Joe Blanton

Blanton with the Philadelphia Phillies

Washington Nationals – No. 56

Pitcher

Born: December 11, 1980 (age 36)
Nashville, Tennessee

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

MLB debut

September 21, 2004, for the Oakland Athletics

MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)

99–93

4.35

1,245

1.33

Teams

Career highlights and awards

Joseph Matthew Blanton (born December 11, 1980) is an American professional pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers. After playing college baseball for the University of Kentucky, Blanton was drafted by the Athletics. While pitching for the Phillies in the 2008 World Series, Blanton hit a home run.

Joe Blanton was born in Nashville, Tennessee, but grew up in Chalybeate, Kentucky. He graduated from Franklin-Simpson High School (Kentucky) in 1999. He pitched three seasons for the University of Kentucky, with a 13–12 record from 2000 to 2002, and led the Southeastern Conference with 133 strikeouts in his final season, finishing with a 4.59 ERA.

The Oakland Athletics selected Blanton in the first round, with the 24th overall selection, of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft, This draft was chronicled by Michael Lewis in his book, Moneyball. In 2003, while pitching for the Kane County Cougars and the Midland RockHounds, Blanton ranked second in all of minor league baseball with a combined 174 strikeouts. The next season, he helped the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats win the Pacific Coast League Championship with an 11–8 record and a 4.19 ERA. He struck out 143 batters in 176 innings, tossing one complete game in 26 starts.