The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired starting pitcher Joe Blanton from the Oakland A's for three minor leaguers. The Phils have been trying to shore up their rotation for weeks, inquiring on CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett before landing the 5-12 starter who sports a 4.96 ERA.
For Oakland, this marks the second trade of a starter in as many weeks as Blanton follows Rich Harden out the door. Blanton is not rated nearly as high as Harden, however, he's much more reliable, having started 30+ games each of the last three years.
The minor leaguers Oakland receives are said to be Adrian Cardenas (2b), Josh Outman (easily one of the best names ever for a pitcher), and Matthew Spencer (OF). Cardenas and Outman were two of the Phils top 4 rated prospects and should once again provide the kind of depth in the minors that Oakland has become known for.
