October 6th, 2016 at 1:30 pm 
by Ron Cervenka When pitchers and catchers reported for Dodgers spring training camp back in February, right-hander Joe Blanton was doing so as a new member of the team and in a new role. Oh sure, the 35-year-old Bowling Green, Kentucky native had already been a Dodger for part of the 2012 season, but that was as a starting pitcher and it did not end well. In fact, Blanton – who had been acquired by the Dodgers at the July 2012 trade deadline – finished that season with a rather dismal 2-4 record and unattractive 4.99 ERA.
As expected, Blanton was not re-signed by the Dodgers at the conclusion of the 2012 season and eventually made his way down the I-5 to Anaheim, where the results were even worse in 2013. Things got so bad that Blanton was unconditionally released on March 26, 2014 with a full season remaining on his two-year – $15 million contract with the Halos. Five days later the Oakland A’s signed Blanton to a minor league deal and sent him to Triple A Sacramento, where he made two starts with the River Cats. That, too, was a disaster and on April 13, 2014, Blanton announced his retirement from the game.
At the urging of his good friend and fellow pitcher Zach Duke, Blanton announced that he would attempt a comeback for the 2015 season and on February 13, 2015 he signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals. Blanton eventually worked his way back to the big leagues with the Royals, posting a 2-2 record with a respectable 3.89 ERA. It was during his time with the Royals that Blanton, a career starter, was moved to the bullpen. It was a move that would change his life forever.
Even though Blanton was designated for assignment by KC on July 28, 2015 to create a roster spot for trade-deadline-rental Johnny Cueto, his brief time in the Royals bullpen had caught the attention of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who immediately signed the (then) 34-year-old righty. The Pirates never looked at Blanton as a starter and instead went all-in with him as a reliever and it absolutely positively resurrected his baseball career.
In his 34.1 innings of relief work with the Pirates, Blanton posted a 5-0 record and incredible 1.57 ERA, helping the Bucs earn a Wild Card berth into the 2015 postseason. Even though the Pirates were eliminated by the eventual NLCS runner-up Chicago Cubs, Blanton had caught the eye of Dodger scouts, thus leading to his off-season signing. After enjoying a decent spring in big league camp, Blanton was named to the Dodgers 2016 Opening Day roster … and he has never looked back.
Did Blanton think that he would be smoking a victory cigar in the Dodgers clubhouse with his teammates as the NL West Champions seven months later?
“That was the goal. That was why I was given this chance, to get to the World Series,” Blanton said, while soaked with beer and champagne. “That was the goal for everybody in this room since day one.”
Joe Blanton enjoying victory cigars with Dodgers Assistant Hitting Coach Tim Hyers (left) and Quality Assurance Coach Juan Castro (center) after the Dodgers clinched their fourth consecutive NL West Division title. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Although Blanton may not have received the attention or accolades that Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen received and continues to receive (and rightfully so), he played an enormous role in the Dodgers having the lowest bullpen ERA in all of baseball at 3.35, this in spite of the fact that he humbly gives most of the credit to his fellow relievers.
“They’ve been amazing,” said Blanton of his bullpen mates. “Everybody out there has been an integral part to this team. I mean, you can say that about the whole organization. A lot of guys have had to step up, a lot of guys had to play. It’s been amazing.”
In addition to owning the best ERA in the majors, the Dodgers bullpen also put in the most work, with an MLB-leading 521.2 combined innings pitched. They also tied the Miami Marlins for most bullpen wins in the National League at 32, which might have been even higher were it not for the Dodgers’ three complete games this season (the Marlins had none).
Needless to say, when you consider that Joe Blanton had retired from the game in April of 2014 and is now heading into the 2016 postseason with his Dodger teammates, his story is indeed a remarkable one.
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Good article, Ron. Nice to look forward to his appearance rather than dreading it in the “old” days.
Yes, a very good article. You didn’t mention that Blanton led the Dodgers with 28 holds. Baez was second with 23.
Holds are a completely ridiculous and meaningless stat. That’s what a reliever’s job is.
Ouch. Of course, you could say much the same thing about saves. A three-run lead with nobody on is a “save situation?” Who figured that out?
To me the true “save” comes when inherited runners are stranded in a situation where if they score their team ties or goes ahead. That can be at various points in the game. To me coming on in the ninth with no one on and getting the side out is not a save especially with more than a one run lead. One could argue it is a save with just a one run lead as each batter possesses home run potential to tie the score. It is a close but not a save with more than a one run lead and no one on base as the game at that point is not in jeopardy with no one on.
I think a “hold” would be a good name for the “save” with no one on in the ninth. That’s what the pitcher does. He holds the score. He does not save the game unless a runner(s) are stranded in a situation where they could tie or win the game.
Whatever they are called, Blanton surely did a VG job of holding the score so Kenley could get a save. Without his work on a number of occasions, Kenley would not have been the beneficiary of a save situation.
How about kinda combining things a bit. A save is when the potential tying run is on base, or maybe in scoring position would be better. A hold is merely holding the lead. Either can happen anytime during the game and there can be multiple saves during a game. Holds, though not official, already can come in multiples.
Here’s the one that has me jumping on desks: BS & W. An example all of us old enough should remember: Eric Gagne comes in in the 9th riding a 84 game streak of successful saves converted. He gives up the tying run, then finishes the inning. Dodgers score in the bottom of the 9th. So, if not Gagne, who gets the W? I can think of 2 logical solutions: W goes to the pitcher before Gagne (will never happen, of course) or make it a team win, nobody gets the W (also won’t happen, just like they won’t ever create the “team error” that I often hear suggested).
This whole thing is a “cat outa the bag” situation. He’s never gonna be put back in.
Ron, as far as “that’s his job”, let’s please don’t ever let the cat outa that bag. That could undermine the whole stat system and we’d have nothing to argue over.
Couldn’t agree more.
Whether the “HOLD” is an official stat or not, for the mere fact that they are recorded I think they are worth mentioning.
I always wondered why there is no stat for relievers when they hold the opposing team when the team is losing. I would think that would be just as important.
– Last remaining link from my college ball days to MLB active players (freshman at Kentucky when I was at Ohio). Man, I’m old.