A.J. Burnett Rumors: Friday

the braves matched?? that's so cuuuttttte!

Sounds like a beat writer from the 50's :)

They also could probably have Sheets AND Penny (also on a 1-2 year deal) for the same money as AJ. CC, Wang, Sheets, Joba and Penny is a strong rotation.

Brian, Hanson and Schafer will be in Atlanta this year, more than likely out of spring training. Smoltz will be back in the starting rotation. Hudson will return in late August or September. The bullpen is very solid with Mike Gonzalez closing. Wren still has plenty of money to throw at free agent outfielders to plug left field or to sign a 2nd tier starting pitcher if he isn't comfortable with a rotation of Smoltz, Jurrjens, Campillo, Vasquez, and Hanson to begin the year. The Braves will -- barring injuries -- be competitive in 2009. They would have been very competitive in 2008 if not for all the pitching injuries.

Not to say they will spend the whole amount but people out there, especially fans of other teams should realize the Yankees had around $88 million coming off the books this winter.

Fans of other teams make it sound like we're adding all these free agents on top of the $215 million payroll the Yankees had this past year.

CC = $23 million
AJ = $17 million
Total so far = $40 million

I'll assume Andy knows his role and accepts $10 million.

Total so far = $50 million

I'll assume that they trade for Mike Cameron. And adding Nick Swisher and subtracting Wilson Betemit is a net gain of around $5 million.

Total so far = $65 million

So that's $23 million left out of the $88 million that came off the books. Just enough money to got and get Mark Teixeira.

Also anyone that believes Brian Cashman when he says the payroll will definitively be lower this year, I've got a bridge to sell you. That is defnitely not set in stone what so ever.

New Stadium, TV Network.. The Yankees are a printing press for money. And for other teams who don't like all this spending, they can give the Yankees back all the Millions and Millions of dollars they receive due to revenue sharing of the luxury tax.

Memo to the Marlins especially. They more they spend the more they are taxed and the more you receive. Try reinvesting money in your team instead of complaining about others..

I agree with dominican. Just posted on another post that the Yanks need a Manny Ramirez or clutch hitter who will get A-Rod some better pitches to hit as well as getting the big hits himself.

however, a rotation of
sabathia
burnett
wang
chaimberlain
hughes

has a LOT of potential. However, once again this will be a Yankees team relying on two youngsters. It paid off for the Red Sox (Lester and Pedroia). Perhaps it will for the Yanks too.

I think the Yankees need to move Cano and acquire manny to move cabrera to a 4th outfielder where he has always belonged. Shift Nady to right. Damon plays center and you have an amazing offensive outfield (so long as damon stays healthy). Have Gardner get some time and shift Damon to the DH every once in awhile.

MOve Cano for what reason?? Thats stupid

In any event...the Yankees need to make Tex a priority. They need to replace a lot of offensive production with Giambi and Abreu leaving. No guarantee that Jorge or Matsui will still be productive either. Also, I'm not jazzed about Swisher and Cameron's possible near combined 300 k's next year either. Those are dead unproductive outs.

The rotation is shaping up nicely and it needed to be addressed badly...but I hope the offense also gets a look. Still need to score runs to win.

I dont think you can move matsui anymore. a year or two ago yes. now no.

Santana/Beckett - The Yankees have all but completed a trade for Cameron. It's been on ESPN non-stop. Also, there is ZERO chance that Damon plays CF. Next, they didn't sign Swisher, they traded for him.

Tex is a very real possibility even though you're a Sux fan...sorry.

"The Yanks can sign Burnett in addition to CC and sign Tex and STILL be under last years payroll, so its a possibility."

Not if they go after Lowe and/or Pettitte, too, as they're allegedly planning to do. Either one of those two plus Teixeira puts them a few million over last year's salary. I did the math in the Latest on Teixeira thread using this site's Yankees offseason outlook.

Teixeira not completely impossible. You have to remember that after 2009 matsui and damon are coming off the books which is roughly 25 or so million. Then you can move swisher to left or right depending what nady does since he is a free agent also

One problem with moving Joba back to the pen though, hes a better starting pitch then Hughes. So I think that Hughes should be in the pen or down in AAA.

Dynasty..

Re: JOBA

2 words for you...THANK YOU!

