Joe Blanton – Dodger Thoughts

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By Jon Weisman

Late in October on Twitter, I asked folks whom they would pick for the most underrated Dodger of 2016.

It was a doubly subjective exercise, integrating not only your own perception of Dodger players but your belief in how others feel as well.

From the dozen or so nominees, I picked out the four with the most mentions and put them in a decidedly unscientific poll, narrowly won by Joe Blanton.

POLL: Most underrated Dodger in 2016. Listed are the four top nominees from earlier today …

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) October 28, 2016

Blanton was a fine choice, but my own vote went to Joc Pederson. In this video (edited and produced for Dodger Insider by Julian Gooden) I explain why. Enjoy …

Cubs’ comeback a model for Dodgers in NLCS

By Jon Weisman

On October 21, 2016

In Postseason

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

“Well, we’re working the at-bats,” said the manager. “Obviously we’re looking for more results. We did attempt to shake it up a little bit, and obviously didn’t play very well. But, listen, I’ve got a lot of faith in our guys. It’s a difficult moment to be in … you have to fight through some pretty stringent adversity. But that’s how this thing works sometimes. Again, from my perspective, there is nothing differently to do, except to really come out tomorrow with the right mental attitude, and that’s our best weapon, I think.”

That was Cubs manager Joe Maddon after Chicago lost Games 2 and 3 of the National League Championship Series, and it’s no different in substance from what Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers’ Game 5 loss.

While the Cubs had breathing room that the Dodgers now lack when Maddon made that statement, it was the steadying approach — the choice of poise over panic — that said it all. Given a chance to rebound, the guys who weren’t producing did just that.

As the Dodgers head to Chicago to save a dream, it’s worth keeping this in mind. This is the team that rallied from eight games back in the NL West, the team that rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the National League Division Series, the team that, up to now, has won every must-win game it has faced.

After NLCS Game 5 defeat, it’s Kershaw and Hill again and pray for reign

By Jon Weisman

On October 20, 2016

In Postgame, Postseason

By Jon Weisman

The earth spins, seven days of suns rise and set, and here we are once more.

Two wins needed for land. Two games to do it, with two prime captains in Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill.

That’s the map of the world for the Dodgers, who find themselves back in the strait between exhilaration and elimination after losing Game 5 of the National League Championship Series tonight to the Cubs, 8-4.

Barely a week ago, Kershaw and Hill (with a large dose of Kenley Jansen and others) rescued the Dodgers’ title raft in the National League Division Series against Washington. Following two more victories in NLCS Games 2 and 3 against the Cubs, the Dodgers will look to circumvent their Game 4-5 losses and complete a happy repeat.

To continue scavenging sea and sky for good omens, know that those two wins followed an 8-4 Game 1 loss that played out similarly to Game 5, even to the final score. Tonight, the Dodgers fell behind early, tied the game — then watched that tie broken thanks to a home run off the previously stalwart Joe Blanton. There was even another late five-run eighth inning to ride out, and an even later short-lived comeback attempt.

Dodger bullpen runs deep heading into NLDS

By Jon Weisman

On October 7, 2016

In Bullpen, Pregame

Kenley Jansen and Joe Blanton (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

NLDS Game 1
Dodgers at Nationals, 2:38 p.m.

Dodgers
Chase Utley, 2B
Corey Seager, SS
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrián González, 1B
Josh Reddick, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andrew Toles, LF
Clayton Kershaw, P

Nationals
Trea Turner, CF
Bryce Harper, RF
Jayson Werth, LF
Daniel Murphy, 2B
Anthony Rendon, 3B
Ryan Zimmerman, 1B
Danny Espinosa, SS
Pedro Severino, C
Max Scherzer P

By Jon Weisman

Any Dodger game that starts with Clayton Kershaw on the mound ideally ends with Clayton Kershaw on the mound.

But with seven relievers who have performed strongly down the stretch, the Dodgers can be as aggressive with their playoff bullpen as they have been in years.

Of the six relievers the Dodgers would use to preserve a lead, none had a September ERA higher than 2.00, and only Joe Blanton had a September WHIP above 1.03.

Kenley Jansen, of course, is the primary candidate for the ninth inning, and if necessary could be drawn into the eighth inning. This year, Jansen entered six games in the eighth and saved five of them.

In the set-up roles, the Dodgers can mix and match righties Joe Blanton, Pedro Báez and Josh Fields with lefties Grant Dayton and Luis Avilán, with Ross Stripling held back for extra innings.

That means even if Kershaw only goes six innings, the Dodgers could go batter-to-batter against a Washington starting lineup that goes R-L-R-L-R at the top.

