Phillies Nation

I’m definitely on board with this. Think it’s really good value for a mid rotation type of pitcher. You know what you are going to get with Blanton, close to 200 innings and a low 4 ERA. I think with the signings that we have seen the last few years 8mill/yr is a good deal for Joe.

That’s a good deal…

He’s now affordable if we keep him for all those years, or valuable if we decide to trade him after 2010. Being relatively inexpensive with two years left on his contract after 2010, he could now get you some decent prospects… perhaps even better than the ones we got from Cliff Lee….

Not bad at all, considering what some pitchers got this off season. I guess security, and not the immediate highest figure is what he wanted.

Is anyone bean-counting? Can they do the same thing with Shane and Chooch? It’s not like we have any catchers left in the system (one of the things I didn’t like a lot about the trades), so Ruiz might as well get multiple years.

Amaro LOVES 3-year deals..hahaha!

What a great signing. Compared to what Joe was probably looking for and asked in his arbitration submission, this seems much more suitable. The Phillies are glad to have their big boy stay put in the middle of the rotation.

Blanton is a workhorse. He can improve his control for bases on balls, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he still allowed 25+ homers. One thing you have to love is Blanton’s growing use of the out pitch for the strikeout. He enjoyed his highest strikeout per 9 innings rate of his career, upping his career high by 2 whole strikeouts (5.5 to 7.5). Joe has a good chance to equal his career high in wins with this offense and defense behind him. His ERA may fluctuate, but he is a proven veteran and is reaching the potential of his prime.

He is a stand-up player and personality. This is nowhere close to the money Brett Myers received. Moreover, I think a vast majority of the Phillies Nation would rather have Joe on the team than Brett.

I hope everyone who talked back yard trash on Joe when he asked for 10 million in arbitration are now relieved and nodding their heads.

I like it, one of the only good things Ruben has done all offseason.

“one of the only good things Ruben has done all season”

So upgrading the #1 starter, third-basman, back-up catcher, pinch-hitter/reserve outfielder, an dutility infielder…as well as a key bullpen signing….all those moves sucked….right??

And this move is what makes the Cliff Lee trade make sense.

So basically we have 4/5′s of the starting rotation locked up for the next 3 years? Or is Hamels done after 2011?

Because now there’s extra money….moving forward….to worry about the contracts of guys like Werth, Howard, Rollins..

Bingo…now we can try and lock up Werth with the extra money saved on below market deals for 2 of our starters, as well as the dirt cheap value on Happ’s deal, and Hamel’s contract isn’t bad either.

Cheer up Phillies fans. Thinks might just work out after all.

Hopefully they can get one more ring during this run. Would be a shame to win one and then be the bride’s maid for the next few seasons. Call it greedy, and I will certainly forever be happy with the 2008 squad but one more would be golden and to me would legitimize them as a dynasty.

Great Deal!

I will be surprised to see them sign Vic and Ruiz to long term deals at this point. they have control of them for next year and the year after for Ruiz. Maybe Vic for a 3-4 year deal at about 4.5 a year that would be worth it.

A nice deal for a decent pitcher. He’s an every other year kind of guy.

Someone really needs to start the whole push to lock up Werth…NOW…while he still might take a discount to play for a winner for the next 4 seasons or so..

Anybody know whether Jayson has publicly stated if he would negotiate or not once the season starts??

I have not heard Werth say anything other than that he wants to stay here. He fits here, he get’s it. He is a Philly guy and the fans love him. I think he would sign a deal slightly below market value. But I don’t think he will be giving out any big discounts. Much like Lee, when his contract runs out it will be his first opportunity to sign a deal that sets him and his family up for life. He has every right to try and get as much money as he can.

My problem with the Lee deal was not just that the Phillies were saying “we’re good enough to win the WS without Lee in 2010, so let’s rebuild the farm” but also WHO the Phils got back for him. 3 middling prospects was not enough and no one outside of this blog thinks the Phils did well in that deal.

