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Blanton to be examined by team doc tomorrow

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48 comments

Blanton to be examined by team doc tomorrow

POSTED: Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 3:39 PM

David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer

The Phillies received another piece of bad news today, as righthander Joe Blanton pulled up short during his bullpen session with an injured abdominal muscle.

Blanton, who allowed 11 runs in his most recent outing, was scheduled to pitch again on Saturday in an exhibition against the Pirates. His first scheduled start is April 8, a week from tomorrow.

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said that Blanton will see team doctor Michael Ciccotti tomorrow.

"We'll know tomorrow," Amaro said about the severity of the injury.

Catcher Carlos Ruiz missed today's game after getting hit on the elbow by a pitch on Monday. But Amaro said Ruiz could have played. The team was simply being cautious.

48 comments

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Comments (48)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:42 PM, 03/31/2010

Hey this is why we have KK . . he's a long relief / emergency pitcher / / plus his arm is already streched out . . .

— ingy9

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:42 PM, 03/31/2010

doenst matter....with all the days off early in the season you dont really need a 5th starter until the end of the 3rd week.

— crkreg

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:44 PM, 03/31/2010

We need his bat in the rotation! Take it easy and get better soon Blantbino!

— Blantbino

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:46 PM, 03/31/2010

judging by that front page picture... there's plenty of ab to injure!

— kcullinan

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:49 PM, 03/31/2010

Judging from his picture it looks like he injured it on a supersized order of fries.

— jibberjabber

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:55 PM, 03/31/2010

Yo 1980. Very funny.

— Ron

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:56 PM, 03/31/2010

1980, you beat me to the punch!

— Steve Jeltz

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:57 PM, 03/31/2010

I think its a typo.......they meant "flab" injury.

— RoastPork

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:02 PM, 03/31/2010

All this automatic World Series, 100 wins, Halladay Cy Young talk needs to stop. Its bad karma. Everyone thinks this team will just prance to October, and its a long season with many hurdles along the way. Blanton here is the first such hurdle. So lets all leave Clearwater and come back down to earth and focus first on the grind that is a 162-game season. Many things can go wrong. Just ask last year's New York Mets. Stay humble people!!

— UncleEddie

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:08 PM, 03/31/2010

season hasn't even started yet and already the fit's hitting the shan. so...98 wins and another world championship. yeah, right.

— kiwi

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:09 PM, 03/31/2010

11 runs? Good god.

— PhilliesPhan88

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:19 PM, 03/31/2010

@HokieMon: Not sure what you're talking about Ruiz out for the season....the story said he could have played today.

— TheBlank

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:23 PM, 03/31/2010

Abdominal muscle injuries can be tricky and take considerable time to mend. Surgical recuperation can take especially long periods of time. It's possible that Blanton only sustained a strain, which could be amenable to physical therapy but still take time to resolve. As the Phils have learned time and again, you can never have enough pitching. Even without Blanton's injury, the Phils have needed another impact pitcher to compensate for the loss of Lee. The front office should realize the dire need for such a pitcher and forget about this year's bargain basement specials and trade for someone who could really make a difference. The Pirates have the best kept secret in the majors. His name is Zach Duke. He's a 27 year old all-star who flies under the radar because the Pirates never get him enough runs to win. The Phils currently have a surplus of talent and the Pirates continue to languish. It wouldn't take much for the Phils to acquire Duke, a pitcher who could be a star in Philly for many years to come. Just because the Phils have 5 starters who appear ready to go, there are no guarantees that other pitching injuries are lurking. The Phils bullpen appears to be in a precarious position at the moment, and the solution for the pen may be as simple as picking up another starter who is capable of going the distance on a regular basis. Zach Duke is available and the Phils think tank should already learn from its previous mistakes and pick up a young, strong and dependable pitcher who will make a difference from the moment he puts on a Phillies uniform.

— onthebucks

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:25 PM, 03/31/2010

Blantbino...you slay me. A pitcher that can hit? Gold, Gold Blantino!!!

— Lunchboy

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:30 PM, 03/31/2010

obviously nobody has heard of sarcasm on this board. And we all know Donovanistheeaglesalltimegreatestplayer (couldn't even type that with a straight face) is really Joe Banner trying to dust up some interest in his team.

— richards4captain18