Burnett close to joining Cardinals

[JGiambi25]

Late indications on Sunday night suggest that A.J. Burnett is on the verge of joining the Cardinals, according to the Toronto Star.

Scout.com's Brian Walton is reporting that the Cardinals and Burnett have agreed to a five-year deal. If so, it'd probably be in the $50 million range, or less than he could have gotten from another team. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is still reporting that the Cardinals won't guarantee a fifth year, which might mean there's a vesting option involved.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...d=968332188492

[RhodyYanksFan]

I hope that doesn't backfire on the Cards. How did we get to this point where .500 pitchers can demand and get $10million per year?

[DontHateOnNumber2]

If he goes to St. Louis and pitches well then the Cards are going to run all over their division. Again.

[ieddyi]

If he goes to St. Louis and pitches well then the Cards are going to run all over their division. Again.

And fold in the playoffs. Again

La RUssa just has a horrible record in the postseason

[swityak11]

How did we get to this point where .500 pitchers can demand and get $10million per year?

Because records have nothing to do with how well you pitch? 28 year old career 110 ERA+ starters with 8.5 K/9 are worth well more than your average pitcher.

[Dooley Womack]

Who'd have thought in 2005 that he'd only have 2 serious suitors?

[BeantownYankee]

Good Pavano & Wrights trade value just went up a little bit

[DontHateOnNumber2]

And fold in the playoffs. Again

La RUssa just has a horrible record in the postseason

No disputing that, but then again LaRussa isn't on the field playing. There's also the factor that their offense blew chunks and they didn't have all of their starters for the past 2 postseasons.

[Yankees1962]

No disputing that, but then again LaRussa isn't on the field playing. There's also the factor that their offense blew chunks and they didn't have all of their starters for the past 2 postseasons.

They still haven't addressed their offense yet so perhaps that's next.

[NDBoston]

Not so fast.

ESPN and Ken Rosenthal are reporting Toronto have offered 5 years/55 million and a deal could be done in an hour. The agent for Burnett is going back to St Louis but I highly doubt they do a 5th year.

[NewEraYanks2527]

Not so fast.

ESPN and Ken Rosenthal are reporting Toronto have offered 5 years/55 million and a deal could be done in an hour. The agent for Burnett is going back to St Louis but I highly doubt they do a 5th year.

Thats right not so fast, come on AJ get me 14 more points!

[mjdlight]

If that 5/55 deal goes through for Burnett, the Blue Jays have committed 102 million dollars over the next five years for AJ Burnett and BJ Ryan. Wow.

[indianyanksfan]

hope he goes to st. louis

[EnglishYankeeFan]

If I were Burnett I'd take the Cards offer... They're shoe-ins for the postseason you'd imagine in that division, and if they do sign A.J. they can shop Marquis or Suppan for a corner outfielder. They need at least one, if not two (p.s. is Larry Walker retiring?).

[flymick24]

gammons was just on SC and said that the jays are closing in on him instead

[TheGameEpisode2]

Yes, Walker is retiring.

So far I'd only be 2-9 with predicting where these damn Free Agents would go. I would get Burnett and Wagner right, but everybody else wrong.

Burrnett to the Jays though? They get a big bat they'll be in business.

[yankeebot]

I am sooo glad the Yanks are not in on the Burnett sweepstakes.

[Captain Yankee]

The Blue Jays sure are spending money. The question is---will they wake up the next morning with a hangover and ask themselves, "What was I thinking?"

[Murcer'swerebest]

Yup. All these teams that suddenly want to spend money should begin at the foundation of their organization and spend a few million more on draft picks for a few years, taking hard to sign guys and build up their franchises. Combine that with spending more dough to bring in Dominican and Venezuelan prospects then, after about 3 or 4 years of pumping up their systems, try to fill a single hole or two on the major league roster.

One of the problems with MLB is that some of the teams drafting at high positions like the Royals, don't draft the best guy at their spot half the time. Instead of picking the 4th best kid they draft the 27th best kid, a kid who'll sign for $1 million instead of $2.5 million or something like that. It shouldn't work that way. But if a team like the Royals, for example, is gonna spend more money, why not spend it on getting the best kid at their spot in the draft (they actually DID this year, for the first time in a few years, I think) instead of overpaying some crappy mid-level free agent.

Sigh. Rant over.

[JDPNYY]

The Blue Jays sure are spending money. The question is---will they wake up the next morning with a hangover and ask themselves, "What was I thinking?"

It's like Canadian money though. It's like Euros except in North America.

[LuckyLopez]

Yup. All these teams that suddenly want to spend money should begin at the foundation of their organization and spend a few million more on draft picks for a few years, taking hard to sign guys and build up their franchises. Combine that with spending more dough to bring in Dominican and Venezuelan prospects then, after about 3 or 4 years of pumping up their systems, try to fill a single hole or two on the major league roster.

