Anti-Blanton

The Mets did not trade for Dan Haren, and they are looking less and less likely to trade for Johan Santana or Erik Bedard. The name Joe Blanton keeps coming up as a possible player for the Mets to trade for.

Blanton was 14–10 with a 3.95 era, 140 strikeouts, 40 walks, in 34 starts last season. In 2006 Blanton went 16-12 but had a 4.82 era with just 107 strikeouts, 58 walks, in 32 games (31 starts). In 2005 Blanton had a lower era of 3.53 but only went 12-12 with 116 strikeouts, and 67 walks in 33 games.

I have a decent amount of problems with Joe Blanton. His career era is 4.10 and he has only had a sub 4 era this year with 3.95 and 2005 with a 3.53. In 2004 he had a 5.63 era and in 2006 he had a 4.82 era. Blanton does not get many strikeouts and gives up a decent amount of walks. He set a career high in K’s this year with 140 and career low of 40. Blanton also has allowed more hits than innings pitched the last two seasons and combing that with a low amount of strikeouts and high amount of walks does not make Blanton a good candidate for the Mets. Blanton has terrible splits as he has a 2.69 era at home but a 5.11 era on the road. Lefties also bat .298 against him.

The Mets would want Blanton to be their ace, but the 27 year old is not capable of that. If the Mets would have to give up Carlos Gomez, Kevin Mulvey, Aaron Heilman, and possibly more for Blanton I feel it would be a bad trade. The stats don’t lie; Blanton is not an ace and would not be one for the New York Mets.