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Ricciardi Doesn’t Like Dunn

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It certainly doesn’t sound like the Blue Jays will be going after Adam Dunn while J.P. Ricciardi is at the helm.  Check out this interview Ricciardi did with Mike Wilner of The Fan 590. 

First a fan calls up and asks Ricciardi whether the Jays have interest in Dunn.  Ricciardi replies that he’s not interested in Dunn.  Then he says:

"Maybe we have more information and know the player a little more than the average fan."

Interesting.  Another fan calls up and says he’s surprised Ricciardi would be so quick to dismiss a power bat like Dunn.  Ricciardi really goes off on Dunn this time:

"He’s a lifetime .230-.240 hitter that strikes out a ton and hits home runs.
Did you know the guy doesn’t really like baseball that much?  Did you know the guy doesn’t have a passion to play the game that much?  I don’t think you’d be very happy if we brought Adam Dunn here…We’ve done our homework on guys like Adam Dunn and there’s a reason why we don’t want Adam Dunn."

C. Trent Rosecrans has Dunn’s reaction here.

More On Burnett

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Jeff Blair notes today that any team acquiring A.J. Burnett would be getting a hired gun.  He says the Blue Jays will not allow a window for the acquiring team to potentially renegotiate Burnett’s out clause.  In a way, Burnett’s out clause makes him less valuable than a normal impending free agent.  If Burnett is injured or awful in August and September, the team could be stuck with him for 2009-10.  Is there any chance Burnett pitches well from here on out but doesn’t exercise the clause?

Garth Woolsey didn’t like Burnett’s comments, considering it a slap in the face to Jays fans.  Here’s a look back at Burnett’s history of injuries and incidents (innings totals include minor and Major Leagues):

  • 1999: Made Major League debut.  162 innings.
  • 2000: Penciled in for Marlins’ rotation, but ruptured thumb ligament pushes season debut to late July.  95 innings.
  • 2001: Broken foot pushes season debut to May.  Pitches nine-walk no-hitter in second start.  182.6 innings.
  • 2002: Ranks second in baseball in Pitcher Abuse Points per start (thanks to Jeff Torborg).  Threw 122 or more pitches nine times.  Late in year, has DL stint for an elbow bruise.  204.3 innings.
  • 2003: Burnett goes to arbitration with Marlins and loses.  Forearm tightness leads to a cortisone shot in the elbow in March; starts season on DL.  Has Tommy John surgery April 29th.  In November, Larry Beinfest says the Marlins will be able to afford to retain Burnett after shedding Derrek Lee.  23 innings.
  • 2004: A setback pushes his season debut to June 3rd.  Says arm is stronger than it was before surgery, but elbow inflammation surfaces by September.  Included in December trade talks with Yankees, D’Backs. 127.3 innings.
  • 2005: Burnett’s last year before free agency.  He sought a three-year, $21MM deal, but the Marlins offered $16MM and no agreement was reached.  Has laser eye surgery in offseason.  Elbow inflammation in May, misses one turn.  In June-July, trade rumors link him to Orioles, Jays, and White Sox.  Burnett’s unwillingness to sign an extension and the Marlins’ insistence on packaging him with Mike Lowell nixes all deals.  September: Burnett rips team and Jack McKeon and is asked to leave the team.  209 innings.
  • 2006: Pursued as free agent by Rangers, Tigers, Mets, Cardinals, Nationals, and five other teams.  Signs widely panned five-year, $55MM deal with Jays.  Starts season on DL with elbow soreness.  Makes a few starts and is placed back on DL.  Returns in June.  154.6 innings.
  • 2007: DL stint for shoulder strain in June.  Makes one start and returns to DL.  170.6 innings.
  • 2008: Broken fingernail prevents curveballs in spring, but it doesn’t become an issue.  Mockingly doffs cap while Jays fan boo after poor start.  Admits he wouldn’t mind playing for Cubs.

Burnett Wouldn’t Mind Playing For Cubs

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SUNDAY, 9:09pm: Burnett clarified his comments, explaining that his focus and loyalty still lies with the Jays.  Burnett also pointed out that it’s no lock that he’ll opt out of his contract at year’s end.

SUNDAY, 10:30am: Wittenmyer continues working the Burnett angle today, getting quotes from the player indicating that he’d welcome a trade to the Cubs.  The Jays are six games out of the wild card, though, so they’ll probably want to hang on to Burnett for now.

SATURDAY: Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that the Cubs might want to take a second look at A.J. Burnett as the Jays are expected to shop him all throughout the next several weeks until the trade deadline.

Last night’s Cubs-Jays game served as a bittersweet "scouting foray" as Burnett pitched five effective innings, striking out seven. Pitching for the Cubs was Sean Gallagher, who according to Wittenmeyer, wasn’t on anyone’s radar to be the club’s fifth starter in June.