Jonny damon is not a below average left fielder at all. He had a zonerating of 8.4 last year and was good offensively as a leadoff hitter

Yanks can sign Tex. They will have 26 million more off their books after Damon and Matsui leave. I also believe Nady will be a free agent, that's another 5 million I think. So the Yanks can easily afford Tex. And considering that a deal would start with Tex making 17-18 million in his first year it makes it even more possible. Yanks have the roster spot and the money, unlike Boston who would have to move Lowell.

Sox getting Tex would be bad, I agree. However no combo will ever scare me with the game on the line as much as Ortiz/Manny.
With that said, I hope to never see Manny in a Yankee uniform..EVER! I dont care if he bats a thousand and hits 100 HRs.

Braves or Die,
The only downside to your statement, though, is that we traded Andrus in the Texeira deal, so unfortunately, he will be ready to go for the Rangers.

Drew,

You are so right and I usually don't miss things like that. But with that being said three years is enough time to find a fit it is not the toughest position to fill. Thank you for correcting me!

BRAVES OR DIE....I like ur thinking!

Burnett is not, I REPEAT - NOT an ace, a solid king in a royal flush, but no ace. I HOPE Wren doesn't break the bank on this guy, that would cripple us (like the dumb ass yanks did with Pavano, and the Giants did with Zito).

Speaking of which, WOW has Barry Zito really fallen this far???

I Digress...

About Peavy, I agree...if there is ANY ace left out there then it's him. Towers is a complete F-up of a GM to begin with so that doesn't help things... but Wren needs to buck up and grant Peavy his no trade clause. I mean, come on already!!! U think we're gonna give up talent for an ace and then trade him in a year or two?? REally, once we get Peavy we would not want to trade him. We'll be competitive all the years he has left on his contract, there would be no reason to trade him, NONE!

FRANK WREN, IF YOU ARE READING THIS - PA PA PA PALEEAASSSEEEE TRADE FOR PEAVY! GIVE HIM A NO TRADE CLAUSE, GIVE TOWERS AN OFFER HE CAN'T REFUSE (AND AN OFFER THAT WON'T SIGNIFICANTLY RUIN OUR CHANCES) AND GET THIS DEAL DONE! FOR CHRIST SAKES, CHIPPER NEEDS A HUNTING/FISHING BUDDY!

Dumb Yankees for singing Pavano? Did someone drop you when you were a Baby?! If we knew then that He was going to get Injured so much you think we'd sign him at all? Moron

Wow, The Yankees bought players last year as well and you know what? I didn't see them anywhere in October..... Must have had some pressing golf tournaments.... Just goes to show, you can buy all the players in free agency , but you can't buy a "team".

I understand what you mean yankeegirl49. But for 2 Years? He's worth the risk. Plus the Yankees have always had players with Huge Egos & managed to do well wit the rest of the team. The thing about Boston, he was surrounded with some All stars & really good role player types. If he goes to the Yankees, Hell, like what that other Dude said. We have All stars in almost every position. So I think the whole Ego thing wouldn't really matter. Plus we are The ZOO

"Dumb Yankees for singing Pavano? Did someone drop you when you were a Baby?! If we knew then that He was going to get Injured so much you think we'd sign him at all? Moron"

Yeah, maybe you're right, the Yanks weren't dumb for signing Pavano...he didn't have the injury problems before he got to NY...

But Burnett on the other hand, he already has a HISTORY of injury problems, yet you f&cks still plan on shelling out whatever it takes to sign this guy??? Did someone drop YOU on the head when you were a baby? You would think you'd learn from your mistakes...MORON

For those Braves fans out there who are stilling hellbent on trading for Peavy...who did you have in mind to fill the massive hole at SS? Lillibridge is gone, Renteria has already signed, Furcal looks like he's headed for Oakland (at least last I heard). You're not going to find someone to produce the way Yunel does, especially at the cheap price he's doing it at. Taking on Peavy's salary in addition to whatever SS we have to sign is a terrible move.

JJyankeesfan2 - there's more to a player than just BA and strikeouts. You realize Swisher is one year removed from back-to-back season with a .830+ OPS, right?

After all that Obsession, your math skills are waaay off Buddy. Even if we do lose those guys, thats money off the books for us to Spend. Plus you neglect that we could trade for players too.

"Yeah, maybe you're right, the Yanks weren't dumb for signing Pavano...he didn't have the injury problems before he got to NY..."

Actually, Pavano had a terrible injury history before coming to NY. He's only topped 200 innings twice in his career.

