The New York Yankees had seven pitchers for five spots. They decided that A.J. Burnett was expendable because of that and traded him away to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a couple of lower level minor league prospects. They also got the Pirates to pay 13 million remaining of his salary. Burnett was also the one with some value and the one that the Yankees wanted the least. He signed a five year contract for 82.5 million in the 2008 off-season. Burnett did help the Yankees win the 2009 World Series and had his best year. The two years after that were pretty much a disaster though. The question now is did the Yankees do the right thing by trading him?
I would say that they did the right thing because Phil Hughes is still only 25 years old and has a bright future ahead of him. Hughes has questions because of his poor 2011 season. He was hurt though and he did come into camp last year out of shape. This season he came to camp early looking in shape and ready to go. I believe he is eager to erase last year and get back to what he was in 2010 when he won 18 games. I think Hughes is more of that guy who can be a number two type starter. If that is the case he will be around for a long time and to go along with CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova the Yankees will have a good young staff for years to come. The other part about A.J. Burnett was he is 34 years old and at this point he is what he is. Your not going to teach an old dog new tricks, and he is starting to show signs of losing his stuff due to his age. I think he will do well in Pittsburgh where there is no pressure and he is facing weaker lineups. That doesn’t mean though if he does well the Yankees made the wrong move. The Yankees will depend on how Pineda, Hughes, Nova and there other young guys that are up and coming do. If all those young pitchers pan out, or a majority of them then the Yankees made the right move.
Burnett was 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA, on a team like the Yankees he should be able to do more then that. The ERA is very high even in the American League and the East division. In 2010 he was 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA. I guess you could say he improved in 2011 from the year before but not really. The pies weren’t enough to keep a guy for either. The Yankees will have to find a new pie man or not do them at all. They never did it before until he arrived from Toronto so I am sure they will be fine. The deal should become official on Monday, Burnett is scheduled to have his physical with Pittsburgh on Sunday and then the commissioner will approve the deal and it can be official on Monday or Tuesday. The Yankees will then move on signing Raul Ibanez as their lefty DH and maybe resign Eric Chavez. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Tampa on Sunday for the Yankees. The 2012 season is upon us and it is a very exciting time for those around the game of baseball. I hope you enjoy my writing and if you are on twitter follow me @gmarchesej. I also appreciate any comments under the article, please keep it civil but I welcome positive and negative reviews. Let me know your opinions and thanks for reading.
I agree,
Sad to see that Burrnet did not pan out, but he has just been too frustrating at times. If he had won 60% of his games I might have a different opinion. I know he will probably do well in the NL and people will second guess but with CC Pineda Huroka Nova then Huges and Garcia to go in when someone is hurt or fatigued I think it is a good rotation. AJ was not a total bust but he was just to unreliable.
Of course they made the right move! This is a guy who got a black eye in the clubhouse last season. In the Yankee clubhouse! You gotta really piss off some people to wind up like that and you have to be seen as worthless to have your manager and you issue, “No comment” after it happened.
Burnett had to go. goodbye. But Ibanez? his OBP last year? .289 Please pass on this turd.
Yeah I would agree. The black eye, I think was a personal at home issue but who knows. As for Ibanez, he did still have 20 homeruns and I think 89 RBI but I agree he isn’t great and will be 40 years old. I would of rather seen Damon but they didn’t want to go there.