Ken Rosenthal has an update on the New York Yankees trying to deal starting pitcher A.J. Burnett, and notes that the Pittsburgh Pirates expressed interest at one point (h/t Bucs Dugout). Rosenthal reports that the Yankees haven’t had any success trying to move Burnett, who is owed $16.5 M a year for the next two years. The right hander is coming off back to back years where he put up an ERA above 5.00. His xFIP wasn’t as bad, with a 3.86 mark in 2011. He also puts up a lot of innings, with 190.1 in 2011 and 186.2 in 2010.
Burnett’s contract would obviously require the Yankees to eat salary in any deal. His struggles the last two years, combined with him turning 35 yesterday, don’t really make him an attractive option. He’s lost velocity, seeing his average fastball go from 94.2 MPH in 2009 to 93.1 in 2010 and 92.7 in 2011. His poor numbers can’t be blamed on the new Yankees Stadium since he’s been better at home than on the road the last three years. It probably wouldn’t cost anything to get Burnett, outside of salary, but I’d much rather see the Pirates go a different direction. There are too many red flags with Burnett, even if the Yankees pick up salary.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
He’s been awful with the Yankees, but it might be interesting to see what he could do in the National league. Just getting away from the Yankees and into a low pressure situation could help him out.
Wouldn’t be overly excited about a trade, unless they could get a Zambrano type deal and get him for just a couple of million per year. Then again, I’m not overly excited about any of the free agent options available either. I think I’d rather take a chance on someone like Burnett for a couple of cheap years than be stuck with Edwin Jackson for 5 years.
Ya wouldnt be a fan of that unless it was Banuelos and Burnett and bucs eat whole contract. Even then might have to add another guy. I doubt the Yanks would pay $30 mill to take him.