U-G-L-Y

No, I'm not talking about Joe Blanton, who signed a three-year $24 million deal today - I'm talking about the new Red Sox hat.

Of course they needed a new hat. How could a team take batting practice wearing the same old hats they wear in games?

Marketing at its worst, I suppose.

I have no interest in this new fandangled headgear, but if Blanton does, he could buy plenty with his new contract.

My question: If he wasn't sincere about that $10 million arbitration filing, why didn't he do something totally outrageous like file for $30 million?

At dinner, Christine said she liked the deal because it's essentially the same amount the Phillies had wasted on Adam Eaton a few years ago. Plus, if the Phillies ever need to trade Country Joe, his contract won't be prohibitive, she said.

I will vouch for her that she hadn't read this analysis by Beer Leaguer and Rob Neyer:

Beer Leaguer reasoned:

As for the deal, I’m ok with it; $8 million per seems a tad high, but a decent trade-off considering that the durable Blanton is a couple years younger than Pineiro and Marquis; Blanton will only be 32 by the time his contract expires; Pineiro and Marquis are 31. It's actually the exact same money they gave Adam Eaton over three years; hopefully, it produces a difference result.

Rob Neyer - despite Christine's belief that he is anti-Phillie - took it a step further:

When Eaton got his deal, he'd started 35 games in the previous two seasons. Blanton has averaged 32 starts over the last five seasons. Blanton does eat innings, but the digestion process goes pretty well, too.

The Eaton contract was obviously foolish; the Blanton contract is obviously smart. Which isn't to say he's a sure thing. But 200 innings and a 4.00 ERA is worth more
than $8 million per season, and actually quite a bit more. If the Phillies' young pitchers do come through, it shouldn't be hard to trade Blanton for something useful.

Of course, I still think I would have liked to gamble on one year of Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay, but that ship has sailed, so I guess this deal makes sense.

[Photo credit: Boston Globe]