Count me among those who remain skeptical about the Joe Blanton trade. Yes, we got someone who can eat up innings (and can’t possibly stink any worse than Adam Eaton right now), and we didn’t lose anyone we couldn’t afford to lose in the deal. Blanton’s 2008 salary is also four times less than A.J. Burnett’s, so that doesn’t hurt, either.
One has to wonder if perhaps Pat Gillick acted too quickly in order to get someone, anyone into the Phils’ starting rotation before the trade deadline. After Sabathia and Harden were taken off the market, there really wasn’t much left to choose from, and change for its own sake isn’t always a good idea.
No use arguing the point now, I guess. Blanton’s our starter and just about any move that sends Eaton to the bullpen is a good one. Still, I think J.A. Happ deserved a chance to show what he can do as a #4 or #5 starter.
He was good — not great, but good — in his two big-league starts, pitching 11 innings with eight strikeouts and a cumulative 3.27 ERA. (He also walked eight and finished with a WHIP of 1.45.)
In his minor-league start for the IronPigs last night, Happ struck out 12 batters in a seven-inning shutout victory over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. Once you’ve been up to “the show,” once you’ve seen the bright lights of the big city, it’s tough going back to the farm (system).
My hope is that we’ll see Happ on the mound at Citizen’s Bank Park before the end of this season, and definitely by the beginning of next season.
(Our homies over at The 700 Level have more to say about this latest development.)
3 Comments on “Should Happ Have Had Another Chance?”
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General
July 18th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Not only was it a 12K shutout performance, Chamo — but a 12K shutout hitless performance.
It was a game that was resumed from July 3rd, the game “started” from inning #3.
July 18th, 2008 at 10:59 am
77
That is Adam Eaton’s ERA+ this season. It also happens to be Joe Blanton’s ERA+ this season. Now, the bright side is that Blanton’s defense-independent ERA is almost a full run lower than his actual ERA, so we might be able to expect some improvement on his current numbers. He is also certain to pick up more run support here in Philly.
Still, I have to say that when this deal is compared to the one that the Cubs pulled to get Harden, a veritable ace when healthy, it certainly reeks of highway robbery.
July 18th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Consider Myers has been absolutely horrible this year and didn’t pitch all that great in the minors, there’s still a very real possibility Happ will back with the big club.