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Wednesday, December 07, 2011

NY Post: Yankees trying to trade Burnett

The Yankees have inserted A.J. Burnett into the trade market at the Winter Meetings, The Post has learned.

According to multiple teams, the Yankees have let it be known they will listen to offers for Burnett and are willing to pay $8 million of the $33 million Burnett is owed over the next two seasons.

“We will listen on anybody,’’ GM Brian Cashman said without getting specific.

Even with the Yankees swallowing about a quarter of Burnett’s contract, they haven’t gotten a nibble. First, Burnett, who will be 35 in January, would still be owed $12.5 million this coming season and next. Secondly, Burnett hasn’t pitched well (21-26) the past two seasons and has suffered a dip in velocity.

However, the fact that the Yankees have progressed to the point they are listening and willing to eat cash could be an indication they believe there is a [trade] they can make to add a starter good enough to fall in behind ace CC Sabathia.

bobm Posted: December 07, 2011 at 02:44 PM | 24 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: rumors, yankees

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1. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: December 07, 2011 at 03:50 PM (#4009097)

This will make for good fodder on the Onion Sports Network show "Burnin' Nett."

2. Tripon Posted: December 07, 2011 at 03:53 PM (#4009101)

Is Cashman smoking that objective pipe?

3. Chris Needham Posted: December 07, 2011 at 04:00 PM (#4009108)

$8 whole million of the $33 left. Wow, what a deal!

4. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: December 07, 2011 at 04:18 PM (#4009129)

If Burnett were a FA, what do you think he would get? 1/5? 2/6? Probably not 2/25.

5. charityslave is thinking about baseball Posted: December 07, 2011 at 04:39 PM (#4009140)

This will make for good fodder on the Onion Sports Network show "Burnin' Nett."

Best opening to a thread all week. Well done, Retro.

6. Bob Tufts Posted: December 07, 2011 at 04:46 PM (#4009144)

You could get rid of AJ's tatoos and sell the space to advertisers to make some cash. I'm surprised that Nike hasn't done that yet with some of "their" star players.

7. HollywoodHartman Posted: December 07, 2011 at 04:51 PM (#4009150)

Heh.

8. The Long Arm of Rudy Law Posted: December 07, 2011 at 05:05 PM (#4009165)

People in Hell trying to get ice water

9. Heinie Mantush (Krusty) Posted: December 07, 2011 at 05:09 PM (#4009168)

First thought: "Burnett for Bay???"
Second thought: "Why would the Yankees want Jason Bay?"
Third thought: "We probably can't afford that trade anyway."
Fourth thought: "Ooh, I think the money would be equal!"
Fifth thought: *see second thought*
Sixth thought: "When AJ Burnett looks appealing..."
Seventh thought: "I should get back to outlining. At least I'm not thinking of the Mets."

10. Greg Pope Posted: December 07, 2011 at 05:31 PM (#4009192)

The Yankees somehow seem to be able to get out of unwanted contracts without paying much at all. Irabu and Sheffield come to mind, although I guess 2 examples don't really make a case.

11. Don Malcolm

Posted: December 07, 2011 at 05:37 PM (#4009199)

[sotto voce] Burnett and Montero for Hanley Ramirez (ducking).....

12. Textbook Editor Posted: December 07, 2011 at 05:39 PM (#4009202)

Wow! $8 million in cost savings! Sign me up!

13. zonk Posted: December 07, 2011 at 05:43 PM (#4009206)

Fonsi Soriano would just love to come home to the Bronx.

Make it happen, Theo!

Hell - the Yanks can even keep their 8 million.

14. A triple short of the cycle

Posted: December 07, 2011 at 05:43 PM (#4009208)

could be an indication they believe there is a [trade] they can make to add a starter good enough to fall in behind ace CC Sabathia

I will be very disappointed if Gio Gonzalez goes to the Yankees (because I like him so much). Although I keep seeing this rumor I have not heard who the Yankees have as trade chits. Do they have the prospects to land Gio?

15. LionoftheSenate (is the grammer police!) Posted: December 07, 2011 at 05:47 PM (#4009212)

Wow, another horrible Yankees contract.

16. LionoftheSenate (is the grammer police!) Posted: December 07, 2011 at 05:50 PM (#4009219)

The Yankees somehow seem to be able to get out of unwanted contracts without paying much at all. Irabu and Sheffield come to mind, although I guess 2 examples don't really make a case.

