That Balls Outta Here
FanSided

Phillies: Most impactful trade made with every team

By George Stockburger

Roy Halladay and Ruben Amaro Jr. of the Philadelphia Phillies (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
Roy Halladay and Ruben Amaro Jr. of the Philadelphia Phillies (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 20: Starting Pitcher Joe Blanton #56 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park on June 20, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 7-6. (Photo by Brian Garfinkel/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 20: Starting Pitcher Joe Blanton #56 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park on June 20, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 7-6. (Photo by Brian Garfinkel/Getty Images) /

Oakland Athletics: Joe Blanton

"On July 17, 2008, the Oakland Athletics traded Joe Blanton to the Philadelphia Phillies for Matthew Spencer, Adrian Cardenas and Josh Outman."

While not the biggest name the Phillies have ever picked up, the Joe Blanton deal helped solidify the Phillies rotation going into the playoffs and eventually the World Series.

Amazingly, the 2008 Phillies only used seven starting pitchers the entire season. They had a young Cole Hamels and a veteran Jamie Moyer at the top of the rotation.

Brett Myers moved back into the rotation full time after closing out the division-clinching game in 2007, finishing the ’08 regular season with a 4.55 ERA.

A young Kyle Kendrick made 30 starts with a 5.49 ERA and J.A. Happ came up to make four relief appearances.

Adam Eaton was also in the mix, but was widely unpopular in the fanbase with his 5.80 ERA.

The back end of the Phillies rotation was really unsteady and the team needed some depth.

Unable to land ace C.C. Sabathia from the Indians, the Phillies went with a much cheaper option in Joe Blanton, a former first round pick of the A’s. Blanton certainly wasn’t the biggest splash coming out of Oakland with a 5-12 record and a 4.96 ERA. He dropped his ERA in Philadelphia in 13 starts and won four games with no losses, generally getting a quality start and leaving the rest to a steady bullpen.

Blanton started game four of the NLDS, NLCS, and World Series that season with a 3.18 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 17 innings. He got a critical win in the World Series going six innings with seven strikeouts and a home run at the plate.

While not the perfect pitcher, Blanton kept the Phillies in games for the next three and a half seasons, working with some of the games best pitchers in the Four Aces rotation.

Prospect Matthew Spencer, Philadelphia’s third round pick in 2007, would never reach the big leagues after the trade. Adrian Cardenas, a late first round pick by the Phillies in 2006, played just 45 games for the Cubs in 2012. Josh Outman, a 10th round pick in 2005, made 161 appearances for four teams with a 4.43 ERA. He hasn’t played in the big leagues since 2014.

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