Pirates close to signing Burnitz

[Beckett95]

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pirates near deal with outfielder Burnitz

 

Contract could be richest for free agent in franchise history

 

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

 

The Pirates are close to a deal to sign free-agent outfielder Jeromy Burnitz.

The sides have agreed to most aspects of a contract, a source close to the negotiations said yesterday, but some details remain, including Burnitz passing a physical. It is not known precisely what the other details are, but the source said they were not likely to prevent an agreement, which could be achieved in the next day or two.

 

Multiple reports out of Baltimore last week said Burnitz had agreed to a two-year deal with the Orioles worth between $10 million and $12 million. But Howard Simon, Burnitz's Connecticut-based agent, insisted yesterday that no deal had been struck and that he had told reporters only that he was "staying in close touch" with the Orioles.

 

Simon's focus in the past three days has shifted to discussions with Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield.

 

Simon declined to offer specifics, but it is believed that Burnitz's contract would be for two years with a total value in the range of $12 million, which would make it the richest free-agent signing in the Pirates' history. However much they are offering, it appears it is more than still-on-the-table offers from the Orioles and Houston Astros.

 

Burnitz, who will turn 37 April 15, fits the description of the type of player Littlefield has been targeting for right field. He is a left-handed power hitter, with 299 career home runs to go with a .255 average, and is sound defensively.

 

The Pirates' courtship of Burnitz is their second in as many years. He was the only prominent free agent they pursued last offseason, and they narrowly lost out on his services to the Chicago Cubs. Each team offered a $4.5 million salary, but the Cubs added a $7 million option for 2006 with a $500,000 buyout.

 

Chicago exercised that buyout after last season, one in which Burnitz batted .258 with 24 home runs, 31 doubles and 87 RBIs. He led the team with 160 games played and 40 two-out RBIs.

 

Most of Burnitz's production for the Cubs came out of the cleanup spot, which is where the Pirates would use him, with Jason Bay and Sean Casey batting around him -- one in the third spot, the other fifth -- and Joe Randa at sixth. Burnitz has topped 100 strikeouts in each of his nine full seasons of Major League Baseball, including 109 last year, but management says it believes it can minimize that by surrounding him with good contact men such as Casey and Randa.

 

It might seem Burnitz's bat would be a good fit for PNC Park, given the proximity of the Clemente Wall in right field and his ability to pull the ball, but his history there is spotty. He has a .174 average and three home runs in 92 at-bats.

 

There is little doubt Burnitz would be a good fit in right field. He showed two seasons ago in Denver's spacious Coors Field he could cover enough ground to spend 69 games as the Colorado Rockies' center fielder, and he would not have nearly that much territory at PNC Park. Also, he has a strong and accurate arm that would be accented by the shorter throws to the infield.

 

Right field is the last unchecked mark on Littlefield's list of positions he said he hoped to upgrade this offseason, the others being first base (Casey), third base (Randa) and right-handed relief (Roberto Hernandez).

 

The Pirates, who have an estimated $9 million to spend toward their payroll for next season, considered several possibilities for the spot.

 

One was a brief inquiry with Preston Wilson, the most expensive free agent remaining. Bob Bry, Wilson's Missouri-based agent, said yesterday that he spoke twice with Littlefield early last week and that it was clear they would go no further.

 

Another was the chance of making a trade with Tampa Bay for Aubrey Huff, a player they long have coveted. A source close to the Devil Rays said over the weekend that it was not clear if the Pirates had pushed for Huff, who has been on the trading block for three months.

 

although they are overpaying for a below-average, old OF in Burnitz, its probaly an upgrade over Wilson. If their young pitching staff can pitch well, the Pirates will be a pretty solid team this year.

 

this deal also means Preston Wilson will probaly sign with the Astros.

[26 to 6]

I wish he would just freaking decide where he was going already.

[Beckett95]

ya its official

 

The Pirates have agreed to terms with free-agent outfielder Jeromy Burnitz on a one-year contract for 2006 with a mutual option for 2007 and a buyout. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately known, but Burnitz made $4.5 million last season with the Chicago Cubs and will likely make more than that with the Pirates.

pittsburgh post-gazette

[a700hitter]

Does this mean the O's are interested in Manny, or does it mean that the Pirates backed off Wilson and went for Burnitz, because another team such as the Red Sox is making stronger play for Wilson.

[Beckett95]

the astros are closing in on signing wilson

 

Astros near deal for slugger

Center fielder Wilson looks like club's top target

By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

 

Astros general manager Tim Purpura's hopes for landing a run-producing outfielder may come to fruition today. And if those plans work out, it's most likely free agent center fielder Preston Wilson will land with the National League champions.

 

"I would think within the next 24 hours, we'll know where we stand with everybody," Purpura said Monday at 6 p.m.

 

The Astros now appear to be Wilson's first choice.

 

Purpura had been in negotiations with the representatives for Wilson and Conroe High graduate Jeromy Burnitz. But the Astros are starting to believe their chances of signing Wilson are much better than their chances with Burnitz.

 

Wilson, 31, hit .260 with 25 home runs, 90 RBIs and 148 strikeouts for the Colorado Rockies and Washington Nationals in 2005. All-Star third baseman Morgan Ensberg, who had 36 homers and 101 RBIs, was the only Astro with more RBIs last year than Wilson.

 

He has played center field most of his career. It remains to be seen what would happen with Willy Taveras, the center fielder who was second in Rookie of the Year balloting in 2005.

 

Wilson, who earned $12.5 million in 2005, would likely get a contract worth less per year than the one-year, $6 million offer Nomar Garciaparra spurned from the Astros.

 

But Wilson's stay in Houston could be longer than a year. Both sides are still mulling over contract options for a potential second year.

 

"Things are more positive than not," Purpura said.