Yankees Sign A.J. Burnett

Works out well for Burnett since he won't be asked to be the ace of the staff (CC) or possibly even the #2 (Wang). Less pressure since he also isn't the highest paid pitcher.

For the remaining free agents that the Yankees may be interested in, does the signings of CC & Burnett persuade them more to come to NY? If a player really does want to win, signing the two biggest pitchers available has to mean something.

If Tex wasn't asking for such an obscenely long contract, I'd say he would be a perfect fit for the Yankees: switch hitter with power to protect A-Rod and a great fielding first baseman.

I wish people would actually make some good valid points here, instead im just laughing at all these stupid hating going on.

"Burnett coming off a 105 ERA+ season as your #2? He's got his own set of problems. Joba is in the same boat. CC will always be a question mark, but he has continually pitched well so there's no reason to assume he won't"
============================
That's just wishful thinking with no hard facts to prove it. CC has never been a questions mark, guy has never been injured my friend

HAHAHA ARE U SERIOUS. Why then are baseball ratings higher when the Yankees are playing. Is it just a coincidence that the rating of the playoffs were down this year or was it because the Yankees werent in it. Hate them or not the Yankees are better for baseball because people like you hate them and watch them HOPING that they lose, hence the high ratings. Get over your jealously and make some real arguments

Posted by: Dynasty26 | December 12, 2008 at 04:58 PM

seems liek every yankee fan seems to think everyone else is jealous. the reason why the ratings are up when Yankees are playing is because they have a lot of fuckin people in new york and they have the biggest fan base. they're ruining it for other teams like the Pirates or the Marlins who can't afford to pay any free agent big money. Yankees will always contend because they have money, while the Pirates might contend somebody, but then they'll be back in the cella of the division. When it all rests on your development its a lot harder to stay on top. Yankees wouldnt know about that.

If they have potential then how you can say they're "NOT" better than what you have?

"It's up in the air, there's question marks on both sides. If you account for salary obviously the Rays have the more attractive rotation, but to say one is undoubtedly better than another is short sighted".

Did you read on hlaf of my comment?? CC is a Cy young winner and was a dominator last year. Wang won 38 games in 2 years and was the CY runner-up. Burnett won 18 games last year. The Rays have guys with potential, but none whom have come close to matching this. Get it?

"CC has never been a questions mark, guy has never been injured my friend"

And yet every year what have we heard about CC? His weight, his workload blah blah.

Those are question marks. In the same sentence I said he's always performed; doesn't mean there aren't question marks.

My friend..

Look, all that matters is who's holding the trophy up at the end of the year, spraying champagne with goggles on.......

Until then, let's get to Spring Training...There are still many players to be signed, non-tendered, traded and decide to retire....

No team is remotely done making moves yet. So all this nonsense about who has the better team when rosters aren't even since is rediculous.

@bulsworth

Yes, Ortiz was a FA signing, but c'mon that year he was RELEASED by the twins. He was signed on a prayer, and it was answered. And why all the negativity about signing FA? Who cares who has signed more. Thats why the system is there. If it works out for the team great, if not, they should learn to spend more wisely.

adam h:

Ok I know this is a silly arguement since no one can predict what a player will do in 09 but since someone put it out there. Let's assume everyone is healthy.

Shields vs Sabathia
Kazmir vs Burnett
Garza vs Wang
Price vs Joba
Sonnanstine vs Sheets or Pettite

How is that OBVIOUSLY better?
-----------------------------

Because, you're going by what's on paper, as I predicted Yankee fans will do. Not shocking to see that's already going on.
_________________________

I am ROTFL my Yankee ass off. I did say it was for amusement because SOMEONE else made the point.

But um....isn't anyone that says the Rays, or Boston for that matter, basing their "opinion" off of what's on paper. You guys are funny. Hilarious even. You should take the show on the road. Do you even understand engligh? I mean is it a second language for you or something? Tu' habla espanol?

Dynasty26:

you have a point, but it's not fair to small market teams. all other teams besides yours, the red sox, and maybe the dodgers are sick of this stuff. money isn't everything, and its sad that we live in a world that thinks so

seems liek every yankee fan seems to think everyone else is jealous. the reason why the ratings are up when Yankees are playing is because they have a lot of fuckin people in new york and they have the biggest fan base. they're ruining it for other teams like the Pirates or the Marlins who can't afford to pay any free agent big money. Yankees will always contend because they have money, while the Pirates might contend somebody, but then they'll be back in the cella of the division. When it all rests on your development its a lot harder to stay on top. Yankees wouldnt know about that.
Posted by: Showtime35 | December 12, 2008 at 05:03 PM

This is the biggest crap argument ever. IF you are the owner of a baseball team then you have the money to make the team better. The Yankees owners are willing to do that. But owners like the marlins, royals, twins, etc they just would rather line their own pockets than field competitive teams. If they want to do that through player development then that is great but dont cry because other owners are willing to invest in their team.

and yes the yankees will find a way to not make the playoffs again. No doubt

Posted by: Showtime35 | December 12, 2008 at 05:04 PM

And your reasoning behind this, other then your apparent hate for the yankees?

engligh....haha. you know what I meant!

