Burnett to Phillies- 1 year, $16 million

[ThomasTomasz]

The Phillies have agreed to terms with veteran right-hander A.J. Burnett on a one-year contract. CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman confirms the agreement and adds that the deal will pay Burnett $16 million for the 2014 season.

Burnett, age 37, is coming off a 2013 season in which he notched a 3.30 ERA (107 ERA+) and career-best 3.12 K/BB ratio in 191 innings for the Pirates. He also led the NL in strikeout rate and boasted a 2.33 groundball/fly ball ratio. For his career, Burnett owns an ERA+ of 105 across parts of 15 major-league seasons. Burnett had been considering retirement for much of the winter, but last month he decided to pitch one more season. The Pirates, Orioles and Nationals had been among his other suitors.

This news come on the same day that Phillies lefty Cole Hamels announced his season likely won't start on time because of shoulder tendinitis. Burnett figures to slot in the Philly rotation behind Cliff Lee and, when healthy, Hamels.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on...hillies-aj-burnett-agree-to-one-year-contract

 

[Slateman]

I really hope Ruben Amaro stays the GM of the Phillies for a very long time...

 

[ThomasTomasz]

There must be some delusional executives in Philly to think a $16 million commitment to AJ Burnett puts them into contention for the division :lol4:

 

[Youk]

There must be some delusional executives in Philly to think a $16 million commitment to AJ Burnett puts them into contention for the division :lol4:

3rd place or bust.

 

[spursup]

One year deal for Burnett to do nothing but make a crapload of money. 16 million in what could be his last year for a team that has no shot at the playoffs. Waste of money by the Phillies.

 

[Goober]

Well it's not like money is an issue for the Phillies. It's a one year deal, so no risk. The Phillies will be lousy, but they can flip him in July for a decent prospect.

 

[Youk]

The Phillies will be lousy, but they can flip him in July for a decent prospect.

Phillies going to hold onto Burnett harder than I held onto Mariano in fantasy.

 

[spursup]

Well it's not like money is an issue for the Phillies. It's a one year deal, so no risk. The Phillies will be lousy, but they can flip him in July for a decent prospect.

Burnett doesn't have enough trade value at this point to get any decent prospect.

 

[Goober]

Burnett doesn't have enough trade value at this point to get any decent prospect.

He was fantastic last year, why wouldn't he have trade value?

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Well it's not like money is an issue for the Phillies. It's a one year deal, so no risk. The Phillies will be lousy, but they can flip him in July for a decent prospect.

Figure in that they will likely cover some of the salary for a Burnett trade, and he's 37 and on a one-year deal, is the money worth the above average prospect they get in return?

 

[Goober]

Figure in that they will likely cover some of the salary for a Burnett trade, and he's 37 and on a one-year deal, is the money worth the above average prospect they get in return?

Again, money is not an issue for the Phillies. Did you miss the tv deal they just signed?

 

[Youk]

Again, money is not an issue for the Phillies. Did you miss the tv deal they just signed?

Exactly. There is really nothing wrong with this deal. I'm just shocked Ruben didn't :fap: and give Burnett 4 or 5 years.

 

[dave]

This contract is non issue for the Phillies. No risk whatsoever. If Burnett gives them an 11-16 win season with a reasonable ERA, this deal is a winner.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

There really is no such thing as a bad one year deal. Even if Burnett regresses a bit, and I think he will, he's still better than whatever the Phillies were going to trot out there in the #4 slot.

And gob is absolutely right, if they aren't in the WC mix, he'll be easy to flip for some geeks at the deadline. Especially since the Phillies can just eat the money. The $7M or so he'll be owed at the deadline is dogshit to them.

Good signing.

 

[Pitty]

I'm out here looking at some numbers, why do the Mariners have one of the best tv deals? They stink 8/10 years.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

The bigger story to me is how badly the Pirates have botched the offseason.

Burnett was replaced by Edinson Volquez (barf), who has probably been the worst SP in baseball the last two seasons. They are badly counting on Liriano to be for real, otherwise Cole is the only sure thing in that rotation. Locke pitched above his head in the first half and was terrible late, Morton is as meh as it gets, Wandy is a huge question mark, and Volquez is flat terrible.

They let Byrd walk, so it's back to the collection of slop in the corner OF (Travis Snyder, etc).

Even the Brewers laugh at the Pirates 1B situation. Gaby Sanchez, who stinks, and a bunch of quad A dudes like Travis Ishikawa fighting for time.

Burnett was a rock for that team.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Pirates offered $12M according to Heyman.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Pirates offered $12M according to Heyman.

And they gave Volquez one year, $5 million. So if they didn't blow their load on Volquez, for who knows why, then they would have the $16 million to give to Burnett, plus extra million to take a flyer on one of the starters who is left, most of whom would be better options than Volquez anyway. :watusay: has to be most Pirates fans this off-season.

 

[MVPete]

Which team that is pretending they care this offseason signs Chris Capuano, Pirates or Orioles?

 

[MVPete]

I actually saw a few Orioles fans begging for Duquette to give AJ this same deal on a few SB Nation articles. I guess they are around 83 million and he said they would be around 100.