Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Joe Blanton threw five innings in an instructional league game Saturday at the Phillies' spring training complex in Clearwater, Fla. According to a report from the Philadelphia Daily News, Blanton allowed one run in five innings and consistently hit 90 mph with his fastball. The outing was part of Blanton's effort to smooth out the elbow injury that limited him to just 41 1/3 innings this past season.
"It's good," Blanton said. "I threw four innings in one game down here and five innings in another, throwing all my pitches, so I am feeling pretty confident."
Now, Blanton said he will allow his elbow some time to rest so he can be ready to go once spring training rolls around. The 30-year-old went 1-2 with a 5.01 ERA this past season and is now entering the final year of a three-year, $24 million contract.
"I'm just going to give it a rest," Blanton said. "Keep playing catch a bit, doing it light. I'm feeling good about my mechanics for the most part and the way my arm has felt."
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