Will today be Blanton's last game as an Angel ...

[tomsred]

i think some of you are actually hoping for him to suck, which i dont understand.

all i see are the negative names and such.. how are we better to just release him?  how is it a good thing is he sucks... i dont understand the obsession with releasing him and running smakc instead of maybe actually being hopeful?

I don't get it either floplag.  The better things he can show, the better chance we have of actually getting something in return.

[Docwaukee]

i think some of you are actually hoping for him to suck, which i dont understand.

all i see are the negative names and such.. how are we better to just release him?  how is it a good thing is he sucks... i dont understand the obsession with releasing him and running smakc instead of maybe actually being hopeful?

I am certainly not hoping any player on the halos does poorly, but I want his true colors to be seen and I think those are of a pretty poor pitcher who doesn't deserve to make this team.  Even if he did well this spring, I just don't trust it will translate into regular season success.  I want resolution to the situation relative to his fate and I am frankly not willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.  So a poor performance during spring training when things don't count gets him that much closer to being off this team. 

[Spirit]

I would love nothing more than for the guy to go out there and pitch a no hitter for the Halos every time he takes the bump.  

 

But he has pitched horribly for us.  It was a bad signing.   It's now time to move on.  

[bloodbrother]

i think some of you are actually hoping for him to suck, which i dont understand.

all i see are the negative names and such.. how are we better to just release him?  how is it a good thing is he sucks... i dont understand the obsession with releasing him and running smakc instead of maybe actually being hopeful?

 

 

Because he sucks? With him off the team, the team is better because that's one less sucky player on the roster

[eligrba]

The simple answer to why some people want Blanton to fail and be released is Mike Scioscia.  If Blanton is on the team, Mike will trot him out every 5 days despite what reality dictates.

 

I prefer to have a young arm struggle than to watch Blanton.  It is the same rationale if you owned a Vega or Pinto.

[disarcina]

I think the trade for Alvarez means Blanton's days are numbered -- the question is -- will he be traded or just straight out DFA'd??

[Mark68]

I don't think anybody was hoping he'd fail. I believe the concern...a legimate concern...was that if he pitched well enough to make the cut, he would probably turn into last year's version.

[Brent Maguire]

i think some of you are actually hoping for him to suck, which i dont understand.

all i see are the negative names and such.. how are we better to just release him? how is it a good thing is he sucks... i dont understand the obsession with releasing him and running smakc instead of maybe actually being hopeful?

People are hoping for him to suck because him pitching well this spring might have given him a spot on the roster.

We all know how good his spring was last year and how that translated to the season.

So yeah, everybody who wants this team to do shouldn't want Blanton anywhere near this team. Him getting released means we won't have the worst starter in baseball pitch any innings this year.

[floplag]

So what you are saying is any warm body on the roster is better than him being there.. im saying that a decent Blanton would be better than a kid with all of 10 innings... if he isnt here who is, there is no such thing as addition by subtraction, its a nonsensical statement to justify silly things. 

[Redondo]

The simple answer to why some people want Blanton to fail and be released is Mike Scioscia.  If Blanton is on the team, Mike will trot him out every 5 days despite what reality dictates.

 

I prefer to have a young arm struggle than to watch Blanton.  It is the same rationale if you owned a Vega or Pinto.

 

This sums it up here. Taking the temptation away from MS to use him is the best way to go.

 

I don't want any Angels pitcher to do poorly. But with Blanton his true colors have shown and we need to move on without him.

[Eric]

Blanton is a warm body that can eat up innings, albeit not very effectively. But at this point with the Angels, Blanton is their best option based on how they spent their off-season.

 

I don't see Blanton going anywhere at least through his first 5 starts with the club, and probably longer, depending on how other pitchers do. I would even say he'll be moved to the bullpen before he gets outrighted, despite his protestations.

 

Last game, no. Last start? Possibly.

[Homebrewer]

But at this point with the Angels, Blanton is their best option based on how they spent their off-season.

 

Santiago, Skaggs, Salas, Smith, and Alverez is "how they spent the offseason"

Blanton is nowhere near the best option for any role. Not even depth.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Homebrewer

[Inside Pitch]

So what you are saying is any warm body on the roster is better than him being there.. im saying that a decent Blanton would be better than a kid with all of 10 innings... if he isnt here who is, there is no such thing as addition by subtraction, its a nonsensical statement to justify silly things. 

If the only choices were certain awful vs possible mediocrity....  I'd take possible mediocrity.  

 

I feel bad for Blanton because the guy is obviously trying something new and changing something doesn't always show instant results.  He's never been one to struggle with command, so a game like yesterday seems to indicate he's still feeling his way with the new mechanics etc etc..

 

He's sort of between a rock and a hard place.  I'd assume that if the Angels truly believe this guy is salvageable they will do everything they can to try to get him to accept a short stay in the minors to get regular starts and work on the things he's trying to perfect.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Inside Pitch

[Homebrewer]

He cant possibly WANT to pitch meaningful games with the stuff he is serving up now.

He owes it to the team paying him to go down and see if he can figure something out.

As long as he isn't allowed to pitch in the real games until he proves he can, I'm fine with that.

[floplag]

Blanton is not "certain" awful.. he has had good outing this spring just as he had some good ones last year when he wasn't being a gascan, the assumption that every outing is awful is just false. 

[Homebrewer]

14-2 is awful.

I don't know what else you can call it.

It certainly wasn't unlucky.

He didn't just have rough outings, or miss a few spots. he was the worst pitcher in MLB, in multiple categories.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Homebrewer

[Docwaukee]

Blanton is not "certain" awful.. he has had good outing this spring just as he had some good ones last year when he wasn't being a gascan, the assumption that every outing is awful is just false. 

