Joe Blanton Signs 3-year $24 Million Deal

Arbitration? Nah! The Phillies, who were rumored to be in talks with at least two of the three players they exchanged arbitration numbers with, regarding "long-term" contracts, announced Thursday afternoon that they had come to terms with starting pitcher Joe Blanton on a three-year contract, locking him up through the 2012 season.

The contract will reportedly pay Blanton $7 million this coming season, $8.5 million in each of the two following seasons. The $7 million in 2010 is actually less than the Phillies initially offered Blanton, when the two sides exchanged numbers on Monday. Kudos to GM Rube! Nice deal.

Blanton, who will be 29 years old for the entire 2010 season, finished the 2009 season with a 12-8 record and a 4.05 ERA. Since he was acquired from Oakland in 2008, Blanton is 18-8 with a 4.10 ERA, including the postseason.

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In other news...I spoke very briefly today (long enough to get my request for an interview with the Shore Sports Report rejected) with Shane Victorino. He was sporting a fresh shave (no more beard) and he told me that he's very busy getting ready to travel for Jimmy Rollins' wedding. Shane plans to travel to The Caymans on Saturday, for the wedding later that day.

Shane is the other arbitration eligible Phillie who is said to be in negotiations with the team on a contract longer than just this coming season.

**Update**- and now we know why Victorino was too busy to oblige with an interview today...because he was all tied up negotiating a 3-year contract extension with the Phillies. Official details are sketchy regarding Victorino's deal, but it is expected to be for $22 million.

In 5 years with the Phillies, Victorino is a .288 hitter with 50 homers and 375 runs scored in 639 games, including the postseason.

Phans can expect Carlos Ruiz to be next in line for a multi-year deal from the Phillies.

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Check me out on the radio today around 5:20pm talking Phillies on The Shore Sports Report. Out by the shore, tune in on 1160 WOBM AM or on Fox Sports 1310 AM. If you are out of range, use this internet thing my clicking HERE.

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Jay Floyd said…

This was PhoulBallz.com's 500th post. I thought that was worth mentioning.

January 22, 2010 at 2:49 PM

Lidge Shaky, T-Mac Honored in Trenton

TRENTON, NJ- Brad Lidge made his second rehab appearance for the Double A Reading Phillies on Thursday night and it didn't go as well as the veteran reliever or the team had hoped. Lidge struggled with his command and turned in a rather poor outing for the club that entered the night in a playoff race, 1 game behind division rival Trenton for the Wild Card spot in the Eastern Division. On the disabled list since spring training with a strained right rotator cuff, Lidge experienced an elbow strain when he was working back from that issue in late May. In his outing against the Yankees affiliate in Trenton, Lidge displayed difficulty with his control as he threw three wild pitches, hit two batters, walked another and gave up a single, all while letting up two earned runs on 28 pitches in 2/3 of an inning. After the disappointing performance, Lidge was composed and focused on some positive aspects, having reached 89 and 90 MPH on scouts' radar guns, according to some reports. ...

Rappers in Phillies Caps

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The transition has been easy for Kyle Drabek. In December, he was part of a package of young prospects that was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for ace pitcher Roy Halladay. Now, as though nothing has changed, he's right back where he was last season...the star prospect on the pitching staff of a team in the Double A Eastern League. Drabek has often stated that he wanted to stay in the Philadelphia organization, who drafted him in the first round of the 2006 amateur draft. The 22-year-old thought after the midseason trade rumors, that surrounded him possibly going to Toronto last year, passed with no action that all the turmoil was over and that he could simply relax and focus on getting to the big leagues with the Phillies. That wasn't the case, as the deal eventually came to fruition over the off-season. In the Blue Jays system this season, Drabek doesn't have to worry about being dealt. He only has to concern himself with opposing batters and working on his secondary pit...

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