Congrats to Joe Blanton

[Docwaukee]

era now above 6. 

 

he deserves a dedicated thread. 

[jshep]

No unintentional walks so Joe is probably pretty pleased.

[2112]

The ball came out of his hand well.

[Dreams]

He will be tough to trade this offseason.  Maybe someone will pick him up off waivers.  

[fan_since79]

It's not all his fault. Scioscia had nobody warming in the bullpen as Blanton was struggling out there.

 

He should have had a very short leash on him with the Angels down by only two runs.

[Docwaukee]

It's not all his fault. Scioscia had nobody warming in the bullpen as Blanton was struggling out there.

 

He should have had a very short leash on him with the Angels down by only two runs.

yeah.  would have been interesting to see if Kohn or DDLR could get their era above 4 so they don't feel left out. 

[Jay]

Yeah there's got to be some way we can blame Scioscia for Blanton's awful performance

[AZMike]

No unintentional walks so Joe is probably pretty pleased.

 

but his xFIP is still better than both Jered Weaver AND CJ Wilson. 

[Docwaukee]

Honestly, what do you have to lose by leaving Blanton out there to sink.  Put the guy in a high leverage situation and see how he responds.  It's not like getting a win really matters.  I think it's pretty clear what MS was doing. 

 

OK Joe, let's see if you can do something good here.  Make's his imminent release that much easier. 

[Jay]

He's not a starter, he's not a reliever, well what is he?

[Angel Oracle]

A zero

[markb]

Remember when Scioscia left Kazmir out there to throw like 70 pitches, never to make it out of the second inning, and that was the last we ever saw of Kazmir?  

 

This felt kinda like that.  We can only hope.

[Ray McKigney]

When he kept shaking off Conger and then threw a fastball right down the middle to Carter, who then hit the 3-run HR, that was the worst pitching I've ever seen. Rojas even commented on it. He said something like, "He shook off every pitch and then threw him a fast ball right down the middle--which is the only pitch Carter can hit." Blanton is one of the worst pitchers I've ever seen. It's sickening that he's making 7mil dollars this season. 

[disarcina]

What was Blanton doing out there in a two run game??

 

In the 9th, two guys get on, Carter comes up -- I'm thinking -- ah, dinger coming......Blanton goes a rather unimpressive 3-2 to the guy -- this is after the walk and wild pitches earlier in the inning -- Carter fouls a few off, Blanton shakes off whatever Conger's next sign is and pitches Blanton's called pitch -- Carter hits the thing 450 feet or something like that -- 7 to 2 Astros and just for good measure to illustrate that he leads the league in giving up dingers in a non-supporting role -- Blanton gives up back to back HRs to the punchless Astros..........

 

Amazing.

 

An earlier post here notes Scioscia didn't have anyone warming up to relief Blanton, before, during and after the debacle........that didn't bother me as much as WHY IS Blanton being put in the ball game in a 4-2 game? It's not a mop up situation........

 

As for keeping him in -- you know -- at some point the manager just needs to leave the guy in there to take his lumps (and to tell management -- Hansen to AAA?? How about this guy?)......once Carter hit the dinger to make it 7 to 2 you might as well save the arms in the pen anyway.....

 

I am amazed that there were fans in the stands tonight -- seemed like a pretty good sized crowd -- beautiful weather evening.......

 

Is (NHL) hockey here yet?  Can't start soon enough..........

[Guest]

13ER in 6.1IP (3 relief appearances). Any other team would have waived this hack months ago.

[fan_since79]

Lots of fans there because there's fireworks and a rock concert after the game.

[disarcina]

Fireworks, concert and a great weather evening in Anaheim -- that explains the crowd.......not the ballgame and the teams playing.

[HaloNation]

amazing job by dipoto.

 

way to go son.

[Docwaukee]

It is pretty impressive that three of the worst signings in Angels history have come in the last two years under his watch. 

[tomsred]

A zero

No, that's Madsen's number.  Blanton should get assigned "00" though.

[disarcina]

well. one thing is certain -- Madsen has certainly performed better this season than Blanton........

 

(and it still holds true when someone points out -- 'hey, Madsen didn't make one pitch for the Halos this season or ever '-- EXACTLY!).

[bloodbrother]

I am hoping this team DFA him. I'd rather they pay him to go suck for somebody else than to suck here

[Palomar]

This has got to be hands down the worst bullpen I have ever seen. It's disheartening to the starting staff. It's like there are two games every night and no matter what happens in the first game, the 2nd game is doomed and the opposing team KNOWS they can come back and feeds off that.

[TroutAdell]

Blanton should be the first player assigned a negative number or at least 0.0!

[Angel Oracle]

I like -Infinity.