"As you should...since you're the same tool that already stated how he's only here to "twist Yankees fans panties""

Do yours have a picture of Hank on them?

Kenan and Kel:

Wasn't there a report/study that was going around saying that CC's body and frame would hold up great? How do you just throw around accusations with nothing to back yourself up with. You should sign your posts with "Another ignorant comment made by:", seriously.

I wish people would learn the difference between buying a player and trading for a player.

Eric:

Yanks acquired Abreu, A-Rod, Randy Johnson, Kevin Brown and Vazquez via trade. The only big-ticket free agent signings since the Giambi signing have been Damon, Matsui, and Sheffield. Granted, they did spend a lot to resign their own guys, but still, it's not they've made it rain in the free agent market every year.

___________________

Good point. I had almost forgot that we traded for most of those guys.

"Do yours have a picture of Hank on them"?

You just make more of an azz of yourself everytime you type. The fact that you're even on the Yankees thread daily is pathetic enough.

"Kenan and Kel:

Wasn't there a report/study that was going around saying that CC's body and frame would hold up great? How do you just throw around accusations with nothing to back yourself up with. You should sign your posts with "Another ignorant comment made by:", seriously."

So I'm the first person to question CC's weight?

That's not something thrown around all the time?

It is, but damn you really really really are trying hard...

By the way, find the report...

Santana/BeckketFTW:

Why do you care if the Yankees spend money? What did they do to you? Rape your mother? Kill your father? Explain.

Congrats Yanks and yank fans,
you just got closer to buying yourself a postseason berth.

Another reason why MLB NEEDS A SALARY CAP. Don't give a rats ass about big market teams, this crap makes baseball sickening.

"What about Burnetts career ERA+?
If you're relying solely on past performance to substantiate your point then you have to consider it all; not just the number of games a pitcher has won, which by the way is the WORST indictor of success".

Um, Burnett's career ERA is 3.81 which is LESS than last year...so once again, you are clueless.

"You just make more of an azz of yourself everytime you type. The fact that you're even on the Yankees thread daily is pathetic enough"

To any baseball mind though you'd be the bigger clown. I might spew drivel, piss people off and sound like an idiot.

But you use the number games won has proof your paper rotation is better than another.

Glad you enjoyed Forgetting Sarah Marshall though, perhaps your fragile psyche is better suited for chick flicks?

Santana/Beckett FTW-funny how the red sox signing players isnt buying players but the yankees doing the same is.

OH and if MLB is going to set a cap then they should also set a floor so teams like marlins, royals, pirates and etc.

Dynasty, they have the players to win, but I don't see them making it because of the superior teams in Boston and Tampa, and because theyre underachievers.

"Um, Burnett's career ERA is 3.81 which is LESS than last year...so once again, you are clueless."

I said ERA+ which was worse last year, 105, than his career, 111.

Do you know what ERA+ is?

If Lowe can be had on a 2-3 year deal, I say pay the man and move Joba to the pen as Mo's set-up.

Who is the Yanks set-up now? Marte? Bruney? Edwar? 7th inning and specialist, yes. Set-up, no.

Santana/BeckettFTW:

How about the Marlins, Pirates, and teams of that liking spend the money the get from revenue sharing and such?

I care because its ridiculous. Its ridiculous that baseball is the only sport without a direct salary cap. Why does dominance change hands in basketball, football, hockey ect? because teams cant just buy out the whole free agent market and for an allstar team. The Rangers are the best NHL example of doin that and you can see that the devils, bruins, penguins ect all keeping pace. Look at the NFL. Tom brady goes down, jets sign brett favre, all of a sudden you have a competitive division. The Jets didn't go sign Brett Favre, Randy Moss, Hines Ward and LT to compete. They made one signing.

NY Giants another great example of a team built from the ground up. Look what they've done? It ruins the sport. thats why i care.

just one note- i know there are plenty of ignorant yankees fans (and there are plenty out there) but you can say the same thing about every team in every sport. the problem is most of the time they are the more vocal ones. it sucks but thats life.

btw..i am a yankee fan.

If you want to know why the Yankees can sign all these players ask yourself why does a dog lick his balls? Because he can! Get over it, the yankee payroll right now is still 40 million less then last year. Bring on TEX.

