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A.J. Burnett

Yankees “What If”: No A.J., CC, Lowe?

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No new official information has been reported from either side–but that may be precisely why articles about the scenario where the Yankees fail to sign a big name free agent starting pitcher this offseason are starting to show up.

First, Jordan Bastian at MLB.com reports that the Yankees may not make a contract offer to A.J. Burnett. Burnett, through his agent, appears to be insisting on a five-year deal. While the market may not provide one, Bastian says that the Yankees simply will not.

In the CC Sabathia ring, separate postings at River Ave. Blues and Brew Crew Ball look at the "actual" disparity between the financial terms of the contracts offered to the big lefty by the Yankees and Brewers. I say "actual" because, as the articles admit, this type of information is hard to concretely determine. However, as the authors show, the actual difference may be alarmingly smaller than most might have thought.

Finally, Phil Rogers at the Chicago Tribune takes the issue head on: what if the Yankees fail to sign Burnett, Sabathia, and Derek Lowe? Rogers specifically talks about Sabathia’s likely preference for the West Coast (he’s from California), and/or an opportunity to hit (the guy did put up a .230 BA, with two doubles and a home run in 50 plate apperances). Notably, Rogers doesn’t offer much of a Plan B for the Yankees if all three pitchers end up elsewhere.

Does such a plan really even exist?

A.J. Burnett Rumors: Saturday

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According to Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News, the Yankees won’t offer A.J. Burnett a five-year contract.

Ken Davidoff writes that Burnett’s agent, Darek Brauneker, is confident that his client will sign a five-year deal somewhere.

McCarron talked to a source who said that “the Yankees are not ready to go five years.” The source also said that the Red Sox are more interested in Mark Teixeira and Derek Lowe than Burnett.

The Blue Jays are still talking with Burnett, but they haven’t yet offered him a deal.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Furcal, Burnett, Halladay

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Ken Rosenthal has a new column up this evening.

  • The A’s and Giants remain the top suitors for Rafael Furcal, and the team that’s willing to give him four guaranteed years may win the bidding.  The Dodgers, Braves, and Cubs are also in the mix.
  • Rosenthal talked to a source with knowledge of the Blue Jays’ thinking, and that person can’t imagine them giving A.J. Burnett five years.  Rosenthal says to forget the idea of a Roy Halladay trade, unless they attempt and fail to sign him to an extension.  And if Burnett is signed, a Halladay extension would be next on the docket.
  • Luis Gonzalez wants to play next year.

Heyman’s Latest: Lowe, Teixeira, Guillen

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman recently published several new blog posts.

  • Free agent outfielder Garret Anderson has a new agent: Scott Boras.  Click here for our full list of Boras clients.
  • Rangers starters Vicente Padilla and Kevin Millwood are drawing interest from the Braves, Dodgers, and Mets.  Padilla is owed $12MM in 2009 with a 2010 option for the same ($1.75MM buyout).  Millwood gets $23MM over the next two seasons and has a limited no-trade clause.
  • Heyman says rather than battle for A.J. Burnett, the Red Sox and Yankees may duke it out for Derek Lowe.  Other suitors for Lowe: the Mets, Braves, Phillies, Giants, Mariners and Dodgers.  There he goes naming the Mariners again as a player for a major free agent…interesting.  The Giants are a new one as well, though Heyman says Lowe may prefer to head back east.
  • Heyman agrees with info from Nick Cafardo, that the Red Sox and Tigers have discussed swapping Julio Lugo for Dontrelle Willis.
  • Dodgers GM Ned Colletti admitted to interest in C.C. Sabathia.  Colletti said he’s waiting to hear from Scott Boras regarding Manny Ramirez, even though the Dodgers pulled their two-year, $45MM offer.
  • It hasn’t happened yet, but the Angels plan to make a "very serious" offer to Mark Teixeira.  A competing exec guessed eight years, $160MM.  Remember, that’s a non-Angels exec making a guess.  Heyman tosses a new team into the mix for Tex: the Mariners.
  • The Royals are "quietly shopping" Jose Guillen.  Guillen, 33 in May, hit .264/.300/.438 in 633 plate appearances this year while playing below-average defense.  He’s owed $24MM for the 2009-10 seasons.
  • Competing execs tell Heyman the Mets appear open to trading Ramon Castro or Brian Schneider.  The Mets would then presumably sign a free agent catcher.

A.J. Burnett Rumors: Friday

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4:14pm: Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe says that while the Red Sox have reviewed Burnett’s medical records, they’re still in the early stages of negotiations.

2:32pm: Robert MacLeod of The Globe and Mail has more from Ricciardi on the five-year idea:

"I’m not going to commit to a five-year deal.  There’s some things we could do to maybe make it a five-year deal but that would have to be based on a lot of different things."

9:22am: The Blue Jays haven’t made an offer yet to free agent starter A.J. Burnett, and GM J.P. Ricciardi doesn’t expect to win the bidding by offering the most money.  However, the Jays may separate themselves by being willing to offer Burnett the five-year contract he craves. Ricciardi didn’t say he would go that far, but the concept does not scare him.  He’ll wait to make his offer until after other teams submit their bids.

