Lost in all of the hubbub surrounding the Phillies’ World Series win was the solid pitching by Joe Blanton throughout the entire postseason.

Blanton started 3 games during the Phils’ run. 2 of the 3 games came after a Phils loss. In both cases, he kept the team in the game, and gave the offense an opportunity to win it.

He outpitched Suppan in Game 4 of the NLDS, and got the clinching win.

In Game 4 of the NLCS, he had to go up against Derek Lowe the day after Jamie Moyer was lit up. The difference between a win and a loss was cavernous. Win, and the Phils take a stranglehold on the series. Lose, and all of the momentum is in the Dodgers’ court. Joe B kept it close, which  gave Victorino and Stairs the chance they needed in the 8th to win it.

In the most impressive of all 3 games, Blanton was dealing. 6 IP, 7 Ks, 2 ERs off solo HRs by Crawford and Hinske in Game 4 of the World Series.

The national media gave the back end of the Phillies playoff rotation NO respect leading up to the Series. The conventional wisdom was that after Hamels, the rotation was a bunch of question marks.

Luckily, the World Series isn’t played in computer models and amongst the Jim Caples and Ken Rosenthals of the world. Only James Shields outpitched his Phillies counterpart over the 5 Games.

None of Blanton’s exploits should have been a surprise to any fan of the Phils that has been paying attention since he showed up. His first outing against the Mets on July 22nd, where he gave up 5 runs over 6 innings, was his worst outing. He was never shelled in a single game he pitched for the Phils, and the team went 9-4 in his 13 starts.

Perhaps most importantly, Blanton has the right makeup to thrive in Philly. He may be friends with Brett Myers, but he seems to let things go much easier, and doesn’t seem to get too high or low about anything that happens.

Blanton will be 28 when the 2009 season starts. There are far worse options to be plugging into the back end of the rotation.