But enough about that already. Blanton’s increased K rate and his age (29) make this a solid signing.

Really I do not see how anyone can be too upset with this one. I’ve always been a fan of Blanton though so perhaps I am biased. I think it’s time to let go of all the Cliff Lee discussion personally.

I still think the Phils may sign another starter for very cheap (Braden Looper?) as Moyer/Kendrick insurance. As of now, they only have one lefty in the pen. I wouldn’t mind them going with a cheap lefty from the minors like Bastardo or Escalona.

I don’t have a problem with this deal, but how is it “below market value”? You’re saying that if Blanton were a free agent this minute other teams would offer him more or even the same? I don’t think so. Piniero only got 2/16 coming off a better year than Blanton.

Nice signing… Blanton is an innings eater and a guy we need on this staff (because of question marks in our bullpen). You can count on him for 200+ innings and those types of pitchers are worth their weight in gold. Looking at comparable situations, I thought that his arbitration price was wayy high- something just didn’t add up. I honestly think that he just wanted to sit down and talk. In the end, we paid below our offer and that tells me that Joe really wanted to be here. It was never about the money, it was about asking the team to commit to keeping him around. And here’s the best part – he’s only going to get better working with Halladay.

I’m over the Cliff Lee screw-up. Although no one would’ve cared had we won the WS last year. Time to move on. Not a bad deal overall. Pray for the local Popeyes’ and the stray animals. Big Joe’s hungry and he’s got plenty of dough to burn. Feed meeeeeeeeeeee I’m open!

I agree defitaly below market value for three years. Instead of paying him 7.5 and losing him after next year, where he would get around 10 million so that would 4 million saved in two years. I like this this deal, it is nice to have 4 above average pitcher locked up for two or three years. Hamels signed for 3 years last off season right? so ’10 ’11 ’12 with Doc, Hamels, Big Joe, and JA good solid rotation

Wow. Nice signing. Good price. Slowly but surely, RAJ is getting some real cost certainty on the pitching side. I really think the best of Blanton is ahead of us. Way to go Ruben.

The Dipsy

Skeptic you are way off base, you want to have 1/6 of your payroll tied up with two pitchers, one who was sent down to the minors 3 years ago and was what 9-7 with the Indians, in a division which is argualbly the worst division in baseball. And what makes you think Lee would sign for 14 million. I bet my house that he will get at least 20 million after this year. And you want to become the Giants or Braves with a great pitching with a sub 3 era and a runs scored of 2 per game. That is a great idea. To pay your #3 avg. 8 million for three years is a steal. And to have you rotation set for 3 years show stability.
For all those people who complain about Hamels, ’09 might have saved the Philliles a few million dollars. Because maybe now you can sign him to another contract after 2011 for 12-14 million instead of 16-18 million. ( there is some sarcasim it that comment)
And to answer you question he has improved his K/9 ratio and pitches 200+ innings a year and keeps you in most of his games he starts, and YES, compared to other out there $8 million will be under what he is worth at the end of this contract, He is only 29 years old.
And this thread was going so nicely, now some idiot had to ruin it with stupid assinine comments

whoa, with the hostility! i’d much rather pay lee more than pay blanton, a fifth starter, and a position player. instead of comparing that idea to the giants or braves who can’t hit, i think its more like the yankees – they won with sabbathia, burnett, and petitte. halladay, lee, hamels would be even better than that. and i’d put our bats up against anybody else in mlb.

i don’t care that lee was in the minors a few years ago. he looked pretty damn good when he won the cy young in cleveland and even better when he put our rotation on his back and carried us into and through the playoffs. oh and he can also do that thing that blanton is known for – eating innings – except he does it better and with less runs allowed.

i don’t hate blanton, i really don’t. $8m just seems like a lot – maybe i’m off-base with that… but i’d double it and take lee. it wouldn’t hurt the phils to spend a little more $ after selling out cbp 81 times last year.