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Alphabet Soup In New York — Burnett Agrees To Five Year Deal With Yankees
By Administrator | December 12, 2008
First it was C. C., now it’s A. J.
Is D-Lowe next?
The NY Yankees have reached a preliminary agreement with free agent pitcher A. J. Burnett on a five-year, $82.5 million contract. The deal is pending a physical exam. Agent Darek Braunecker and GM Brian Cashman are still working out some final contract details… it is expected to be signed some time next week.
Burnett, who turns 32 next month, joins CC Sabathia atop the Yankees revamped starting rotation… Cashman has spent nearly one-quater of a billion dollars in the last few days to overhaul a rotation that will now include the two newly-sogned free agents, Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain and an as-yet-unsigned free agent (possibly, the return of Andy Pettitte?).
Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said: “I can sense the excitement and the confidence that’s spreading around the organization… A rising tide lifts all boats, and the confidence and the excitement right now among the team and the organization is contagious”.
Burnett was thought to be heading for Atlanta as recently as Tuesday, but the Yankees made a late charge to steal Burnett out from under the Braves.
The oft-injured Burnett went 18-10, 4.07, in 35 starts with the Toronto Blue Jays last season, setting career highs in wins, strikeouts (231) and innings pitched (221 1/3). While he has been a very good pitcher when healthy, his track record is checkered with too many trips to the Disabled List. He has consistently missed time on the injured list, except in the seasons immediately preceeding free agency.
[NOTE: Part of the Yankees fascination with Burnett is that he is 20-5, 3.29, in his career against Baltimore, Boston, Tampa Bay and Toronto]
The Yankees just got out from under the albatross of Carl Pavano’s contract… it seems very possible, maybe even likely, that they have just assumed a five year obligation to a newer version of the same old ‘wimpy’ pitcher. Based on history, it could be deduced that the Yankees can expect the next STELLAR season out of Burnett in 2012.
But the Yankees desperately needed a couple of arms for the front end of their rotation as they head into the new Yankee Stadium, so they signed an ever-rotund Sabathia and an ever-injured Burnett to BIG money contracts.
Will they never learn?
Topics: Around Baseball |
