Blanton trying to bounce back from elbow injury

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Three rows of scouts seated behind home plate at Bright House Field took notes as Joe Blanton fired his 30 pitches on Monday. Each time, five raised radar guns, looked down, and scribbled the number.

This was Blanton's first outing of the spring; hardly a time for judgments. But when you're a pitcher who prided himself on an uncanny ability to take the ball every fifth day without fail, every milestone is important. That Blanton tossed two scoreless innings in a 9-3 victory over the Yankees was secondary to his declaration that his right elbow didn't hurt one bit.

As far as he is concerned, there is no need to even think about the nebulous elbow condition that limited his 2011 season to 11 games.

"I would be really shocked if it came back, to be honest," Blanton said. "I'm not even looking at it as a test to see if I'm going to be OK. I feel really positive. I'm just treating it like I threw 200 innings last year."

Except, of course, he threw 411/3 innings last year and nothing is guaranteed in 2012. So whether it is the scouts, who could report to their employers that Blanton is a risk worth taking in a trade, or his own team's decision-makers, Blanton has some convincing to do. People have their doubts.

"I'm sure from the outside looking in, I would, too," Blanton said. "I didn't pitch last year. I have to go out to other people and prove I'm going to stay healthy the whole year and not have any effects from last year. So that's for them. For me, I'm confident in how I feel. Really, really confident. I feel good."

Then again, Blanton maintained during the early part of last season he was healthy even when it was painfully evident he was not. There was never an official diagnosis, but Blanton now believes the injury to be an impingement of the elbow. He saw James Andrews, the orthopedist who usually prescribes Tommy John surgery. He underwent myriad MRIs only to find no definitive answer.

So here he is, 31 years old and a free agent at season's end, with plenty on the line. There was a time when Blanton, a durable starter, carried the rotation in 2009. Asked if this is the most important year of his career, Blanton said, "possibly."

"I have a body of work from the past that speaks a little bit," Blanton said. "But what I've done in the past is mostly been a guy who stays healthy and throw a lot of innings. That kind of didn't happen last year."

Thus, Blanton admitted there was some nervousness as he walked to the mound Monday.

"I was trying to think back if I get that every spring because of the first start back, or if it was because it had really been a while," Blanton said. "I had a few jitters but it went away after the first hitter."

Before the game, Blanton and catcher Brian Schneider met to formulate what little of a game plan is needed for an early March Grapefruit League game.

"What do you want to do?" Blanton asked Schneider.

"I don't know," Schneider said. "What do you want to do?"

The catcher later laughed. Blanton threw his fastball, change-up, and cutter. Nick Swisher took a hack at a change-up and his bat flew out of his hands. That, Schneider said, was Blanton's best pitch.

He recorded five ground ball outs and one strikeout, a sign the Yankees failed to make solid contact. But pitchers are typically ahead of hitters this time of spring. Again, judgments are difficult to make.

"Back at work again," Blanton said. For now, that will satisfy.