What the Yankees used to be excellent at, was taking on unwanted contracts of players that are still good, but teams that were tired of paying the price. Abreu deal a few years ago was one in which the Yankees got him for nothing. Swisher too. There are many others.

17. YR Denies Jesus Montero Posted: December 07, 2011 at 06:03 PM (#4009241)

What the Yankees used to be excellent at, was taking on unwanted contracts of players that are still good, but teams that were tired of paying the price. Abreu deal a few years ago was one in which the Yankees got him for nothing. Swisher too.

I don't think Swisher qualifies, he put up a 92 OPS+ with a negative bWAR in 2008 with the White Sox before being traded to the Yankees.

The Yankees did take overblown onerous contracts off the hands of other clubs with some frequency in the aughts though. Kevin Brown comes to mind. Alex Rodriguez could probably be considered another.

18. Greg Pope Posted: December 07, 2011 at 06:12 PM (#4009256)

What the Yankees used to be excellent at, was taking on unwanted contracts of players that are still good, but teams that were tired of paying the price.

I agree with this, but when they traded Sheffield, they got Anthony Claggett, Humberto Sanchez and Kevin Whelan. And I don't think they had to eat much, if any of the contract.

For Irabu they got Jake Westbrook, Ted Lilly, and Christian Parker. I don't think they sent money for that one, either.

In both cases the Yankees basically said "We don't want this guy any more" and another team stepped up and took the player off their hands.

19. toratoratora Posted: December 07, 2011 at 06:13 PM (#4009259)

Didn't the Tigers dump Granderson, in part, because of salary considerations?
That one worked out well for the Empire.

20. chris h. is a member of Team Keefe! Posted: December 07, 2011 at 06:19 PM (#4009273)

I don't think Swisher qualifies, he put up a 92 OPS+ with a negative bWAR in 2008 with the White Sox before being traded to the Yankees.

Well, yeah, but I think it was at least somewhat reasonable to view that as a fluke year, right? This was Kenny Williams buying high and selling low.

21. Swedish Chef Posted: December 07, 2011 at 06:27 PM (#4009281)

Didn't the Tigers dump Granderson, in part, because of salary considerations?
That one worked out well for the Empire.

But he made just 5.5 million in his first Yankees year. There should have been no hurry for them to get rid of him, The rest of the contract wasn't that unmanageable (8 and 10M plus a 13M option.), even if they were convinced his decline was permanent.

22. SteveM. Posted: December 07, 2011 at 06:52 PM (#4009320)

Fonsi Soriano would just love to come home to the Bronx.

Make it happen, Theo!

Hell - the Yanks can even keep their 8 million.

As a fellow Cubs fan, I could get behind this trade. Burnett would slide into the 5th slot and we can hope the change in leagues and scenery can at least make him into a league average pitcher. Plus of course, we won't have to watch Soriano's sorry ass anymore.

23. YR Denies Jesus Montero Posted: December 07, 2011 at 06:58 PM (#4009332)

I don't think Swisher qualifies, he put up a 92 OPS+ with a negative bWAR in 2008 with the White Sox before being traded to the Yankees.

Well, yeah, but I think it was at least somewhat reasonable to view that as a fluke year, right? This was Kenny Williams buying high and selling low.

I guess, but that doesn't change the fact that we're talking about the trade of a guy with a negative bWAR, which really doesn't fit the description of "unwanted contracts of players that are still good, but teams that were tired of paying the price." That's all I'm saying.

Maybe the Raul Mondesi trade would qualify as well, not that he was tearing up the league when he was traded but he had a big contract and some upside, for which the Yankees traded essentially nothing.

24. chris h. is a member of Team Keefe! Posted: December 07, 2011 at 07:40 PM (#4009400)

I guess, but that doesn't change the fact that we're talking about the trade of a guy with a negative bWAR, which really doesn't fit the description of "unwanted contracts of players that are still good, but teams that were tired of paying the price." That's all I'm saying.

We're probably descending into hair-splitting territory, and for that I apologize.

But to me, he fits the description perfectly. He *was* still good -- everyone except Kenny Williams and a collection of meathead Sox fans knew his 2008 was a fluke. But he was now an unwanted contract that the Sox were tired of paying the price on.

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Wednesday, December 07, 2011

NY Post: Yankees trying to trade Burnett

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