That said, Beckett's injury history wasn't much better. His first 200 inning season was with Boston. Pavano's injuries weren't the Yankees' fault, Pavano has pretty clearly established himself as a worthless, immoral chump who essentially fleeced the Yankees. Honestly, I'm proud of the Yankees for basically holding off his MLB return in 2008 until they absolutely needed him. No sense giving the guy a tryout for other teams after the way he screwed them.

Ron Edwards:

Smoltz, Jurrjens, Campillo, Vasquez, and Hanson isn't an impressive rotation to me, AT ALL. First, it just doesn't seem that great. Second, it's destined to fall apart and then what are you left with?

Smoltz can still pitch very effectively but his body cannot handle an entire season in the starting rotation. If he starts the season in the rotation he'll be out by the All Star break. Jurrjens was impressive last season...for a rookie. I'd still rank him in the #4 or #5 hole until he gets a little more seasoning. Campillo is, in my opinion, a career #4 or #5 pitcher. Vasquez is a good pickup but he is not an ace. #2 or #3 guy. Hanson should make the majors at some point in this season but I doubt he's going to be ready to be in the starting rotation on opening day, and if he is, I'd expect him to be in and out between the pen and possibly up and down between AAA.

So, once Smoltz goes down and Hanson is sent to the pen/AAA you're left with Vasquez, a sophomore pitcher (Jurrjens) and a mediocre end-of-rotation guy (Campillo). Who are you going to plug those other holes in with? Jo-Jo Reyes & Chuck James? I don't think a Vasquez - Jurrjens - James - Campillo - Reyes rotation is going to strike fear into the heart of opposing batters.

If this is what we're left with, Wren had better get some bats because we'll probably need to average at least 5 runs a game.

The Yankees actually have more money coming off next year than you think. Damon and Matsui are $13 million each. Nady is up to about $9 million this year. Pettitte (if he is resigned) would likely retire and that would be anothe $10-12 million. That is $45-47 million off the books. I would think they will keep one of Damon or Nady based on performance and price, bring up AJ and you could have Swisher in the OF or as a DH. They are in a better spot for payroll going forward, too, as after the following year Mo will either retire or resign and jeter's deal will be up and he is not going to get $20 million/year so that is $35 million that will be less. The year after that Posada is up and CC could opt-out...that's $39 million coming off.

Oh, yeah, and my comments about Smoltz are all contingent upon him actually playing Major League Baseball. He could struggle and retire, sign somewhere else, or have his arm fall off in spring training. I love Smoltz and desperately want him back but I would not rely upon him to be the ace of a rotation.

"After all that Obsession, your math skills are waaay off Buddy. Even if we do lose those guys, thats money off the books for us to Spend. Plus you neglect that we could trade for players too."

That goes completely against your argument. You argued that Tex would be easy to pick up without going overboard BECAUSE those guys are coming off the books. If you pick up everything you guys are talking about this offseason, then the Yankees go after a high paid free agent, you need to take into account you're adding that on top of everyone else.

I did the math yesterday on the Teixeira rumors thread and it's rock solid and precise with this site's own numbers. If you add everything the Yanks are allegedly going all in on at this point: Burnett, Lowe AND Pettitte, and then ADD Teixeira's contract to that, you've got a salary just over last year's. If Damon, Matsui and Nady all leave, this is your scenario:

You shed $31 million in contracts, but you no longer have a starting right or left fielder, or a DH, even if Ajax turns out to be an instant success. If he doesn't, or isn't up, you suddenly have Melky Cabrera as your top starting outfielder. Conceivably, Posada moves to the DH position, but if that happens, you now need a catcher. Considering the Yankees' M.O. and Cashman's absolute refusal to part with his prized pitching prospects, the Yankees are not going to get a completely new outfield and DH/catcher of any competent level for under $31 million.

As for a trade. That depends on way too many factors for you to sign Tex on faith alone of it working out. You need to rely on a worthwhile option being available and being able to work out a trade. If the Yanks let all three go at once, GMs will know that Cash is essentially desperate and he will be taken for all he's worth on the trade market. The precedent the Yankees have set for themselves is already showing itself in the Cameron trade talks and the fact that Chamberlain is about the only big prospect the Yankees have who hasn't shown a major regression since their debut (Specifically Cabrera, Cano, Hughes and Kennedy) means Cashman would have to pay out the nose to stock three vital positions via trade.

In summation: check your math and your ego, you're clearly out of your mind.

