Red Sox Reportedly Getting In On The Burnett Sweepstakes |

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Red Sox Reportedly Getting In On The Burnett Sweepstakes

By Administrator | November 19, 2008

According to published reports, the Red Sox will be competing with their AL East rivals in New York and Toronto in the upcoming weeks in a spirited competition for the services of free agent pitcher A. J. Burnett.

According to Mark Feinsand, of the NY Daily News, an industry source has informed the newspaper the Red Sox plan to be “a major player” for the oft-injured right-hander. It is also known that both teams have interest in former Sox sinker-baller Derek Lowe… interest which could become even more acute dependent on who is successful in wooing Burnett.

The Red Sox are not planning to make an offer to southpaw CC Sabathia, who already has received offers from the Milwaukee Brewers and the Yankees (a reported six-year, $140 million offer from the Bronx Bombers).

Burnett, who turns 32 in January, opted out of the final two years (at $24 million) of his deal with the Blue Jays. Toronto has put a four-year, $54 million deal on the table to re-sign him.

New York is in the process of preparing its offer. A report surfaced yesterday that they are preparing an offer for a five-year, $80 million contract… if the report is true, the Red Sox may decide against competing for the righty — who has been on the DL on nine occasions since 2000 — and instead turn their attentions to Lowe.

The former Red Sox righty has openly stated that he would welcome a return engagement with the Red Sox.

Burnett had a solid season in 2008, going 18-10, 4.07, while pitching 221-1/3 innings for the Blue Jays. He pitched especially well against both the Sox (2-0, 2.60 ERA in four starts) and the Yankees (3-1, 1.64 in five starts).

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As for me, I hope the Sox are showing interest in him just to: 1) drive up the price for the Yankees, and 2) to mask their interest in Lowe.

My hope is that the Sox bring D-Lowe back from LA purgatory. We all know what he is capable of doing… even at the end of a miserable ‘04 campaign, he managed to be the winning pitcher in the final game of the ALDS, ALCS and World Series. He can be brilliant, at times, and has not spent any time on the DL in his career.

Meanwhile, Burnett has frequently been injured… and aside from his 18 wins this season — in a year he could opt out of a multi-year contract — his annual numbers have been underwhelming. Until this year he had never won more than twelve games in a season (he went 12-12 for the Florida Marlins in 2005)… in his three years in Toronto, he went 10-8, 10-8 and 18-10.

Here’s hoping the Yankees get saddled with Burnett and the Sox get Lowe!

Topics: Around Baseball, Sox Front Office |

One Response to “Red Sox Reportedly Getting In On The Burnett Sweepstakes”

larry bodin Says:
November 19th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Hi JB,
I agree with your article on Burnett totally. If the Yankees sign Burnett and Sabathia and lose Mussina, the net reward to NY may not be so great. They do get Wang back as well but he was coming back regardless. Also NYY may not have enough $$$ to bid on Teixeira if they get both pitchers.

I just read that the Red Sox may have traded Coco Crisp to the Royals for Ramon Ramirez. I initially objected to the trade but then had the following thought: Is this a prelude to a trade of one of the Red Sox young pitchers going to Texas for either (Saltimacchia or Teagarden (I am sure their names are spelled wrong)? Texas does not need an OF and need pitching. My guess is that Masterson will not be traded but any of their other young pitchers - Manny, Buchholz, Bowden etc. are fair game at this point or the Red Sox may turn around and trade Ramirez to Texas. What do you think?

Finally, I do not believe the BoSox should trade Lugo and have the Red Sox pay half of his salary. Especially, they should not trade him to Detroit for the overpaid Robertson or Willis.

Lugo should become the super utility infielder-outfielder for Boston (a role that he can fulfill) and shut up and be paid. OR, he should agree to take a cut in pay and get traded. OR, if neither of these two options work, he should retire.

Have a good day. Welcome home. I am off to my duplicate bridge game.

Larry