KC a Possible Fit for Blanton?

Dierkes suggest the Royals might be interested in Blanton based on their prior interest in Millwood.

If the Phils pick up some (maybe half) of the salary, I actually think this a decent idea. Blanton is roughly a 2.0 WAR pitcher.

More importantly, his xFIP has been around 4.00 the last two years. I think that bodes well for his performance at the K, which should suppress his HR totals somewhat compared to the HR friendly Citizens Bank Park.

In other words, you would expect his ERA/FIP to be closer to his xFIP at the K. That would make him a good deal if the Royals don't have to pay a decent chunk of his $8.5 million/yr over 2 years.

As always, the devil is in the details - in this case, the salary component.

over 1 year ago jsolo 33 comments 0 recs |

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national league

That would be a much better pick up than the Frenchy/Melky signings.

How does he do against american league teams in interleague play? That transition from NL to AL can be rough.

by RoyalsnMN on Dec 14, 2010 12:17 PM EST reply actions

Well his best years were with Oakland

But he was 3-5 years younger and in a reasonable pitcher friendly AL West. Still, his WAR from 2005 to 2007 was, 2.5, 3.3, and 5.6 respectively. Basically, at this age I expect him to be somewhere around a 2.0 WAR pitcher for the next 2-3 years.

by jsolo on Dec 14, 2010 12:26 PM EST up reply actions

they won't pick up a lot of his salar

that’s the whole point in trading him.

royals aren’t trading for Blanton.

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by doublestix on Dec 14, 2010 12:21 PM EST reply actions

If the Phils pick up half the salary for example

They are saving $8.5 million, which isn’t chump change – even for Philly. And it would still be a really good deal for a 2.0 WAR pitcher for KC (at a reasonable cost).

by jsolo on Dec 14, 2010 12:23 PM EST up reply actions

KC would probably have to throw in a prospect in this scenario

Maybe a C type guy. I just don’t see many teams taking on $17 million – maybe the Nats, except they’re divisional rivals. The high spenders have spent like crazy already and the Yanks don’t seem like a fit. Boston has said they aren’t interested despite the rumors. I dunno, maybe the Angels will spring for him.

Anyhow, this is a theoretical exercise based on a rumor – and theoretically this is how I think it would work. The Royals could pay Blanton $5 million a year and it would still be a good deal.

by jsolo on Dec 14, 2010 12:33 PM EST up reply actions

If we trade Greinke we’ve got cash around.

by BlueEyes_Austin on Dec 14, 2010 12:47 PM EST up reply actions

I thought the Phils primary motivation in trading Blanton

was to get some salary relief to make up for the extra cash to Lee? If that’s the primary motivation, it wouldn’t make sense for them to ship him to a team like KC, who will expect Philly to pick up most of the check.

by Sweep_the_Leg on Dec 14, 2010 12:21 PM EST reply actions

I consider $8.5 million dollars to be relief

and realistic, see above.

by jsolo on Dec 14, 2010 12:24 PM EST up reply actions

If you're trying to build a good team for the next two years

Just keep Greinke.

by kcdc1 on Dec 14, 2010 2:15 PM EST reply actions

I think they're looking for the pitching version of Francoeur

Veteran, etc

by Boots 58 on Dec 14, 2010 2:31 PM EST up reply actions

Bring back Chen, then

He’s not quite as good as Blanton, but he’s never quite realized his potential, and he’d be a lot cheaper. Plus, he’s probably a funnier clubhouse guy than Blanton. So there’s that.

by Sweep_the_Leg on Dec 14, 2010 2:36 PM EST up reply actions

Two different ways to play it

1) Philly pays half of his salary each year which is $4.25m/year, or $8.5m total.
Someone said that they are looking for salary relief to afford Lee….well between the $7m Werth made last year, and saving $4.5m on Blanton this year, that’s about $11.25m of salary re-allocated to Cliff Lee. If Philly could do that we’d probably have to give up 1 or 2 minimum salary bench guys, or a “decent” prospect or two, but nobody we’d miss. At the least Blanton would give you 175 IP for a couple years.

2) Let’s say we trade Zack (like someone mentioned above), then you would have salary space available to MAYBE assume all, or most, of his salary. In that case, you might get a good prospect back in the deal since KC is basically paying more of the freight.

I’m not saying that we need, nor do I want Blanton. But I’d check every angle because he is expensive overkill right now with the rotation they have. If you can get him for half price great! If you can pay him for 2 years and get one of their good prospects for saving them money, great! At least explore your options with a desperate team and see if anything works.

by scottchief on Dec 14, 2010 2:44 PM EST reply actions

It's $17 million total

$8.5 a year. He’s not cheap – thought that’s a fairly valued contract given current performance.

by jsolo on Dec 14, 2010 2:56 PM EST up reply actions

My idea..

right after Lee chose Philly…now the Phils will want pen help.

Dish off Meche to them for Blanton. That covers 12 million of Blanton’s salary and we get him for 2 years for 2.5 million per year basically.

Then July 2012, we flip him for a prospect or 2..