Joe Blanton returns, Luis Avilan optioned

By Jon Weisman

On August 12, 2016

In Pregame, Transactions

Pirates at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Chase Utley, 2B
Corey Seager, SS
Justin Turner, 3B
Josh Reddick, RF
Adrián González, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, LF
Ross Stripling, P

By Jon Weisman

Right-hander Joe Blanton has been reinstated from bereavement leave to the active roster by the Dodgers, who have optioned left-hander Luis Avilan.

Blanton (2.64 ERA, 0.88 WHIP) leads the Dodgers with 54 games and 58 relief innings, but he has been away from the team since Monday.

Avilan has a 5.91 ERA and 1.41 WHIP after allowing three runs while facing four batters in the Dodgers’ 8-5 victory Sunday over Boston. He didn’t pitch in the recently completed Phillies series.

The Dodger bullpen now goes back to having two lefties in J.P. Howell and Grant Dayton. Julio Urías, who turned 20 today, is potentially a third lefty if he isn’t needed in the starting rotation this weekend. Adam Liberatore is eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday.

With Joe Blanton on bereavement leave, Josh Ravin recalled

By Jon Weisman

On August 8, 2016

In Pregame, Transactions

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Phillies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Chase Utley, 2B
Corey Seager, SS
Justin Turner, 3B
Josh Reddick, RF
Adrián González, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Joc Pederson, CF
Rob Segedin, LF
Julio Urías, P

By Jon Weisman

Josh Ravin has been called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City by the Dodgers, taking the place of Joe Blanton, who has been placed on the bereavement list.

The 28-year-old Ravin began the season on the disabled list after breaking his left forearm in a Leap Day car accident. Before he was ready to be activated, MLB suspended him 80 games after a positive test for a performance-enhancing substance. He was reinstated from the restricted list August 3.

How the revitalized bullpen keyed Dodgers’ surge

By Jon Weisman

On July 13, 2016

In Bullpen

By Jon Weisman

In the Dodgers’ final inning before the All-Star Break, the best closer in the National League, Kenley Jansen, entered the game to protect a one-run lead against the fourth-place team in the National League West.

At that moment, the Dodger bullpen was several weeks into an extended resurgence that was forcing fans and media alike to unlearn everything it thought it knew about the team’s relievers. It progressed in stages, as if reversing the five stages of grief.

Hooray — they actually held a lead for once.
All right, I’ve stopped throwing things every time a reliever comes in.
I know this won’t last, but thank you for at least being adequate.
Hmm. Some of these guys are actually pretty good.
I don’t want to jinx this. But … wow.

Dodger bullpen failures have been branded into the collective memory of recent years, the scar tissue making it nearly impossible for most to feel the moments when the relievers were doing well — which, of course, was more often than the distraught and cynical could concede.

But by the time Jansen took the mound Sunday, the bullpen’s growing success was no longer possible to ignore.

Dodger relievers lead the Major Leagues with a 2.83 ERA. They lead the Major Leagues with a 1.02 WHIP.

In fact, as Dodger broadcaster Joe Davis pointed out, the Dodger bullpen’s opponents batting average of .192 is currently the lowest in modern baseball history. The team’s WHIP is the lowest in NL history.

That’s extraordinary. And that’s not wishcasting. That’s something that has been happening. The Dodger bullpen has become the opposite of an albatross. It’s a primary reason that, despite the “I Love Lucy” chocolate conveyor belt of injuries, that Los Angeles (51-40) is on a 91-win pace and once again a team to be reckoned with.

In terms of inherited runners stranded, the Dodgers were seventh among MLB teams at 72 percent — in the upper echelon but with room for improvement. The good news — the great news — is that the improvement is already underway.

Avilan, Bolsinger called up — Tsao to disabled list, Stripling optioned

By Jon Weisman

On May 23, 2016

In Bullpen, Transactions

Ross Stripling pitched three shutout innings Sunday. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Ross Stripling, whose season began with 7 1/3 no-hit innings April 8 in San Francisco, pitched three shutout innings Sunday in his relief debut. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

Regrouping after throwing 582 pitches in three games at San Diego — and losing one of their pitchers to the disabled list in the process — the Dodgers are bringing up two fresh arms for their pitching staff.

Wily Wood, Sockin’ Seager not enough for Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

On May 15, 2016

In Postgame

By Jon Weisman

Alex Wood extended his Dodger Stadium mastery another six innings (one run, five baserunners, five strikeouts), but another dominant streak ended a moment too soon for the Dodgers.

