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The Angels released pitcher Joe Blanton this morning, ending a sad tale of incompetence and malaise. The team still owes $8.5 million to Mister McChinpubes, money that will count against the luxury tax threshold along with $16 Million made payable to Vernon Wells in 2014 too.
Blanton was terrible last year by all measurable accounts although a few people clung to the illusion of "Lack of Offensive Support" to insist that he be given another chance. The chance came this Spring and he was on the low end of mediocre. Obviously no team in baseball wanted him, will want him or will even dream of wanting him. He is washed up, over the hill, kaput.
He finishes his career with the Halos with two victories, tying him for 216th place in the team's record books. With 132.2 Innings Pitched, no Angels pitcher with only two victories can lay claim to having pitched that many innings with fewer victories. So you made it to the record books in Anaheim, Joe, Top of the world, Ma, top of the world!
The Angels play their final Cactus League game this afternoon before leaving Arizona for Southern California. The big bats are already back in the USOC, probably getting a jog in at the Big A and thinking about dodging trash at Chavez Latrine tomorrow night when the Freeway Series commences.