I don't understand the significance of what you posted.  A couple of spring outings that are good mixed with a bunch that aren't?  Isn't that pretty much what he did last year during the season?  Maybe we can only let him pitch when we know he's not gonna suck. 

[Brent Maguire]

Blanton is not "certain" awful.. he has had good outing this spring just as he had some good ones last year when he wasn't being a gascan, the assumption that every outing is awful is just false.

Blanton was far and away the worst starter in baseball last year.

Is there something wrong with Angels fans not wanting him on this team this year? Blanton getting 5-10 starts could be the difference in making the playoffs or not.

[Inside Pitch]

Blanton is not "certain" awful.. he has had good outing this spring just as he had some good ones last year when he wasn't being a gascan, the assumption that every outing is awful is just false. 

 

This might be one of those times where you are going to complain that you're being picked on or attacked but whatever.  In your rush to focus on the "certain awful" you completely chose to disregard the word IF,that preceded it and everything that followed after those two words.  That's on you.

 

Joe Blanton managed an ERA of 6.09 in 2013.  The AL average for SPs last year was 3.99.  I guess in some alternate universe it's possible to paint that in a positive light but I'm good with calling that an awful showing and yes -- I'd be expecting awful, until/unless he finds a way to fix himself...  What you are choosing to refer to as an assumption, I consider to be an expectation, one built on actual facts and sound theory.  He's done nothing this spring to make me believe I shouldn't expect more of the same save for one good outing in a split squad game.   His recent history shows a 4.82 ERA in 2010, 5.01 ERA in 2011, and 4.71 ERA in 2012 all the while pitching in the NL.  Thats 540 innings of 5.09 ERA baseball since 2010 in which he's managed to allow 90 HRs and more than 1.4 runners per inning.  Call me rash, but that's enough of a sample for me to expect awful.  

 

Perhaps you are willing to continue to throw him out there in hopes that he will have one of those rare non awful games, but since I've seen no evidence that he's improved and because I see no possible future that includes Joe Blanton as an Angels fixture, I would easily choose to go with someone who still might offer something both now and in the future.  Yes, I know you said a decent Blanto...  But no matter how much i squint, I don't see anything resembling a decent pitcher as he stands.

 

Again, it would be nice if he would be willing to go down to AAA to work on whatever changes he is trying to make in hopes of being useful.  But he's done nothing to merit a spot on the MLB roster.  Not last year, not this spring..  

 

I fully expect a response arguing that saying he's done nothing is just false ...  

Edited March 23, 2014 by Inside Pitch

[IEAngelsfan]

If the only choices were certain awful vs possible mediocrity....  I'd take possible mediocrity.  

 

I feel bad for Blanton because the guy is obviously trying something new and changing something doesn't always show instant results.  He's never been one to struggle with command, so a game like yesterday seems to indicate he's still feeling his way with the new mechanics etc etc..

 

He's sort of between a rock and a hard place.  I'd assume that if the Angels truly believe this guy is salvageable they will do everything they can to try to get him to accept a short stay in the minors to get regular starts and work on the things he's trying to perfect.

I believe that the FO realizes that he's no longer an option for the rotation and they're hoping that he does well enough now to peek some interest from another club.

 

In case they can't find someone to bite, then I also would hope that he would accept a minor league assignment in hopes that he can work things out.  If he can't, then release him.  Also, if he's not on the club, MS can't be tempted to use him.

[floplag]

guys... im not defending the man.. you point out everything im supposedly overlooking, which by the way im not... and ignoring what im saying... the options are nor guarantees... he is still capable of putting up a good game at times... how does it make sense to simply throw away 8 mil?  unless you are sure the other options are ready, and there is simply no way you can be. 

 

is it probably that whoever starts in his place would be as good, but it is not guaranteed... throwing the man away for nothing makes little sense

[bloodbrother]

They were throwing the money away the moment they signed him. Deal made no sense considering his track record and majority if the forum saw how bad that deal was from the start

I'm sure the Halos woukd love to trade him for something, but with him having an awful spring it's hard to see them get much

Replacing a 6 ERA pitcher isn't difficult

[AngelsFaninGA]

guys... im not defending the man.. you point out everything im supposedly overlooking, which by the way im not... and ignoring what im saying... the options are nor guarantees... he is still capable of putting up a good game at times... how does it make sense to simply throw away 8 mil?  unless you are sure the other options are ready, and there is simply no way you can be. 

 

is it probably that whoever starts in his place would be as good, but it is not guaranteed... throwing the man away for nothing makes little sense

 

He went 2-14 last year. Are you saying he's worth keeping for those 2, at the expense of the 14? 

[Docwaukee]

guys... im not defending the man.. you point out everything im supposedly overlooking, which by the way im not... and ignoring what im saying... the options are nor guarantees... he is still capable of putting up a good game at times... how does it make sense to simply throw away 8 mil?  unless you are sure the other options are ready, and there is simply no way you can be. 

 

is it probably that whoever starts in his place would be as good, but it is not guaranteed... throwing the man away for nothing makes little sense

I am confident that the newly acquired Alvarez and Matt Shoemaker would put up better and perhaps much better numbers.  I actually think Thomas,  Grube and Leblanc could put up similar and perhaps better numbers. 

 

That's the point I am at with Blanton.  I'd rather see starts from 30yo career minor leaguers than give the ball to Blanton. 

[Redondo]

I am confident that the newly acquired Alvarez and Matt Shoemaker would put up better and perhaps much better numbers.  I actually think Thomas,  Grube and Leblanc could put up similar and perhaps better numbers. 

 

That's the point I am at with Blanton.  I'd rather see starts from 30yo career minor leaguers than give the ball to Blanton. 

 

Agree.