Phillies save 5 million.

by KennyPowers_from_Scout on Dec 14, 2010 2:45 PM EST reply actions

I do like this idea

We don’t really know whwt we will get from Meche and we also know this will be his last year as a Royal anyway. I don’t see it happening, but I would not be opposed to this happening at all. We might even be able to obtain a lottery ticket prospect as well.

by Matt Hays on Dec 14, 2010 3:09 PM EST up reply actions

good idea...

for us. Meche is still a huge question mark in terms of injury and performance in a relief role. I don’t think that’s a fair trade, though it was a really interesting idea and you might be able to work something similar.

by sfeldkamp on Dec 14, 2010 3:23 PM EST up reply actions

I don't think Meche could work

as the only return in the deal for the Phils. Some nominal prospect or bench type would probably have to go (Maier, since we seem determined to bury him?). And there would probably have to be tweaks and tag-ons elsewhere too. But I don’t hate the idea of getting Blanton. Predictability that wouldn’t necessarily suck.

Feh.

by The Ol' Perfesser on Dec 14, 2010 3:26 PM EST up reply actions

Don't take offense to this, Kenny

…Or do, I don’t care. But what kind of dumb ass is going to trade for Meche right now? Read this article if you still think it sounds reasonable:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5429051

He had a pretty good September, but he’s not worth taking on with the assurance that he will be completely healthy all year, and that is certainly not the case.

by sumajestad on Dec 14, 2010 3:05 PM EST reply actions

Would they care?

They’d prolly be willing to take on Meche to ditch some salary from Blanton just to move Blanton.

If I have a Chevy Nova, but just got a new Mercedes, I would trade the Chevy Nova off for a bicycle if it meant I had more room in the garage…get what I am saying?

by KennyPowers_from_Scout on Dec 14, 2010 4:50 PM EST up reply actions

Blanton is a perfectly adequate innings eater type

But the Royals should be trying to trade guys like Joe Blanton, not trade for them.

by Gopherballs on Dec 14, 2010 4:41 PM EST reply actions

But how much better would he look in our rotation...

if/when we trade Zack. and even if we don’t trade Zack..I’d sure be happier giving him the #4 or #5 spot than O’Sullivan..

by KennyPowers_from_Scout on Dec 14, 2010 4:51 PM EST up reply actions

None

by Gopherballs on Dec 14, 2010 4:55 PM EST up reply actions

In a Greinke-less rotation,

wouldn’t Blanton be pretty much the #1?

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by Warden11 on Dec 14, 2010 7:20 PM EST up reply actions

I'm not sure, is having Greinke in the same rotation slimming or the opposite?

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by Matt Klaassen on Dec 14, 2010 10:16 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe

Let’s say we decide to eat the salary and give up basically a token pair of minor league relievers for him. Blanton is his usual self – 200 IP, 100 ERA+. That’s still fairly valuable. This July, he’ll only be owed $12 million left on his contract. Maybe you can get a few decent prospects for him? And if not, you simply keep him for 2012, with an eye toward trading him again that summer.

I don’t know, seems like a nice “buy low, sell high” opportunity. All it should cost us is money (if any real prospects are involved, this deal makes no sense). All Philly is looking for is salary relief – which we should be able to give, “2011 budget” notwithstanding. And we have to have someone in our rotation next year – might as well be someone around league average. It helps keep us from rushing Monty, Crow, Lamb et al and maybe softens the blow of the impending Greinke deal to the fanbase.

If done correctly, I don’t think acquiring Blanton would necessarily be a bad thing.

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by RoyalsRetro on Dec 14, 2010 9:34 PM EST up reply actions

I assume by "done correctly"

you mean he and Sean O’Sullivan have to wait until everyone else goes through the buffet line before they do?

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by Matt Klaassen on Dec 14, 2010 10:16 PM EST up reply actions

You've outed me

I own a restaurant in the KC area and I have been hurting for business since we dropped Runelvys Hernandez and Ken Harvey.

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by RoyalsRetro on Dec 14, 2010 10:42 PM EST up reply actions

I know the package we can send to Philly

Francoeur and Melky For Blanton and Ibanez… Can you trade a player within 1 month of signing them?

by billski8 on Dec 14, 2010 11:02 PM EST reply actions

This trade might convince Zack we're

“Serious about winning.” Then he signs an extension. Then we win all the time.

by Dadunca on Dec 14, 2010 11:52 PM EST reply actions

You've cracked the code

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Dec 15, 2010 3:39 AM EST up reply actions

Just seems weird

Blanton is considered over-paid at $8.5 million per for being a 2.0 WAR pitcher when Jake Westbrook, also a 2.0 WAR pitcher, just signed a two year $16 million deal with St. Louis.

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by RoyalsRetro on Dec 15, 2010 9:42 AM EST reply actions

And Blanton has a much better history of being healty

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Dec 15, 2010 9:42 AM EST up reply actions

I think it's proof

That ERA is still overvalued as a stat by the mainstream. I mean, it’s a lot better popular stat than say, RBIs, but obviously still has its flaws.

Westbrook and Blanton has virtually same xFIP, but Blanton has a .60 higher ERA. It seems silly that those who feel Blanton is overpaid don’t take Citizens’ Bank Park into account. I mean, statistically these guys are nearly the same person (not including injury history of course).

And teams seem to think so too since they’re basically paid the same thing (and essentially projected to have similar years in 2011). I suppose it’s the old school media and fans who are calling Blanton overpaid.

by jsolo on Dec 15, 2010 11:18 AM EST up reply actions