A's continue to monitor innings pitched

[Providence A's]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...PGNTEAIA61.DTL

"We have been watching his innings,'' Macha said. "It is going to be the most innings he has ever pitched. He was right at 100 pitches (99). That is what we've been doing with him all year. He usually goes six. The seventh was an extra inning for him.''

Blanton did not quarrel with the manager's move. He did say he felt strong, and certainly looked it by striking out the side in his final inning.

"It is tough to take him out after he strikes out the side,'' Macha admitted.

Blanton, who has a 1.15 ERA over his last six starts, is just 2-1 in that span with three no-decisions. For the year he is 7-9 despite a 3.75 ERA.

It's nice to see the A's are being careful with Blanton (and other pitchers, too). We don't need anybody blowing out their arm.

[Providence A's]

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NAS...=.jsp&c_id=oak

"Between all my starts at Triple-A last year, and then the Triple-A playoffs, then working in relief [after being called up to Oakland in September], I threw exactly 200 innings," he said Thursday before the finale of a three-game series with the Tigers. "Innings with me aren't an issue. I feel better now than I did a month ago."

Blanton is one of three members of the rotation in his first year as a big-league starter. Dan Haren and Kirk Saarloos are the others, but Haren pitched into the World Series with St. Louis last season, and Saarloos has been in the big leagues for parts of four seasons.

As part of the effort to reduce wear and tear on Blanton, he's been limited to about 100 pitches per game this year, yet the A's seem ready to turn their big boy from Kentucky loose a little more down the stretch.

This good news as Blanton has been pitching really well lately despite not getting the wins to show for it.