The Brewers are dog crap. I understand that.




But no team - even the Royals - should be a favorite with Joe Blanton on the mound.




Blanton moves from the bullpen to make his first start in nearly two years. He's replacing injured Jason Vargas.




Blanton was 2-14 for the Angels in 2013, the last time he was in a starting rotation. He was so bad that he didn't pitch last year. Blanton's ERA's going back the past five years are 6.04 in 2013, 4.71 in 2012, 5.01 in 2011 and 4.82 in 2010. Blanton has a 4.96 ERA in five career starts against Milwaukee.




The 34-year-old hasn't started until now because he's not a major league starter anymore. It doesn't say much for the state of Kansas City's pitching depth, or for the depth of major league baseball's starting pitchers, that Blanton is thrust back into a starting role - at least for this game.




So I'm looking to fade Blanton here and I have Milwaukee's best road pitcher, Mike Fiers, to do it. Fiers has a 2.46 road ERA in six away starts. Fiers gave up three runs in seven innings in the Brewers' victory against the Nationals this past Friday and earlier this month Fiers threw six innings of shutout ball in a 1-0 win against the Cardinals. So Fiers has beaten perhaps the two best teams in the National League.




The Brewers are floundering, but should have some motivation after just being swept at home by the Royals. Kansas City has lost five of its last seven home contests.