Joe Blanton

There are rumors swirling that Joe Blanton of the Philadelphia Phillies is available for trade. The Phillies currently have the best rotation in baseball with Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and either Kyle Kendrick or Blanton.

As a Rockies fan, I don't see us trading for Blanton, but I believe we should, and I would definitely welcome the move. Here's why.

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The Phillies have put together the best pitching rotation is all of baseball.  And yes, this does include Joe Blanton in the fifth spot.

With the signing of Cliff Lee in the offseason, Blanton was pushed to the back of the rotation and became the fifth starter.  This has added unbelievable value to Blanton and the Phillies. 

If you're unfamiliar with the Philadelphia Phillies 2011 pitching rotation, then chances are you've been living under a rock.

This off season the Phillies made one of the highest profile signings of the year. In December, Cliff Lee signed a $120 million contract to rejoin the team that he unwillingly left a few years earlier.

With the Fab Four of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels already locked up in their starting rotation, do the Phillies still need Joe Blanton? 

The righty has two years left on his contract, which will earn him a total of $17 million dollars.

In his two and a half years with the Phillies, Blanton has a combined record of 25-14 with an average 4.36 ERA in 72 starts. For a fifth starter in the rotation, these are pretty good numbers.

The weather here in the northeast is unbelievable. I hope everyone is staying safe and not trying to travel in this snowstorm and the aftermath of it.

It's been a relatively uneventful offseason for the Twins, albeit only on the major league side. The Twins have landed a slew of relievers for their minor league system, as well as a few promising young prospects. Most notable is 17-year-old shortstop Javier Pimentel of the Dominican Republic. 

Besides the signing of Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka, the Twins' major league squad remains fairly depleted. Key losses of Carl Pavano, Matt Guerrier, Jesse Crain, Brian Fuentes, Jon Rauch and J.J. Hardy seem to overweigh the small but earnest gains.

The Cliff Lee contract will eventually impact almost everyone in the league in some way, but for Philadelphia Phillies' right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton, that time is now. Phillies' GM Ruben Amaro acknowledges he will eventually need to make a trade to move some money and make room in the team budget for Lee.

After four game into the NCLS, we have ourselves quite a matchup, but with contrasting results.

The Phillies have looked consevative, out of sync, and at times, without that fight that has made them who they are.

The Giants, on the other hand, have looked cool, crisp, and methodical which are the very tratis that helped them win the West.

Last night's game was a little indicative of the aforementioned.

While it's hard to put a grade on a game that was really based around well hit and placed balls, there are some specifics that could've made a difference.

Good evening baseball fans! Welcome to Game Four of the NLCS between the visiting Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants.

Bleacher bum Evan Adrian here, taking you every step of the way through this pivotal matchup.

Phillies' skipper Charlie Manuel has played things pretty much straight up over the past two postseasons and has two NL Pennants and a World Series ring to show for it. With his team finding itself down two games to one and the next two contests in AT&T Park, the time is right to veer from previous course. 

San Franciso Giants manager Bruce Bochy adjusted his lineup for Game 3 and it paid large dividends.