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Philadelphia Phillies: 7 best trade deadline deals in franchise history

By Tim Boyle

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 6: (L-R) Cliff Lee #33, Roy Oswalt #44 and Roy Halladay #34 of the Philadelphia Phillies watch from the dugout during the Phillies game against the New York Mets in the second inning on April 6, 2011 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 10-7. (Photo by Miles Kennedy/Philadelphia Phillies/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 6: (L-R) Cliff Lee #33, Roy Oswalt #44 and Roy Halladay #34 of the Philadelphia Phillies watch from the dugout during the Phillies game against the New York Mets in the second inning on April 6, 2011 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 10-7. (Photo by Miles Kennedy/Philadelphia Phillies/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA – July 27: Joe Blanton of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 27, 2008. The Phillies defeated the Braves 12-10. (Photo by Robert Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

5) Best Phillies trade deadline deal: Joe Blanton from the Athletics

Joe Blanton was never anyone’s favorite Phillies player but he was definitely an important part of their successful run to the 2008 World Series. Also acquired in the middle of that awesome season along with Eyre and Stairs, his role was to fill a rotation spot and take the mound every fifth day.

The Phillies must have seen something in him that they liked. He was only 5-1 with a 4.96 ERA with the Athletics at the time of the deal. The trade sent Oakland three minor leaguers: Matthew Spencer, Adrian Cardenas, and Josh Outman. If you know your baseball, you already realize how much of a win this was for Philadelphia.

Blanton was 4-0 with a 4.20 ERA in the regular season for the Phillies in 2008. He came back strong in 2009, giving them a 12-8 effort with a 4.05 ERA. That was the extent of his success with the club even though he hung around until the middle of 2012.

In the 2008 postseason, Blanton was able to win in the NLDS and the World Series. However, it was his World Series home run that stands out above any other single moment.

An important and somewhat underrated trade, we can almost consider Blanton a role-player with a much bigger gig.

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