Also, before someone bothers with it: my math is done without even going into whether Nady gets a raise this season, so it's effectively a wash next season. Yeah, if he's up to $9 million, he's nine off the books, but then you have to add the four million to my math to account for his raise this year and it all factors out to the same number.

Smotz Beard!

Furcal. If you read some info out there he has not signed because he wants to see if the Braves will make a deal that will move Escobar. He wants to be back in Atlanta!!

"I never suggested that they go after Lowe & Pettite. Try reading past posts too before you try to prove someone wrong. Now do the Math Genius"

You never did, but the Yankees are apparently all in it.

You could tell me you never suggested going after Sabathia or Burnett, but that's probably what's happening. All indications are looking like the Yankees are picking up four out of the top five free agent pitchers of the offseason. Any addition of Teixeira is on top of that and subject to being included in any speculation of their salary, whether you like it or not.

The only reason Arod is still a Yank is cause no one else could or would pay him a ridiculous 30 mil a year like the Yanks do. Yea the Yanks traded for him, but what kind of a market for was there for him a year ago when he was a fre agent.

Just because it's happening, it doesn't mean I'm all for it. If you are going to be specific especially when it comes to correcting someone, at the very least try to be more informed. You could've asked me 1st, then you prove me wrong.

I was just stating that you said the Rays have spent Decades to get where they are when actually it has taken them just one.

"PLEASE TELL ME HOW WE BOUGHT OUR WHOLE TEAM???"

People don't claim you bought the whole team, people claim they bought success, which, in the 1990's, would be completely and obviously false, I will concede.

However, flash forward to 2003, on. Take out all the trades and free agent signings and the Yankees are a third or fourth place team, in all likelihood.

Also, one must consider the fact that the majority of those players would not be in Yankees uniforms if they were not highly paid to be there. A-Rod, Posada and Rivera all almost walked last offseason and would have had the Yankees not blown every other team out of the water monetarily. Without A-Rod and Rivera, the Blue Jays finish ahead of the Yankees in the East last season.

The Yankees have not produced a homegrown impact position player this decade. I think Jeter and Posada are the last two top tier fielders the Yankees produced. Heck, look at the team next season if you take out A-Rod and Sabathia, both players who are only there due to the exorbitant money, that's a team competing with the Orioles for fourth.

While the Yankees had a great measure of success on home grown players in the nineties, they'd likely be the laughing stock of the Al East if they dropped their payroll under $120 million.

Furcal is better than Yunel? Are you nuts? Escobar was the 2nd best defensive SS in the majors last year according to +/-. Furcal is above average, but he's not even close to Escobar who is 5 years younger. Escobar also didn't just have back surgery. In his prime Furcal was OPSing around .780, Yunel hasn't even entered his prime yet and OPSed .766 with a bum shoulder last year. Furcal is also scheduled to make like 10x as much money as Yunel is going to...money that we need to sign a power hitting LF like Adam Dunn.

Please take a step back and look at the big picture.

Who is going to be the Braves leadoff hitter after we trade Johnson for a power hitting OF? Anderson can barely touch lefties and I would rather have Johnson hitting there as Blanco.

Smoltz Beard,

Not once did I say Escobar was not an amazing player or better or worse than Furcal. But is it worth getting rid of him for Jake Peavy....YES!!

And to the Babe666....if you are referring to the Braves as a small market team then I laugh in your face! We have been in the top three teams as far as fan base goes for over 10 years. We are among the top ten teams in payroll.

LOL man people just come up with more bad argument. So cause the yankes didnt let there HOMEGROWN talents grow they BOUGHT their team, I call that keeping the team together.

"However, flash forward to 2003, on. Take out all the trades and free agent signings and the Yankees are a third or fourth place team, in all likelihood."
TAKE OUT ALL THE TRADES AND FREE AGENTS OF EVERY TEAM AND EVERY TEAM IS A FOURTH PLACE TEAM

"The Yankees have not produced a homegrown impact position player this decade."

yea i forgot Cano is a career 300 hitter and 2b defender. The guy has one bad year and everyone is down him.

"The real jealousy is that we can afford to keep OUR OWN players and pay them well to keep them. The teams that can't (or won't) then have to resign themselves to the fact that while they cultivated a potential superstar teams like the Yanks and Sox will pay what they refuse to, to get them in their prime years."