The Toronto Sun’s Mike Rutsey says the Orioles, Braves, Phillies, Yankees, and Red Sox have also expressed interest in Burnett.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Pedro, Sabathia, Peavy

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A look at what is being written about the hot stove in the Blogosphere…

  • Fire Brand of the American League looks at the ramifications of the Coco Crisp trade and what could happen if the Red Sox acquire Mark Teixeira and are unable to move Mike Lowell.
  • Baseball Opinion says the Crisp deal leaves the Royals with a crowded outfield and a depleted bullpen and wonders if Mark Teahen or David DeJesus will be the next to go.
  • Nationals Pride sees the Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham trade as a good start towards building a team with a core of young veterans that will be in place when the prospects are ready to contribute.
  • The ’Burgh Blues would like to see the Pirates go after Pedro Martinez, noting his close relationship with Joe Kerrigan and Denny Bautista.
  • Sox and Pinstripes is worried about a potential signing of A.J. Burnett by the Red Sox and would prefer Derek Lowe.
  • BaseBlog has a "tale of the tape" comparing C.C. Sabathia’s 2008 season to Johan Santana’s 2007 season.
  • Goat Riders of the Apocalypse wonders if the Cubs are better off with Jake Peavy and Kosuke Fukudome versus Jason Marquis and a high-priced free agent right fielder.
  • DC Sports Plus takes a closer look at 79 minor league free agents, focusing on former major leaguers, former top prospects and left-handed relief pitchers.
  • Padres Revolution offers up a list of the 10 best trades brokered by Kevin Towers.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here.

Orioles Targeting Izturis

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According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles have contacted shortstop Cesar Izturis’ agent to express interest.  Zrebiec believes the 28 year-old defensive whiz tops their list.  Izturis earned $3.05MM this year.

The Orioles have also had trade discussions for Khalil Greene and Bobby Crosby.  The Padres requested Garrett Olson for Greene, and the Orioles passed.

Zrebiec says the Orioles are not interested in Rafael Furcal, Orlando Cabrera, or Edgar Renteria.  If they spend big on a free agent, it’ll be A.J. Burnett or Mark Teixeira.  However, Furcal’s agent Paul Kinzer said yesterday that the O’s are one of six teams to have shown interest in his client.

Braves Rumors: Hampton, Ludwick, Burnett

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Braves GM Frank Wren chatted with fans on MLB.com today and David O’Brien has some new Braves rumors as well.

  • Wren told O’Brien that the Braves have had "a number of conversations" with Mike Hampton about keeping him in Atlanta. In his MLB.com chat, Wren said he thinks Hampton is still a "very good pitcher."
  • O’Brien says that talks with the Cardinals about Ryan Ludwick "aren’t dead." Wren doesn’t comment when asked about Ludwick in the chat, but that is in itself something of a statement.
  • O’Brien says that if Atlanta can’t trade for Ludwick, Raul Ibanez would be an outfield target. Wren said in his chat that he’d like to acquire a "productive bat in the outfield," and that a right-handed hitter would be ideal.
  • Not surprisingly, Wren writes in the chat that he’d like to have A.J. Burnett in the Braves’ rotation next year. Wren adds that the Braves have had discussions about bringing back Paul Byrd for a third time.
  • Wren told O’Brien that he’s going to worry about assembling the 2009 team before working on extensions for players like Chipper Jones.
  • And Brian McCann’s already lost 22 pounds since the end of the season.

Heyman’s Latest: Burnett, Lowe, Hudson, Tex

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman has several new blog posts up.  Let’s take a look.

  • The Yankees planned offers in the four-year, $60MM range for A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe, but that’s not sufficient for either pitcher.  Burnett wants five years, and Lowe presumably at least $16MM per year and perhaps five as well.
  • The Indians, Mets, and Yankees are in on Orlando Hudson, who wants a five-year, $50MM deal.  The Dodgers are another possibility.  The New York teams would have to do some shuffling to make room for Hudson.  Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported the Indians’ interest yesterday evening.  The Tribe is also in on Orlando Cabrera, according to Yahoo’s Tim Brown.
  • Heyman says the Angels will make a "fair proposal with a deadline" for Mark Teixeira, with Miguel Cabera’s eight-year, $153MM deal as a baseline.  This echoes recent columns from Ken Rosenthal and Bill Ladson.

Brown on Sabathia, Teixeira, Lowe, Peavy

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In his latest article, Tim Brown at Yahoo! Sports considers a possibility that others have discussed: maybe C.C. Sabathia doesn’t want to play for the New York Yankees. He certainly has options–Brown’s list includes the Dodgers, Angels, White Sox, Red Sox, Mariners, Tigers, and of course, the Brewers.

Not signing C.C. would increase the likelihood that the Yankees make a serious offer to Mark Teixeira. Nick Swisher seems to have the starting job at first base for now, but failing to land Sabathia might shift the Yankees’ attention to all three of Teixeira, A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe, says Brown.

Lowe might take his time before signing a new deal this offseason, with the news that Scott Boras is looking for the same average annual value obtained previously by Barry Zito ($18MM).

Finally, Brown notes that Padres GM Kevin Towers is waiting to hear from the Cubs about the possibility of continued trade talks regarding Jake Peavy, now that Ryan Dempster has been signed.

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