LEXINGTON, Ky. (12/24/12) – The Kentucky baseball team will be represented by a pair of former Wildcat stars on the Los Angeles Angels during the 2013 season, as right-handed starter Joe Blanton and reliever Scott Downs will help anchor the Angels pitching staff.
 
Blanton, who starred at UK from 2000-02, is coming off his sixth 10-win MLB season of his career. He signed with the Angels in early December for $15 million, with an $8 million club option for 2015. Blanton, a 32-year old native of Ashland, Ky., will make $6.5 million in 2013 and $7.5 million in 2013, not including incentives. While pitching with the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012, Blanton went 10-13 with a 4.71 ERA in 31 games and 30 starts. He worked two complete games and one shutout, tossing 191 innings and striking out 166. In his career, Blanton – who won the World Series with the Phillies in 2008 – has a 83-75 record and a 4.37 ERA in 1434.2 innings, striking out 978.
 
Downs, a UK standout from 1995-97, has been one of the most consistent left-handed relievers in baseball. In 2012 for the Angels, Downs went 1-1 with a 3.15 ERA in 57 games, saving nine games and tossing 45.2 innings with 32 strikeouts. In his career, Downs has a 34-32 record and a 3.55 ERA in 496 MLB games and 50 starts, saving 26 games and striking out 513 in 670 innings.
 
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