Blanton_sizeBig Joe                                                           Little Joe

Something tells me it’s in his midsection… or not in his midsection.

After another piss-poor performance from Big Joe last night, Blanton told reporters that he thinks he knows what’s wrong: [Delco Times]

“I’m having a little problem out of the stretch right now, it’s kind of obvious,” said Blanton, who is 3-4 with a 5.88 ERA in 13 career starts against Washington. “I’m giving up a lot of hits with runners on, which is never good. Physically, the execution is not there out of the windup right now. I had the same problem back in ’09.

“I’ll take a look at that in the next couple of days and see if I can make an adjustment to make better quality pitches down in the zone with runners on. I have to go to the video to make sure it is first. I have a good feeling that might be what it is.”

 

He’s right, with men on base this season, opponents are hitting .500 (9-for-18) off him. With nobody on? .296. 

But it’s not just that, Joe.

The year before Blanton signed his bloated three-year, $24 million contract, he seemed to have a little more stamina, even though he was, um, larger. Sometimes fat guys just need to have those reserves to pull from.

Here are opponents' averages during various scenarios over the last three years. Blanton received his new contract after the 2009 season.

2009

Middle innings (4th-6th): .255- lower than their BA of .276 in the first three innings 

When facing batters for the third time in the game: .248 average- his best of any trip through the lineup

Pitches 76-100: .213- his best of any stanza

 

Last year, Slimmer Joe began to run out of gas during the middle innings.

2010

Middle innings (4th-6th): .288- 19 points higher than innings 1-3

When facing batters for the third time in the game: .351- significantly higher than their first and second at-bats of .291 and .217, respectively

Pitches 76-100: .388- his worst of any stanza

 

This year? Same story, albeit with a small sample size. Smaller portions, if you will.

2011

Middle innings (4th-6th): .522- 295 points higher than innings 1-3

When facing batters for the third time in the game: .462- not quite as bad the .500 they are batting off him during their second at-bat, but worse than the .222 mark during the first at-bat

Pitches 76-100: 0-for-4- he goes to the dugout after that

 

Maybe Fat Joe was better than slimmed down, I got mine Joe. Either way, it's not all in the delivery.

[Related: Philly Sports Daily on his location]