A.J. Burnett

Style »

Follow A.J. Burnett Updates:

. . .

« PREV NEXT »

Pirates, Yankees Still Talking A.J. Burnett

By abaseballnut on | From baseballticketsonline.org

After the New York Yankees picked up Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda this offseason, it was no secret that A.J. Burnett’s services (or lack thereof) were no longer needed in The Big Apple.

The much-maligned right-hander never fully lived up to expectations set for him as a Bronx Bomber, and with no place left for him in the starting rotation, and the fact that the Yankees still owe him $33 million over the next two seasons, the team is looking to trade him any way they can.

Enter the Pittsburgh Pirates.

According to Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com, the framework of the deal that’s in place involves the Yankees getting a package of prospects, with the Pirates taking Burnett and paying a portion of his salary. The Pirates and Yankees have been going back and forth during the week, but as it stands right now, reports indicate that the two sides are somewhere between $3 million and $5 million apart on how much of the remaining $33 million on Burnett’s contract the Pirates should assume.

Pittsburgh probably understands what they are getting into, and therefore, they should be careful and only take Burnett on their terms. Remember, this is the guy who finished with an ERA over 5.00 over the last two seasons. And although he showed great strikeout potential last season—he ranked 10th in the American League with 8.18 strikeouts per nine innings—at the same time, he allowed 83 free passes (second in the AL) and committed five errors in only 38 chances (most in the AL).

However, the Pirates might not be able to land Burnett on their terms with the recent news that the Angeles and Indians have put in calls to the Yankees.

photo credit: bkabak