Could Jays Shop Burnett?
A.J. Burnett timed his contract year perfectly, reaching career highs with 32 starts and 209 innings in 2005 for the Marlins. He even would've made another start that year, but he ripped the team publicly in September and the Marlins asked him to leave.
The outburst didn't diminish interest in Burnett during the 2005-06 offseason; reportedly 22 teams expressed interest. The Cardinals and Nationals submitted offers, but Toronto won with five years and $55MM. The deal was panned at the time, but the money looks reasonable now that the pitching market has shifted upward.
Burnett's stay in Toronto over the past 1.5 years has been laden with DL trips. This time he got a cortisone shot in his sore shoulder and hopes to return shortly before the July 31st trade deadline. Jeff Blair of The Globe and Mail believes J.P. Ricciardi might try to cut ties with Burnett this month, if he can convince some team to gamble on his nasty stuff.
Here's the contract situation. He has about $6MM left this year, and $12MM in '08. At that point, Burnett can opt out of the contract. Prior to 2009 season, Burnett must decide whether he can top a two-year, $24MM deal on the open market. That will depend mainly on his health in 2008.
Could Ricciardi really convince a GM to gamble on Burnett's health and also bear the risk of being stuck with him through 2010? Not likely. Not even if Burnett comes back and tosses a no-hitter on July 30th. The money would be tricky - perhaps Ricciardi would agree to shoulder some of the load if Burnett chooses to honor his contract for 2009-10 (for that would imply that he's not really worth $24MM over that span).
Billy Beane is definitely Ricciardi's favorite trading partner, but Beane has his own Burnett to deal with in Rich Harden.
I agree. It's unlikely the Jays will get anything that valuable for him...at least that's how it looks now when he's on the DL. He'd have to come back and show health for a long stretch of time for it to be worth dealing him. But then again, I won't be surprised when I hear the words "rotator cuff surgery" before the year's end. The situation is just too tricky...hopefully for the Jays he comes back healthy and can produce in '08 (then, with his opt out, it would be a do-able time to trade him).
Posted by: Guitar Hero | July 02, 2007 at 11:40 PM
There will always be a team interested in a guy like A.J because the word of the day in 'potential'
Posted by: quintjs | July 03, 2007 at 12:04 AM
But with the salary, they are not giving up much in talent. Would the Jays be happy if they just got most of his salary off the books?
Posted by: Guitar Hero | July 03, 2007 at 12:14 AM
Would the Yankees be a fit though?
Posted by: Guitar Hero | July 03, 2007 at 12:19 AM
Can't imagine the Jays actually trading him to the Yanks because of what he can do if he was healthy ~ longshot or not. They are trying to pass them, not help them...
Otherwise, maybe a NL team in the central or east will get desperate and go after him, but its more likely this contract becomes what everyone figured it would be ~ a burden they regret till the end...
Posted by: darkstar1661 | July 03, 2007 at 08:12 AM
Oh and forgot to mention that its safe to say AJ should clear waviors meaning they have up till Sept 1st to deal him off to a really desperate club...
Posted by: darkstar1661 | July 03, 2007 at 08:15 AM
Wasn't this supposed to be the year Burnett was to stay healthy and break out?
Or is that next year? Whoever trades for this guy is paying 11 mil+ for 120 inconsistent innings. The sabrdorks will only notice the positive innigns as AJ hovers around .500, yet again.
Posted by: TTH | July 03, 2007 at 04:39 PM
The analytical community panned the signing at the time.
Posted by: RotoAuthority | July 03, 2007 at 08:04 PM