Could we pursue Joe Blanton?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Do we really want to give the Phillies payroll relief so they can bring in bullpen help and better backup outifielders?  I suppose if we could rip them off, it makes sense, but should we give them anything of value for Blanton? 

[blue911]

Do we really want to give the Phillies payroll relief so they can bring in bullpen help and better backup outifielders?  I suppose if we could rip them off, it makes sense, but should we give them anything of value for Blanton? 

I do it if they threw in Roy Halladay to even it out.

[Kevrock]

...and he would be the Ace of the 2011 Nationals

No.

Do we really want to give the Phillies payroll relief so they can bring in bullpen help and better backup outifielders?  I suppose if we could rip them off, it makes sense, but should we give them anything of value for Blanton? 

No. No.

[PANatsFan]

Do we really want to give the Phillies payroll relief so they can bring in bullpen help and better backup outifielders?  I suppose if we could rip them off, it makes sense, but should we give them anything of value for Blanton? 

When you trade for Blanton you pay by the pound

[blue911]

How is Blanton any better than Kevin Millwood?

[Kevrock]

IDK, you guys who want Blanton have actually watched him pitched multiple times, right?

[RyanTheRiot]

IDK, you guys who want Blanton have actually watched him pitched multiple times, right?

Let's say I've watched Blanton pitch three times, and each time he got shelled.  How should that influence my opinion of Joe as a player?  What if his statistics tell a completely different story?  Do I trust the numbers, or do I trust my eyes?

How is Blanton any better than Kevin Millwood?

He's six years younger.

you do realize he had an era approaching 5 last year?

I realize this.  I also realize that he had an ERA of 4.05 in 2009, 3.95 in 2007, and 3.53 in 2005.  Why should we ignore these numbers and look ONLY at last year's ERA?  It's madness.

[welch]

I also realize that he had an ERA of 4.05 in 2009, 3.95 in 2007, and 3.53 in 2005.  Why should we ignore these numbers and look ONLY at last year's ERA?  It's madness.

What was his ERA in 2010, 2008, and 2006?

2010 = 4.82
2008 = 4.69
2006 = 4.82

I guess he's consistent, at least.

[PANatsFan]

Let's say I've watched Blanton pitch three times, and each time he got shelled.  How should that influence my opinion of Joe as a player?  What if his statistics tell a completely different story?  Do I trust the numbers, or do I trust my eyes?

He's six years younger.

I realize this.  I also realize that he had an ERA of 4.05 in 2009, 3.95 in 2007, and 3.53 in 2005.  Why should we ignore these numbers and look ONLY at last year's ERA?  It's madness.

Trust the numbers, they are more accurate than your eyes. It's called confirmation bias.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

What was his ERA in 2010, 2008, and 2006?

2010 = 4.82
2008 = 4.69
2006 = 4.82

I guess he's consistent, at least.

But we are getting him in an odd year!

[imref]

i want to see Blanton signed only if he is forced to race the presidents at each home game.  I think Teddy could consistently outrun him.

[imref]

But we are getting him in an odd year!

Blanton did pitch considerably better in the 2nd half than the first last year though.  He had a 6.41 ERA in the 1st, 3.48 in the 2nd, which would make him better than any pitcher we had over the 2nd half (except maybe Lannan).  1.338 WHIP /   7.8 K/9   3.32 SO/BB in the 2nd half.

[PatsNats28]

Trust the numbers, they are more accurate than your eyes. It's called confirmation bias.

Exactly.

[RyanTheRiot]

This is my point.  I couldn't care less about how fat Blanton is, or how well he pitched that one time I watched him on TV. 

The numbers tell the truth.  Blanton has averaged 200 innings per season over his six year career, with a 4.30 ERA. 

Here are some more numbers.  He made 28 starts last year, and 31+ starts in each of the five previous seasons before last.  He has a 2.31 career K/BB, including a 3.12 K/BB last season.  Let me reiterate:  he AVERAGES 200 innings per year, with a 4.30 career ERA and good control (2.51 career BB/9).  He sacrificed some ground balls in favor of strikeouts during the last 2 seasons, and remained effective.