Santana/Beckett FTW - I care too but dont blame the Yankees. That is just sour grapes. They are following the same rules as everyone else.

If they rules were changed they would ahve to follow the new rules, but that is up to mlb and the players. The yankees are only 1 team. maybe teams spend money (red sox, mets, dodgers, cubs, giants, mariners, etc) and plenty of them do it very poorly but those are the rules.

@YanksFan

im not changing anything to make any point. Just pointing out that he was bought via FA. Simple as that. Dont make it more than what it is.

@islezynkeez

Question: hows having the highest payroll in sports history working out for you?

______________________

4 ws/13 playoff appearances in the last 13 years...so far so good

"Do you know what ERA+ is?"

JJYankeefan, where ya at? Still haven't answer this one...

(Go to hardball times, they'll help you)

AJ Burnett has averaged 28 starts per year for the last four years.

"You have zero baseball knowledge and just litter the site with your BS."

Ha.

Any way you'd prefer to quantify it, I know more than you.

Again, you measure a pitcher by games won. You confused era with ERA+ and called me an idiot..

Simply because I think it's funny you care so much doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about.

"You really don't understand baseball if you are comparing it to football."

I'm looking for that CC report you cited, but since you mentioned it I thought maybe you had a link. You know since I'm such an ignorant idiot.

Kenan and Kel

im not sure what report he is talking about, but check out this link.

http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Pitching/ProfessionalPitcherAnalyses/CCSabathia.html

"the yanks spend double tho"

Yankee fans refuse to acknowledge the issue most fans have isn't the spending of dollars but the disparity in pay roll.

Like I said earlier, common sense dictates that a team consistently outspending its competition by 25,30,35% should in turn outperform them by at least a similar margin.

When they do not, and miss the playoffs, it's only natural their competitions fans are going to laugh.

Makes perfect sense to me. Perhaps I'm the only educated one here though.

Because tampa has one good year does not make them the best now.

"im not sure what report he is talking about, but check out this link."

That deals with his mechanics, which I never mentioned, not his frame, which obviously affects his mechanics but is also a separate issue.

Thanks though.

Also to the person who said we traded for players and then signed them to contracts that were way bigger then the contract to begin with. Please tell me who we did that with.

in the AL East that is.

"I know it's out there somewhere, so if you would like to see it there is this amazing search engine called Google. Amazing stuff. And what have you done to disprove the label of ignorant. Oh, that's right, nothing, nothing at all."

I already Google'd it. You're the one convinced there is some report that proves CC's weight is not an issue. I've never seen or heard of it; so you find it if it even exists.

Are we still harping on ignorant? There is nothing I don't know more about than you.

Go ahead and name it.

Santana/BeckettFTW:

Why is wrong to sign two to free agents back to back?

Did the Yankees have a need for starting pitching?Yes.

Did the fill their need?Yes.

What's the problem? Absolutely nothing.

Baseball socialism, anyone?

"Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out"

There are a number of statistics as easily accessible as games won, but ten times more meaningful, that you could have cited.

Don't fault me for your terrible judgment and lack of knowledge. God some of you are just...

Pitching in AAA means absolutely nothing when it comes to determining which paper rotation is better. It's about as helpful as games won.

Boston didn't buy ortiz smart guy. hehe. ortiz was DFA'd by minnesota and the sox saw talent. they got him for nothing. Can't call that a "buy".

Drew was bought
manny was bought
dice-k was bought (but not from MLB)
lugo was bought, and Cabrera was bought.

why was each bought? Manny to bring power to the offense cause they had NONE besides nomar (pre-ortiz dominance).

dice-k to replace derek lowe as our #2.

lugo was bought to replace cabrera who replaced nomar.

drew is the only "pointless" signing i suppose you can call it, where they just signed a good player to fill a hole.

None were crazy spending sprees like this.
____________________________

So the Yanks signing CC and Burnett are not to fill holes? Please stop...your arguements are so lame. I could care less about what team buys vs drafts their star players but your arguement is so riddled w/ holes. I could care less how much or for what reason you acquired your players but since YOU were making the arguement:

Drew/Damon
Ortiz/Matzui
Man-NY/Giambi
Dice/Mussina
Lugo/Sexon
Casey/Hawkins
Okajima/Pavano
Colon/Igawa
Wakefield

That represents all of the FA players for both the Yanks/Soc last year. This doesn't include other players being retained from drafts/trades, etc. Can we please drop this stupid arguement please?

At the very least, every opinion I've proffered can be substantiated with either raw data or an educated secondary source.

You all simply enjoy calling me ignorant and thinking that for some reason I care.