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.)

In J.A. Happ’s first call-up to the majors (a home game against the Mets last June), the 26-year-old southpaw got a rude welcome from the visiting team, giving up seven hits and five earned runs in four innings of work. Happ returned to the minors with a big fat “L” and 94 pitches of big-league experience under his belt.

Now, with Brett Myers working out the kinks in Lehigh Valley, Happ gets a chance for payback. Or does he? Charlie Manuel has decided to pit his new starter against the formidable Johan Santana. With the series at Atlanta already decided in Philly’s favor, I’m not sure why Happ didn’t start last night, allowing staff ace Hamels to face off against New York’s primary weapon.

Santana, despite his intimidating reputation, has not exactly set the National League on fire so far. After 17 starts this season, his record is an unimpressive 7-7, with a 3.01 ERA. Santana has lost his last four decisions, and the Mets are 0-5 in his last five starts. That’s worth $138 million — right, Mets fans?

In his only start against the Phils this season, Santana gave up three earned runs and struck out ten batters in a 6-4 victory for New York. With the Phillies’ offense slowly reviving, we’ll see if they can get him to leave town with a record below .500 for the first time since April 12.

Have a great Independence Day weekend. GO PHILS!

As the Phillies ponder what to do with their troubled man-child, speculation abounds as to whom the front office might call up from the farm system to test their skills on the big-league level. Their prime candidate is J.A. Happ, currently pitching for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (team site).

So far this season, the 26-year-old Happ is 5-6 with a 3.54 ERA. According to Paul Hagen at the Philadelphia Daily News: “In his last five starts, he’s allowed 24 hits and eight walks during 32 1/3 innings while striking out 33. His ERA in those games is 2.51.”

Happ’s age and potential make him more desirable than Brian Mazone, the 32-year-old IronPig lefty who leads the team in wins, as well as having a lower WHIP and ERA than Happ and a complete game shutout to boot.

Here’s his website, appropriately titled “What’s HAPPening.” (I get it, like the TV show!) Either Happ’s forgotten how to save new posts, or he’s suffering from a severe case of writer’s block.

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