To be fair, one could argue that the Yanks spend foolishly on keeping many of those veterans. The Sox let Pedro and Damon walk over dollars and it's worked out quite well for them. The Yankees clearly overpay for nostalgia's sake, with Posada, Jeter, Pettitte and Bernie Williams are perfect examples of this (Bravo to them for when they finally did tell Bernie to shove it, too). The Yankees aren't signing players through their prime years, most of their top contracts of late last until the age of 42, which is well past about 99% of players' primes, even the best of them. Look at the Sox's contracts. Wakefield's just about the only player on their roster who's signed past thirty-six and they almost never offer more than two years to anyone hitting that area. The Yankees offer the abundant money and years to make sure they sign now without looking forward to the fact that, come 2012, they're going to have multiple players (At least Rivera and Posada off the top of my head) on their roster locked in into their forties with contracts so large they'll be practically immovable.

I know the Sox spend a lot of money too, but it's hard to deny that a team that has outbid themselves two seasons in a row on the top free agent is skirting the realm of ridiculous.

Who exactly was our top free agent signing last year?!

Drew..

So, because the Brewers didn't want to keep him, the Yanks should not go after him, because THAT would be "buying" players?

Maybe we need to go back to the early 70's before players fought and won for the right to be free agents. Let the teams "own" their players forever or till they decide to trade them, see what that does to the game of baseball in this day and age where baseball is a business just as much as it is a game.

Obsessions..

The point is not if they spent foolishly, the point is that they spend to keep what they feel they need.
For instance..Posada. The catching market was thin last season and the Yanks had no one ready to take Posada's place. The mets were said to be after him as were other teams. Should the Yanks have let him go?
Once more, the Yanks money allows them to give out long term contracts to reap short term benefits. I highly doubt the Yanks expect Posada or Mo to be the same players they were when they signed them last year in 4 years, but if they get 2 or 3 good ones they are able to eat the last one or 2 years.
Posada cannot be considered a bad decision until we see how he comes back from the injury. Before this year he had never been on the DL..NEVER! All it is so far is BAD LUCK, not a bad decision.
As for Mo, Im not sure that will ever be a bad decision, Id rather have Mo at 70 or 80% than almost any other option and he has shown no sign of slowing down.

When did they overpay for Bernie? Do you forget he turned down MORE money from the Sox to stay with the Yanks?

The Yanks reward their own because they have the means to do so.

If you think there arent at least a few other owners out there who don't LOVE what the Yanks do, you are fooling yourselves. Not every owner is in it to win, and that is unfortunate. If people are interested, they should read some books on the economics of sports, baseball in particular, you will be very surprised at a lot of whats in there.

Braves or Die...Drew said that Furcal was better. And no, it isn't worth getting rid of him to get Peavy. You don't create a hole in order to fill another hole (that's a softball for anyone that has a good zinger).

Drew...Trading KJ is a mistake as well. He's an above average offensive 2B, and average in the field, not to mention he's under team control until 2012 for cheap. No reason at all to break up him and Escobar...that's a very good, young tandem who are extremely cost effective. Also, the notion that we need a leadoff hitter is a little off base. Yunel and KJ both have an OBP of above .360 from the leadoff spot for their careers, and if Schafer can perform during spring training he would be a great candidate to leadoff with the way he works the strikezone. He would have to improve against LH pitching, though.

But Drew, even if we are talking about CC, should the Yanks stand pat and do nothing just because the Brewers couldnt offer the same. They needed pitching, he was the best available and they have the money. What other business does an owner sit by and not do something because "its not fair" to the competitors.

If the yanks never signed another free agent and cut their payroll to 50 million dollars, we would be here listening to all the anti Yank fols saying somthing like "greedy Yankee owners putting all the money they make in their pockets".

Yes, its easy to defend what they do because I am a fan, but don't tell me there is a fan out there who wouldnt want to see their team spend money rather than pocket it, and by complaining about the Yankees spending, THAT is exactly what people are asking the Yankees to do.

"Who exactly was our top free agent signing last year?!"

Are you seriously kidding?

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2007/11/16/2007-11-16_arod_yankees_agree_to_terms_on_275m_deal.html

You may have heard of the guy.

"There you go 0bsessions. Yankees average age 28.1
BOSTON average age 28.0

Get your facts right AND the yankees got younger this year"

Come back to me in three years when your average age tops thirty and Wakefield's retired.

GO New York, Go New York, GO!!!

sign him and stay away from Lowe!!