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Jayson Stark reports "rumblings" that the Pirates showed "mild interest" in trading for Phillies starting pitcher Joe Blanton, who makes $8.5 million in the last year of his contract in 2012. Don't expect such a trade to happen soon, however.
Nevertheless, there's next to no chance they can deal Blanton before clubs get a chance to see him pitch this spring. After all, would you deal for a guy who just spent 127 days on the disabled list because of elbow trouble (and never did have surgery) without seeing him throw first?
Blanton pitched in 11 games last season, making eight starts. When healthy, he's a competent, if uninspiring, innings eater. As I've said for months now, the Pirates can use that sort of player, because their rotation is currently flimsier than a balsa-wood airplane. Nonetheless, they shouldn't give up anything of value for Blanton, and they should also expect the Phillies to pay some of his salary.
For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout. For more on the Phillies, there's The Good Phight.
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Edited by Charlie Wilmoth
Charlie was born and raised in Wheeling, about fifty miles southwest of Pittsburgh. For the last five years, he has been the author of the Pirates blog Bucs Dugout. He has a doctoral degree in music composition from the University of California, San Diego, and he... See my profile
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