a 100-win team — easy. By locking up Lee, the Phillies have made the unrealistic prospect of winning four out of every five games somewhat realistic. Based on preseason projections and expectations alone, their backs will be fitted for targets before a pitch is even thrown.

Maybe that’s why the Phillies will disappoint in 2011.

Suppose they win 106 games during the regular season, breeze through the NLDS and NLCS, but come one run short of a world title. Is that, then, considered a disappointment? Some would say yes.

What if Halladay doesn’t even sniff either a perfect game or a no-hitter in 2011, and both Hamels and Oswalt, who has the best career ERA (3.18) of the four, perform like your average third and fourth starters? Does that constitute an underachieving staff?

And assume Lee finishes a hair below his numbers from a season ago (12-9, 3.18), or even those from his first go-around in Philly (3.39 in 12 starts). Will the Phillies’ shrewdness and $120 million sneak attack against the Yankees and Rangers be for naught?

No, but the goals that were set the moment Lee signed on the dotted line say otherwise.

The Phillies now have upwards of $170 million dedicated to the 2011 payroll, including more than $60 million tied up in the Big Four of Lee, Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt. Even if starter Joe Blanton, as rumors suggest, is dealt to create space, they would still leapfrog the Red Sox for the second-highest payroll in the majors.

With that sort of cash flying around, isn’t it only reasonable to expect big, big things from Philadelphia this season, much like we do annually from the Yankees, who hand out the game’s most exorbitant paychecks?

Again, most people would say yes.

And what of the offense? There’s a good chance the lineup won’t operate on auto-pilot as often as it did with Werth, who at times was like Robin to Ryan Howard’s Batman, leading the team in games played, runs, walks, doubles, and on-base percentage, and finishing second in home runs, RBI, and hits.

Already under the microscope, much like the pitching staff, how much pressure will be applied to the Phillies’ hitters if they fail to perform consistently? After all, you can’t hold down the opposition’s offense every night.

Philadelphia has the ingredients available for a dream season. But if things don’t go exactly according to plan, which will likely be nothing less than a World Series title, the 2011 campaign may be a recipe for disaster.

How will Lee feel then?

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Are the Philadelphia Phillies the Miami Heat Of The MLB?

Philadelphia has just acquired another ace in Cliff Lee. The lefty has arguably been one of the best postseason pitchers of all time. Lee will be joining a rotation that already consists of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels. 

All of these pitchers are guys managers would be confident tossing on the mound in Games 1 or 7 of the World Series. The weakest of the four is Cole Hamels, who was the team’s ace when they won the World Series a few years back. The sports world should no longer be surprised seeing more than one superstar on each team. This past NBA offseason, fans around the league saw LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh “take their talents to South Beach.” 

Are the Phillies the Miami Heat of the MLB? 

Both teams have undeniable star power. The Phillies have the best rotation the MLB has seen since Glavine, Maddux and Smoltz were together in Atlanta. The Heat compiled three out of the five Eastern Conference all stars from last season. Both teams have enough talent on their rosters to where it’s almost impossible to miss the playoffs, but can both these teams achieve their goals of winning the championships of their respective sports?

Both teams have one very similar problem. The talent around them may not be enough. The Heat this season have been getting very little help outside of their “Big 3”. The bench hasn’t been scoring enough and the role players haven’t been helping out. Sure, the team is hot right now, but they haven’t really been tested since their winning streak has started. The three of these guys might not be enough to bring the championship to Miami…and the Phillies face a similar problem.

The pitching of the Phillies will be incredible this season. There is no denying that. They have the type of rotation where you wouldn’t be surprised to see back to back No Hitters or Perfect Games. Halladay and Lee are capable of doing both those things and they will be pitching on back to back nights. Oswalt and Hamels have both been aces for their teams in the last couple of years as well. The problem is the team around them…can they hit?

The Phils just lost outfielder Jayson Werth to the Nationals via Free Agency. He has been one of their bigger bats the last couple of seasons. The team was the oldest team in baseball last year and adding Lee doesn’t exactly make them younger. Jimmy Rollins has been irrelevant for almost two years now. Utley was injured for a quarter of the season and Ryan Howard experienced a significant decline in his OPS from seasons before. The team is going to struggle to provide run support for their star studded rotation. 

When you look at it closely, the teams are actually very similar. They might be playing different sports, but they both have the same problem. The talent on their rosters might not be enough to get them to the promised land, no matter how many superstars each team has. It certainly will be interesting to see how the Heat finish out the NBA season and playoffs, and how the Phillies fare next season through a grueling 162 game season and playoffs. 

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Comparing Pitching Staffs: 2011 Philadelphia Phillies to 1993 Atlanta Braves

The Cliff Lee signing has put together one of the greatest pitching staffs in recent memory.

The last staff that looked this dominant on paper was the 1993 Atlanta Braves.

Like the Phillies, the Braves had recently signed the best free agent pitcher on the market in Greg Maddux. Maddux had just come off a 20 win season for the Chicago Cubs, and won his first of four consecutive NL Cy Young awards.

Maddux led a staff of four dominating pitchers in Atlanta in 1993. In addition to Maddux, there were also future Hall of Famers in Tom Glavine and John Smoltz. Steve Avery rounded out the four-headed monster in Atlanta that dominated the NL that year with a record of 105-57.