One of the problems with MLB is that some of the teams drafting at high positions like the Royals, don't draft the best guy at their spot half the time. Instead of picking the 4th best kid they draft the 27th best kid, a kid who'll sign for $1 million instead of $2.5 million or something like that. It shouldn't work that way. But if a team like the Royals, for example, is gonna spend more money, why not spend it on getting the best kid at their spot in the draft (they actually DID this year, for the first time in a few years, I think) instead of overpaying some crappy mid-level free agent.

Sigh. Rant over.

Unfortunatelly there's still a problem with perception in that case. Its hard to tell your fans that you're going to increase spending this season and then it doesn't show up in the on-field product. Very few fans have the patience or faith to look forward to a few years down the road when the spending will pay dividends (especially when there's still a very large risk factor in prospects). Plus, you still end up getting the complaints from fans of other teams (such as Yankee and Red Sox fans) who ask where the money from revenue sharing is going or why there isn't more spending happening. Whether its fair or not, smart or not, increasing payroll is often the best way to help your team from a PR/ticket standpoint, at least in the shortterm.

But I don't even think that's Toronto's problem. They certainly have a good amount of young talent at high levels in their farm system (and on the major league club). My problem is that every report we've seen has said that the Jays have committed to giving JP 3 years of a higher payroll, but he's signing 5 year deals. I can appreciate that its easier to sign a guy at 5 years than 3, but still. If AJ signs and the Jays decide to lower their payroll back to around $50M in '09 (this is even granting that they stand by their word and keep it up for the 3 years) then that will leave $20M+ dedicated to BJ and AJ (can't wait for those silly headlines to start). And Wells and Halliday will both see paydays before then. So if the Jays want to retain their core of stars (not even thinking about anyone like Rios, Towers, or Chacin who may or may not become that) they'll end up devoting 80% of the payroll to those 4. And if one of Ryan/Burnett flop or get hurt (which certainly stands as a real possability) its a giant albatross on the Jays.

Its a rough deal. I can understand why JP/the Jays are doing it but its a big risk, especially in the AL East where at least 3 teams will always outspend you by leaps and bounds.

[Murcer'swerebest]

I agree that it's not exactly Toronto's problem. They've kind of been stuck in the Washington Bullets mode. The Bullets (now wizards because calling the team the bullets causes murders, don't you know) always finished around .500 and never got the highest draft picks but never seemed to ramp up from mediocre to championship contender.

And I agree that perception is hard to fight. But whether or not fans are going to be childish and want immediate gratification, a front office has to be patient enough to build to be a real contender.

The rise or fall of the Blue Jays isn't likely to be determined by Ryan or Burnett anyway but more by the development or lack of it of guys like Rios, Bush and Adams. Oh, and maybe by whether Vernon Wells can manage to go to camp less than 20 pounds overweight this year.

[Bernie Inferno]

Apparently, The Nationals have just jumped in with a 4 year/40 deal. Get this, his wife is from DC. Laura Pettitte anyone?

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/pla....asp?sport=MLB

[NYDCYankee]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...120502236.html

WPost is reporting it too.

[TheScooter]

A marathon "dogfight'' for free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett appeared to have ended late last night with the Blue Jays emerging victorious.

Toronto is expected to announce a five-year, $55 million (all figures U.S.) deal for Burnett today that would see him become the No. 2 starter behind Roy Halladay in the team's rotation. All through yesterday and last night, the St. Louis Cardinals struggled over whether to go beyond a four-year, $40 million offer to a pitcher who had made no secret of his desire to play for a team he worshipped as a child.

But as last night became early this morning, sources said the Cards — despite rumours they were willing to go up to fours years and $48 million — emerged from a late meeting saying they could go no further. That appeared to leave Toronto clearly in command, despite a last-ditch bid by the Washington Nationals to lure Burnett and his Maryland-raised wife to their team

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...l=970081593064

[drjeckyl]

Good Pavano & Wrights trade value just went up a little bit

When you stop and think about it, their trade value is tempered by the availability of Zito, Redman, Vazquez, Benson and others, even Prior (Abreu-for-Prior rumor )

I didn't compare their numbers, but it's likely these guys had better years than Pavano and Wright. And, the rumors of Michaels for Redman and Bradley for Zito, etc, leave me wondering if their trade value is high enough.

[shutout]

Some Cardinals fans were in favor; others against it. I was one of those in favor. I believe Duncan would be able to get the best out of Burnett. Now him with the blue jays... I don't think he'll, now, reach his full potential. Kind of a silly deal to me, but than again, what do I know

[JapanJobbers]

Some Cardinals fans were in favor; others against it. I was one of those in favor. I believe Duncan would be able to get the best out of Burnett. Now him with the blue jays... I don't think he'll, now, reach his full potential. Kind of a silly deal to me, but than again, what do I know

If Duncan was really that good I think Mulder would not have sucked last year.