Blanton having plenty of fun now
PITTSBURGH — Joe Blanton was asked if he missed baseball after deciding to walk away from the sport early last season.
The Pittsburgh Pirates reliever answered without hesitation.
“No,” he said. “There was nothing to miss.”
Indeed, Blanton’s career seemed to bottom out after making two starts for the Oakland Athletics’ Class AAA Sacramento farm club. That came on the heels of being released by the Los Angeles Angels in spring training following a horrible 2013 season in which he went 2-12 with a 6.04 ERA in 28 games, including 20 starts, for them.
“It wasn’t fun anymore,” Blanton said. “I didn’t want to go to the ballpark.”
The 34-year-od Blanton, though, is having plenty of fun now after deciding this past winter to try a comeback and pitch for an 11th season in the major leagues.
Chicago White Sox left-handed reliever Zach Duke — the one-time Pirates’ ace — and Blanton both live in Nashville, Tenn., and work out together in the offseason. While Blanton was going to the gym to just to stay in shape, he got the itch to pitch again after talking with Duke.
Blanton signed a minor-league contract with the Kansas City Royals just before the start of spring training in February, began the season at Class AAA Omaha and then got called up to the major league in mid-May.
Blanton went 2-2 with a 3.89 ERA in 15 games, including four starts, for the Royals but was designated for assignment July 28 after American League Central-leading Kansas City traded for Cincinnati Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto.
The Pirates acquired Blanton in a cash transaction two days later and he had allowed just one run in 10 1/3 innings over five games for a 0.87 ERA, while working primarily in long relief.
With the Pirates leading the National League wild-card standings, Blanton has hopes of getting to the postseason and perhaps adding a second World Series ring to the one he won in 2008 with the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I’m glad I came back because it’s fun again,” Blanton said. “It’s been fun to playing on two contending teams.”
Blanton was also fortunate that one of his relief outings with the Royals came against the Pirates. He pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings to get the win on July 21 at Kansas City.
“They say you only get one chance to make a good first impression,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “Joe made a really good first impression.”