After Rich Hill’s struggles and demotion, the first-place Cubs are increasingly being mentioned in trade speculation.

Burnett is slated to make $12MM in ’09 and ’10; and can opt out of his contract at the end of the season.

By Alejandro A. Leal and Tim Dierkes

Odds and Ends: Broussard, Ledezma, Cooper

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More random linkage.

Odds and Ends: Wolf, Indians, Ensberg

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Random items for today…

  • MLBTR live chat, today at 2pm CST.  Right after I finish my corned beef sandwich.
  • RotoAuthority takes a look at the fantasy value of Randy Wolf.
  • On Sunday I joined the guys from Drunk Jays Fans for part of their podcast.  A button to listen to the show can be found here.
  • Paul Hoynes says the Indians’ Mark Shapiro will need "at least a month to narrow the field of suitors for players such as C.C. Sabathia and Paul Byrd to see if he really wants to trade them."
  • RotoWorld says the Yankees have released Morgan Ensberg.

Jays Cool On Bedard?

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There’s a long-running rumor that Canada native Erik Bedard will sign with the Blue Jays when he reaches free agency after the ’09 season.

However, Geoff Baker writes today:

But sources in Toronto indicated on Monday that the team has cooled on Bedard and may no longer be interested in acquiring him — now or later. The Jays have had some public-relations issues the past few seasons with A.J. Burnett, a pitcher expected to use an escape clause to opt out of his five-year deal with Toronto after this season.

Baker is suggesting the Jays may be reluctant to do another long-term deal with a media-unfriendly pitcher.  Burnett and Bedard both tantalize, underachieving despite ace repertoires.  Bedard’s next contract will be a risky one, perhaps five years at top dollar like Burnett’s. 

Back in February, John Hickey wrote that he expected the Mariners to sign Bedard to an extension.  Bedard’s mediocre results through 11 starts may give them pause. 

Odds And Ends: Flurry of DFAs And GM Contract Talks

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Tying lose ends on a very slow Saturday indeed.

  • In a series of moves, the Jay’s have activated Vernon Wells with less than a month after he broke his wrist in Cleveland and DFA’d Armando Benitez. I guess they’re not going after Bonds.
  • Steinbrenner: "There are no plans to sit down and talk with general manager Brian Cashman about his contract status." The G.M.’s contract expires after the 2008 season.
  • By activating Jayson Werth from the DL, the Phillies were forced to DFA Chris Snelling, but the young outfielder is out of options. He has three days to accept the assignment or become a free agent.
  • In order to make room for the newly-acquired Berroa, the Dodgers DFA’d Terry Tiffee. Dodgers beat writer Tony Jackson thinks he could be more expendable this way if he gets claimed off waivers.
  • Bengie Molina is upset by comments made by Giant’s G.M. Brian Sabean after this week’s draft. Sabean said Buster Posey "is on the fast track and Bengie’s clock is winding down."

Alejandro "the intern" Leal writes for UmpBump.com. You can reach him here.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Blanton, Furcal, Penny, Burnett, Greinke

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal’s Full Count video:

  • The Braves called the A’s about Joe Blanton but did not even come close to meeting Billy Beane’s price.
  • The Dodgers may not want to lock up Rafael Furcal, the oft-injured shortstop, to a long term contract.  Also, with Brad Penny’s struggles, they may pass on his 2009 club option and trade him this season. They’d get something in return rather than pay his $2MM buyout in the offseason.
  • The only way the Jays will trade A.J. Burnett is if they fall completely out of contention.  Otherwise, he is a cornerstone to their only chance: "pitching teams into the ground."
  • The Royals could field offers for Zack Greinke.  Their farm system has thinned and they could replace Greinke in the rotation with Joakim Soria.

By Nat Boyle

Gammons On Available Pitchers

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ESPN’s Peter Gammons names ten starting pitchers who could be available in the coming months.  We’ll try to devise a comprehensive list when we get to the position in our Trade Market series.

Gammons’ trade possibilities: Paul Byrd, Jeremy Sowers, Derek Lowe, Rich Harden, Odalis Perez, Brett Tomko, Jarrod Washburn, Zach Duke, Vicente Padilla, and Kevin Millwood.  Byrd, Lowe, Perez, and Tomko will be free agents after the season.  Sowers and Duke are the kids.  Harden is the oft-injured ace.  Washburn, Padilla, and Millwood bring burdensome contracts.

Gammons also five "unlikely, but not impossible" scenarios.  He suggests A.J. Burnett, Bartolo Colon, Joe Blanton, Greg Maddux, and Ben Sheets could be moved under the right circumstances.

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