He's consistent and productive.  Who wouldn't want that on our team?

[blue911]

This is my point.  I couldn't care less about how fat Blanton is, or how well he pitched that one time I watched him on TV. 

The numbers tell the truth.  Blanton has averaged 200 innings per season over his six year career, with a 4.30 ERA. 

Here are some more numbers.  He made 28 starts last year, and 31+ starts in each of the five previous seasons before last.  He has a 2.31 career K/BB, including a 3.12 K/BB last season.  Let me reiterate:  he AVERAGES 200 innings per year, with a 4.30 career ERA and good control (2.51 career BB/9).  He sacrificed some ground balls in favor of strikeouts during the last 2 seasons, and remained effective.

He's consistent and productive.  Who wouldn't want that on our team?

He sucks monkey balls. Twice through the line up and guys are teeing off on him. He hasn't reached 200 innings since 2007 and has only doe it twice. He IP/Start are regressing. In short he's the same as Kevin Millwood, monkey ball sucker extraordinaire. 

[HalfSmokes]

Since we're looking at player averages without looking at trends or when the best numbers were put up, there's a  starting pitcher out there with a 2.93 ERA a 1.054 WHIP and a 10 K/9.

[Kevrock]

This is my point.  I couldn't care less about how fat Blanton is, or how well he pitched that one time I watched him on TV.  

I've seen him a lot more than once -- he played on the Phillies, who we play a ton and who are almost always on TV. Everyone wanted Marquis here until they actually saw him pitch, myself included. Blanton is a back-end starter at best, and we have plenty of those.

And I don't know, maybe it's the baseball fan in me, but I tend to trust my eyeballs and the numbers that you can look up on Baseball Reference. I guess that's a horrible flaw of mine. 

There are much better and younger pitchers we could target who aren't playing for hated rivals that need salary relief.

[PatsNats28]

Since we're looking at player averages without looking at trends or when the best numbers were put up, there's a  starting pitcher out there with a 2.93 ERA a 1.054 WHIP and a 10 K/9.

Is it like Pedro or something

[imref]

Since we're looking at player averages without looking at trends or when the best numbers were put up, there's a  starting pitcher out there with a 2.93 ERA a 1.054 WHIP and a 10 K/9.

the other problem with evaluating blanton is that he pitched against us a few times, replace the starts against us with starts against philly.

[PatsNats28]

This is my point.  I couldn't care less about how fat Blanton is, or how well he pitched that one time I watched him on TV. 

The numbers tell the truth.  Blanton has averaged 200 innings per season over his six year career, with a 4.30 ERA. 

Here are some more numbers.  He made 28 starts last year, and 31+ starts in each of the five previous seasons before last.  He has a 2.31 career K/BB, including a 3.12 K/BB last season.  Let me reiterate:  he AVERAGES 200 innings per year, with a 4.30 career ERA and good control (2.51 career BB/9).  He sacrificed some ground balls in favor of strikeouts during the last 2 seasons, and remained effective.

He's consistent and productive.  Who wouldn't want that on our team?

I agree with the statistical aspect of it. Only 2 things are that I don't wanna give the Phils salary relief to get someone else good, and he's getting paid quite a bit so we have to add that to our payroll as well.

[RyanTheRiot]

I understand not wanting to give the Phillies salary relief, but the blatant Blanton bashing is unwarranted.  The guy can pitch.

[Lintyfresh85]

I wouldn't say he can really pitch. I'd say he's average.

Average in DC = Big upgrade over what we have

So, in a way, you're right. If he was on the Nats... he'd really look like he knew how to pitch.

[PatsNats28]

If you're average, you can pitch.

[HalfSmokes]

Is it like Pedro or something

Yes, and he's waiting for an offer

[RyanTheRiot]

Obviously Pedro isn't an option.