Yes, yes, yes, the Phillies are less likely to give up on an $8 million-a-year arm than they are one that costs 1/16th that. And yes, yes, Blanton took the hill last night with a higher earned run average than Kyle Kendrick, with his own recent disastrous outing casting doubt about what he will offer in these final crucial weeks of the season.
But there are tangible differences in what Blanton gives you as compared to what Kendrick does, differences less mathematical than they are psychological, differences that have ripple effects, especially this time of the year.
Blanton pitched into the seventh inning of last night's 8-7 victory over the Florida Marlins, the 18th time he has pitched six or more innings this season.
"That's kind of what I do," he was saying after the Phillies regained first with their messy win. "Or that's kind of what I want to do. Sometimes it might not be the best outing, but I always go out and give everything I've got.
"If nothing else, you're fighting and clawing and trying to get through seven so you can help the bullpen out and not make them throw a bunch of innings."
He threw 101 pitches, took a line drive off his butt, had a big-time collision with black-eyed, calamity-friendly Logan Morrison trying to cover the bag on a third-inning dribbler. This is far from official, but my guess is that Joe Blanton experiences more contact in an average game than Asante Samuel does.
Yes, yes, yes. He allowed two doubles in the first two innings and two triples in the fourth inning and three runs crossed the plate in the first four innings, not unlike Kendrick's Sunday outing.
But then he retired seven in a row.
