 | June 22, 2007 Coach Stapes |  |
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Joe Blanton, OAK SPThis spotlight is in honor of Coach Danko, who at seasons beginning, repeatedly made fun of my number 3 pitcher. For you readers, this is a wake up call to grab a quality starter off the waiver wire! Feel free to join the forum and bash or praise 'ol Blanton as he is a topic of conversation among our writers!
His next start comes this weekend against the high-powered Mets and John Maine. Another shut down performance against New York, and people will begin to take notice. Now is the time to pick up the young Kentucky product to settle in at that number 3 or 4 spot on your staff. Look for Blanton to be a strong producer and perhaps the final piece of the puzzle to bring home your fantasy title this season. |
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Oakland starting pitcher, Joe Blanton, has been a nice sup rise for the Athletics. Blanton, 27, is in his third year and has posted a 7-4 record, 3.43 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, with 71K's and 22BB. In his last 4 starts, Blanton has nailed down a 3-1 record with 31.1 IP, 5 ER, 16Ks, and only 4 BB. Blanton has always had solid juice as his fastball hovers in the mid-to-low 90's and he complements that well with his 12-6 curveball and 10-4 slider. He has also done a solid job of throwing in a changeup this season. His control is excellent and the curveball is by far his best second pitch resulting in a good K to BB ratio. He ranks 7th in the AL in WHIP, 1st in the AL for complete games, and 4th in the AL for IP's. Were it not for a lapse in concentration against the Orioles in May, Blanton's ERA would be pushing the 3.0 mark. His WHIP is one of the best in the Major Leagues, yet he continues to remain on the waiver wire in many fantasy leagues (only about 56% ownership in fantasy leagues). The Athletics are a good enough team for Blanton to approach 18 wins this season.