The Cliff Lee contract will eventually impact almost everyone in the league in some way, but for Philadelphia Phillies’ right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton, that time is now. Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro acknowledges he will eventually need to make a trade to move some money and make room in the team budget for Lee.
Blanton, 30, posted a 4.82 ERA in just over 175 innings with the Phillies in 2010. His numbers consistently suggest he is better than that, a good command pitcher with an unfortunate propensity to surrender home runs. Blanton has walked only 2.5 batters per nine innings for his career, a solid number.
Blanton has two years and $17 million total remaining on his contract, a three-year pact he signed during his final year of arbitration eligibility last winter.
Read on for the five teams who make the most sense as suitors for Blanton.