Joe Blanton has retired from baseball.

The Franklin-Simpson graduate who pitched for 10 seasons in Major League Baseball with four teams decided to step away from the game over the weekend.

The 33-year-old Blanton said a bunch of little factors led to his decision.

“My health, I was still fine,” Blanton said. “I was fortunate enough to get through and never had a surgery. My arm still felt fine. There’s just a lot of changes that were starting to be made through baseball, a lot of adjustments that I was having to make. After doing things a certain way for a long time, having to make those adjustments was a lot. It was almost like having to start over again.

“Having three kids at home and to spend that much time away, it is nice to be home with them.”

Blanton ends his career with an 85-89 record and a 4.51 ERA.

Drafted by the Oakland A’s in the first round, 24th overall pick, in the 2002 MLB draft, Blanton made his major league debut Sept. 21, 2004, before becoming a staple in the Oakland rotation.

Blanton’s best season in Oakland was 2007, when he went 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA.

He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008, where he played a part in the Philliies’ 2008 World Series title.

Blanton earned the win in Game 4 of the series against Tampa Bay and also hit a home run – the first of his MLB career and the first by a pitcher in the World Series since 1974.

The Phillies won the world title in five games.

He went 12-8 the next season, when Philadelphia advanced to the World Series again before falling to the New York Yankees in six games.

“You hear a lot of guys coming down toward the end of their career, always trying to play one more year to get that ring,” Blanton said. “It’s what guys hunt for and play for. I think definitely when you are coming down to the end, and you look back and you have one already and know you played a part in one, it definitely makes it easier. It is something you always want to do more than once. I was fortunate enough to win one and lose one. You always want to do it again, but definitely to be able to look back and know that you did it is a special thing.”

Blanton pitched with the Phillies until he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012.

He signed a two-year, $15 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim prior to the 2013 season, but lasted one season with the Angels – going 2-14 with a career-worst 6.04 ERA in 28 games, including 20 starts.

Blanton said it was the toughest season he ever had.

“It was a real draining year, definitely a mentally draining year,” Blanton said.

“That made it really tough, but I went into the offseason and tried to retool myself, change mechanics and get in the best physical shape I’ve ever been. I feel like I did all I could to get back to where I needed to be for spring training. It never happened.”

Blanton was released by the Angels on March 26, and signed a minor league deal with the A’s five days later.

He gave up six earned runs in 102/3 innings in two games for Triple-A Sacramento.

“It turned into a situation where, do a start, do a start, and it turned into, ‘Where am I going with this?’ “ Blanton said. “It felt like the right time (to retire).”

Blanton added he was grateful to Oakland for giving him one more chance.

“They were the ones that gave me my shot out of the gate by drafting me,” Blanton said. “They gave me my first shot in the big leagues where I really established myself. Coming full circle on the back end of my career, giving me another shot to try and do it. I appreciate everything they did in the beginning and the end.”

Blanton said he looks forward to being able to spend time with his three children – two girls and a boy – ages 4, 3, and 1.

He also is excited about his next business venture. He bought a vineyard in Napa Valley this winter.

“Once you hit that 32 mark, you start thinking, what should I do when I am done?” Blanton said. “Do I want to continue with baseball as a coach in some aspect or do I want to go outside (of baseball) and do something else? You really start thinking about other things you are passionate about.

“I started thinking about it a couple of years ago. I am a big wine guy. I love wine. An opportunity came about and I kind of jumped on it for future purposes. I had no intention of retiring right now. I thought it would be a couple of years away, so that will actually be the next stage of my life.”