Greg Maddux/ Cliff Lee

The pitching staff comparison starts with Lee and Maddux. Maddux was perhaps the best pitcher of his era. He was a “pitcher’s pitcher,” nicknamed the “Professor.” Maddux would paint the black of the plate consistently. Maddux was known for his control of the strike zone, and craftiness to get hitters out.

Lee has been the best control pitcher in baseball over the last three years. His K/BB ratio of 10.26 in 2010 was the second best of all time, falling only behind Bret Saberhagen in 1994. Fifth and ninth on the all time best K/BB seasons was none other than Maddux.

Maddux in 1993 won his second NL Cy Young. He went 20-10 on the year. He had an ERA of 2.36, with 197 strikeouts over 267.0 innings.

Lee went 12-9 last season, despite missing some time early in the season, and playing the majority of the season for one of the worst offensive teams in the American League.

Given the fact that Philadelphia scored 4.76 runs per game last season, compared to the Mariners 3.16 per game, the win total for Lee should obviously trend upward. 

Season Prediction for Lee: 18-9, 3.05 ERA, 175 K’s over 215.0 innings.

John Smoltz/ Roy Halladay

John Smoltz compares most favorably with Roy Halladay.

Smoltz was the Robin to Maddux’s Batman on the 1993 Atlanta Braves. Gifted with great talent, and a devastating split finger fastball, Smoltz was the strikeout pitcher in the rotation.

After being plucked out of the Detroit Tigers organization in 1987, for then 36-year-old Doyle Alexander, Smoltz dominated for the Braves. He made his debut for the Braves in 1988 and proceeded to put together a Hall of Fame career.

During the 1993 season, Smoltz went 15-11. He had an ERA of 3.62 over 243.2 innings, and struck out 208 batters.

Halladay came to the Phillies last season, after spending 12 seasons in Toronto with the Blue Jays.

In his first season in Philadelphia, Roy “The Doc” Halladay, made an immediate impact.

Going 21-10 and winning the NL Cy Young would be enough for some pitchers to be happy, Halladay went a few steps further.

On May 29th, 2010, Halladay pitched a perfect game against the Florida Marlins. In his first ever playoff appearance, Halladay went on to pitch the second-ever postseason no-hitter, while facing the Cincinnati Reds.

Season Prediction for Halladay: 19-10, 2.65 ERA, 220 K’s over 230.0 innings.

Tom Glavine/ Cole Hamels

Tom Glavine was a crafty left-handed pitcher for the Atlanta Braves in 1993.

Glavine was a two sport star, being drafted early in the 1984 NHL Draft. Glavine was also drafted by the Atlanta Braves that year in the second round. He eventually decided on baseball, making his MLB Debut in 1987, marking the first season of the future 300 game winner.

Glavine, the 1995 World Series MVP and two time NL Cy Young winner, relied on location of an average fastball mixed in with great breaking pitches, most notably a circle changeup on the outside of the plate.

Glavine had his third straight 20 win season in 1993, going 22-6 that season. He had a 3.20 ERA over 239.1 innings to go along with his 120 K’s.

Cole Hamels, 26, was drafted by the Phillies in 2002 and made his debut in 2006.

He has been instrumental in turning the Phillies into a National League powerhouse. His most notable accomplishment was winning the 2008 World Series MVP, while pitching the Phillies to the title.

Hamels, like Glavine, is a left-handed pitcher who spots a good fastball, and relies on a dominating circle changeup to get batters out.

Over the second half of 2010, Hamels may have been the best pitcher in the NL. Despite an underwhelming 12-11 record, this was not indicative of his season. He also sported only a 3.06 ERA over 208.2 innings with 211 K’s.

Season Prediction for Hamels: 16-10, 3.30 ERA, 210 K’s over 200.0 innings.

Steve Avery/ Roy Oswalt

Steve Avery, though many forget, was one of the best starting pitchers in the National League from 1991-1993. His unexpected and quick decline from dominance after the 1993 season tends to overshadow his accomplishments in the early 90s.

Avery, a left-hander, was the 1991 ALCS MVP. He had a great 1993 season, which was his best as a pro. He went 18-6 with a 2.94 ERA over 223.1 innings to go with his 125 K’s.

Oswalt came to Philadelphia last season from the Houston Astros, after being one of the more dominant pitchers in the NL over the last decade.

The right-handed Oswalt still has electric stuff and could be one of the best fourth starters in MLB history. The 2005 NLCS MVP had another great season in 2010. He went a combined 13-13 between the Phillies and Astros. He had a 2.76 ERA over 211.2 innings with 193 K’s.

Season Prediction for Oswalt: 17-8, 2.90 ERA, 190 K’s over 210.0 innings.

Overall

The Phillies now have, with all respect to San Francisco, the best starting staff in all of baseball. Given the top five offense that they can also field, the Phillies should role through the NL East in 2011.

The Phillies in 2010 won the NL East with a ML best record of 97-65. This was quite impressive, due to the extended time missed by Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and others throughout the season.

The Phillies, if healthy, have one of the better lineups in the NL, despite losing Jason Werth to the Nationals this offseason.

If the rotation stays healthy, the top four pitchers could win 70-75 games all by themselves. Not to mention, Joe Blanton, as a fifth starter, won 9 games last season. Add that to the bullpen wins and you have a team that could potentially win 110 games next season.

2011 Philadelphia Phillies season prediction: Since we are doing a 1993 Atlanta Braves comparison, I think 105-57 season is a good barometer for the the 2011 Phillies.

 

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