A.J. Burnett Rumors: Friday

big mistake! Someone's gonna make it. I can see a 5 ERA in two years.

Combined?

I don't see where Ricciardi is open to 5 years based on Tim's comments. Just because he didn't balk at the idea doesn't mean he is open to it. I mean, he didn't say he was for it or against it so we assume he is ok with it? That's a fairly broad based assumption.

I'll take the over, MPM. 1,000 pretend dollars?

behooves???

I'll take the over, MPM. 1,000 pretend dollars?

After looking up his numbers that may be a little on the low side. 150 and you're on.

haha. No not combined.

AJ was on the salary hunt this year.

ALright maybe 5 was a little high. You want to agree at 4.5? That to me is not an $18 million pitcher for 5 years.

Hey Tim, you know we're not happy unless we have something to complain about.

"Over/Under on Burnett's innings pitched in '09.

125"

Ha

If his ERA+ matches that I couldn't really complain. Unless of course you give him 5 years because you aren't scared to do so.

Burnett has *never* had a 100 IP season where his ERA was worse than league average. In the AL East, he's had an ERA+ of 115, 119 and 105. What's the problem there?

I'd make Burnett an incentive laden contract to stay healthy. Say 15MM a year with a 3MM bonus to pitch over 200 innings each year? offering three guaranteed with 45MM, with 9MM more in incentives, and then two mutual 18MM in 2011/2012 options which they signing team is forced to take if he pitches over say 450 innings? between those three years? this way, if he feels he can stay healthy, hes got 5 years guaranteed and the money he desires if he pitches up to standard. If not the signing team has a 100 IP each season pitcher who can dominate when healthy and hopefully turn it on in the playoffs for them.

I say a mutual option so that if the team tries to screw him over and not give him the opportunity at 200 innings each year, he can opt out, and try again with a better resume.

man, probably a lot of med records for the Sox to look over.nothing new til Monday

I would almost rather go after Oliver Perez rather than Burnett, Lowe or Sheets.

Or maybe offer Sheets an incentive heavy 3 year deal? Maybe 3 yrs/24 mil with incentives that could push it to 15 mil per?

2010 Free Agent Starting pitchers
Josh Beckett - $12MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Rich Harden
Tim Hudson - $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
John Lackey
Cliff Lee - $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Brett Myers
Brandon Webb - $8.5MM club option with a $500K+ buyout
Todd Wellemeyer

oliver perez would be a horrible nightmare for the yankees. Hes incredibly inconsistent and he is going to be DRAMATICALLY overpaid. If I'm the Yankees, CC and Burnett are musts to compete next year. CC for the innings of dominance and burnett for dominance in the AL East.
With Wang, Sabathia, Burnett, Hughes and joba I think they would be strong favorites in the AL East for next year. However, I hear rumor that Joba is going back to the pen. Jorge came out and said he wasn't a starter and it sounds like Cashman is starting to listen to logic as well. I guy who can punch out guys at 101mph is not a guy who should be wasted throwing 93-94 as a starter. Hes built to be a late inning cannon. I dont know why the yankees didn't begin to realize that until now.

Okay guys, the Yanks payroll was 206 million but $88 million has come off the books so, $118 million + $5 mil. Swisher + $4 mil. Marte = $127 million. Max out values for all players:
Now $127 million
CC $ 24 million
AJ $ 18 million
Lowe/Pet. $ 16 million
Total $185 million

Which leaves $21 million for a power bat and they can afford to increase payroll with new revenue from stadium. So, that is why they "overbid" for CC - he hasn't accepted so how did they "overbid". They know what they are doing and Tex. will be a Yankee and if Tex. becomes a Red Sox then Manny will definitely be a Yankee.

So, with $185 mill. + an "overbid" of $27 mill. the Yankees would be at $212 million for 2009 or $6 million more than next year. And for some reason I don't think the Yankees would have to file for bankruptcy.

der last year not next year

Hmm, I kinda like what Santana/Beckett FTW is saying. I would like to see Yankees go for Perez instead of Lowe if they fail getting Burnett though. Mainly because he has a good stuff and younger... he could improve his consistency as he ages though, but that's my assumption

and as for Joba... I liked him a lot as a set-up man, but he was pretty good as a starter also and would've been a strong ROY candidate if it weren't for injury. I dunno, he could be a great closer, but the man was a starter originally and I don't think it will be any awkward for him to be a starter for rest of his career. I'd like to see him perform about 6+ quality innings more than occasionally rather than seeing him get an inning-old hold

I think JOba can excel and stay healthy as astarter. I think the Yanks might be well off to go with a 5 man rotation with Hughes as a spot starter long relief guy for a year.

CC (God willing)
Wang
Burnett/Perez//Lowe
Pettite
Joba

Hughes long relief.

If Joba is held to about 25 starts/140 innings next year Hughes would probably see about 10-15 starts and should be held to about 125-150. If both guys hold up and do well then in 2010 I would let Hughes replace Pettite as the #5 guy.

Hughes for long relief would be a terrible idea. Young pitchers need to be able to work on their offspeed pitches and coming out of the bullpen would not allow them to do so they would be better off letting him pitch in AAA and calling him up to the rotation when Burnett or Wang make their routine trip to the DL.

Also, he would never pitch w/o 3 days rest or so. He wouldn't be a regular relief pitcher but I think he MUST get innings in the majors next year.