Dodger offense finds Rays of sunshine indoors

By Jon Weisman

On May 3, 2016

In Postgame

Brian Blanco/Getty Images

By Jon Weisman

After a rough week, the Dodgers tonight hit lefties and righties and starties and relievies — all the -ies.

Textbook first inning takes Dodgers to opening victory

By Jon Weisman

On March 3, 2016

In Baserunning, Postgame, Spring Training

Andre Ethier is greeted by Dave Roberts after scoring the Dodgers’ second run of the season. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

The first inning of the Dodgers’ 6-1 Cactus League opening victory over the White Sox (summarized by Ken Gurnick of MLB.com) was a Spring Training work of art.

After Clayton Kershaw’s initial shutout inning, leadoff hitter Howie Kendrick worked a walk off Chicago starter John Danks. Facing the White Sox lefty in his first at-bat of the season, Andre Ethier singled the opposite way.

Two of the next three hitters — Yasiel Puig and Yasmani Grandal — then hit solid RBI singles. Significantly, a baserunner went from first to third on each.

“If you look at the numbers of how this team ran the bases last year, we can do better,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s a point of emphasis for sure. It’s more of a mindset than a style of baseball. That’s how you play the game.”

In case you missed it: Ryu — and Wood — on recovery path

By Jon Weisman

On February 22, 2016

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it, Spring Training

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

It’s a long season as you know, and the Dodgers can benefit tremendously from the return of Hyun-Jin Ryu, even if he’s not on the active roster Opening Day.

So it’s all good that Ryu had a strong bullpen session today, as Ken Gurnick of MLB.com writes …

Dodgers bring back a different Joe Blanton

By Jon Weisman

On January 19, 2016

In Transactions

Joe Blanton allowed two runs in six innings of his first Dodger start, on August 5, 2012. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

Joe Blanton’s new life as a full-time reliever — illustrated by his 1.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings in 21 games for the Pirates last season — has reunited him with the Dodgers for 2016 on a one-year contract.

Blanton started 10 games for the Dodgers in 2012, and it didn’t go all that well, with a 4.99 ERA and 1.42 WHIP despite an 8.0 K/9. The following season, spent with the Angels, went even worse (6.04 ERA), which led to his release in the midst of a multi-year contract.

But as Neil Weinberg of Fangraphs noted in November (via Mike Petriello of Dodgers Digest), Blanton turned the beat around by shifting emphasis to a slider and lowering his arm slot. Throw out the four starts he made in 2015 for Kansas City (which sent him to Pittsburgh near the July trading deadline), and Blanton had a 2.04 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 9.7 K/9 out of the bullpen.

The 35-year-old will give the Dodgers reliever depth as someone who can throw multiple innings in an outing. His 2015 stats on pitches 1-25 were almost identical to his numbers on pitches 26-50.

Once he pitches a 2016 game, Blanton will become the latest two-term Dodger and potential member of the Grover Cleveland All-Stars (click to enlarge).

Dodgers acquire Phillies pitcher … Joe Blanton

By Jon Weisman

On August 3, 2012

In Transactions

Joe Blanton, the 31-year-old Phillies righthander, has been acquired by the Dodgers for a player to be named later.

Averaging 6 2/3 innings per start in 2012, Blanton has a 4.59 ERA (88 ERA+) with 7.8 strikeouts and a National League-best 1.2 walks per nine innings. He has allowed 9.5 hits per nine innings and a career-worst 1.5 home runs per nine innings. He was limited to 41 1/3 innings in 2011.

Blanton’s becomes a free agent at the end of this season — his 2012 salary is $8.5 million.

At least until Ted Lilly returns from the disabled list, Blanton will replace Stephen Fife, whose 2.16 ERA belies his 1.500 WHIP and 3.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

Update: Ben Duorino of Fangraphs (via Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness) on Blanton’s weird 2012 season.

Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Tag: Joe Blanton

Video: Who was the most underrated Dodger in 2016?

Cubs’ comeback a model for Dodgers in NLCS

After NLCS Game 5 defeat, it’s Kershaw and Hill again and pray for reign

Dodger bullpen runs deep heading into NLDS

Joe Blanton returns, Luis Avilan optioned

With Joe Blanton on bereavement leave, Josh Ravin recalled

How the revitalized bullpen keyed Dodgers’ surge

Avilan, Bolsinger called up — Tsao to disabled list, Stripling optioned

Wily Wood, Sockin’ Seager not enough for Dodgers

Dodger offense finds Rays of sunshine indoors

Textbook first inning takes Dodgers to opening victory

In case you missed it: Ryu — and Wood — on recovery path

Dodgers bring back a different Joe Blanton

Dodgers acquire Phillies pitcher … Joe Blanton

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