Phillies To Sign A.J. Burnett
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/02/phillies-to-sign-aj-burnett.html
By Steve Adams [February 12, 2014 at 10:53am CST]
The Phillies have agreed to a one-year, $16MM deal with A.J. Burnett, reports
Hayden Balgavy of THV 11 in Arkansas (Twitter links). Burnett is represented
by Frontline Athlete Management.
Burnett's future was shrouded in mystery for much of the offseason, as he
took considerably longer than originally expected to determine whether he
would pitch in 2014 or retire. He said near season's end that he was "50-50"
on the decision and added that if he pitched again, he would do so in a
Pirates' uniform. Clearly that line of thinking changed, perhaps when
Pittsburgh declined to make him a $14.1MM qualifying offer. Burnett earned
$16.5MM in 2013, but Pittsburgh was only on the hook for $8MM of that total,
as the Yankees paid a large portion of his salary when trading him to the
Pirates prior to the 2012 campaign.
In Pittsburgh, Burnett revitalized a career that looked to be on its
downswing following the second and third seasons of a five-year, $82.5MM
contract he signed with the Yankees in the 2008-09 offseason. Burnett posted
a 5.20 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 3777 innings from 2010-11 with New
York, prompting GM Brian Cashman to trade him to Pittsburgh in exchange for
salary relief and a pair of marginal prospects (Exicardo Cayones and Diego
Moreno).
The Pirates paid Burnett just $13MM from 2012-13 and were rewarded for their
leap of faith, as Burnett turned in an outstanding 3.41 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and
3.0 BB/9 in 393 1/3 innings. His ground-ball rate soared to 56.7 percent in
that two-year span, tying him with Justin Masterson for the second-best mark
in all of baseball among qualified starters (Trevor Cahill was first).
While it's a surprise to see the Phillies sign Burnett, it's not a surprise
to see general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. swing a deal that few would have
anticipated early in the offseason. Amaro himself said early on that he would
try to be creative in seeking significant upgrades that few would expect.
This isn't the first time he's inked an unexpected free agent either. When
Cliff Lee signed his five-year, $125MM contract in Philadelphia, most of the
baseball world was anticipating that he would end up with either the Yankees
or the Rangers.
Burnett will add to a Phillies rotation that is fronted by Lee and Hamels,
slotting in as a strong No. 3 option behind that pair of ace-caliber
southpaws. Kyle Kendrick should hold down the fourth slot, while fellow
offseason signee Roberto Hernandez and Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo
Gonazlez figure to battle for the final spot in manager Ryne Sandberg's
rotation.