Blanton Game Four/Letter to Hamels
New York papers are excited that Charlie Manuel will pitch Joe Blanton on Sunday in game four, a likely matchup with Yankees ace CC Sabathia.
Manuel’s response:
“He’s at 265 innings and he’s never pitched on three days’ rest, although I talked to him and he told me he had,” Manuel said of Lee. “I also like him in Game 5. I don’t think he is ready for [Game 4] on three days’ rest and I think you are really pushing him, and we definitely don’t want to hurt him.”
Makes sense to us. Lee would likely be available for use out of the bullpen in game seven. Blanton has an 8 ERA against the Yankees in four career starts but in one of those he gave up nine runs in just over 2 innings, skewing the numbers.
Lee did throw 120+ pitches in game one. Remember too, if you pitch Lee in game four, you have to use Blanton in game five anyway, since Pedro Martinez is not going to come back on three days rest.
–
Letter to Cole Hamels, from Cole Hamels. Neat piece in today’s Philadelphia Daily News.
You probably already know what I’m getting at, since the Yankees are in town. But I’ll ask you anyway: Remember that night in spring training 5 years ago when you and I first burst on the scene? The night that you said earlier this week “put me on the map”?
Share This Post!
