Sox now "fully engaged" in Burnett talks

[BSN07]

Where did it say the Sox offered 4 years?

 

I read it somewhere. Let me see if I can find.

[BSN07]

From the Globe's Amalie Benjamin: "While a contract offer might not be imminent for the former Blue Jays right-hander, the Red Sox do have interest in pitcher A.J. Burnett. Sox general manager Theo Epstein had a conversation with Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker, yesterday on the free agent pitcher, according to a major league source. Burnett became a free agent when he opted out of the remainder of his contract with Toronto this offseason." ...It's still too early to tell, but the Red Sox and Yankees could get involved in a tug of war over Burnett as a number of New York media outlets have reported that the Yankees are also out in front in the Burnett sweepstakes. Newsday reported Wednesday that, according to an unnamed source close to Burnett, the Red Sox have significantly increased their involvement in Burnett over the last day and a half and are now "fully engaged." The source said that six teams are in contention for Burnett: the Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Braves, Phillies and Orioles. The Yankees, meanwhile, are preparing to make an offer to Burnett, speculated by the New York Post to be in the five-year, $80 million range. An unnamed Yankees official, though, shot down the figure to the Daily News, calling it "nonsense." According to a Newsday source, the Yankees' opening offer will not be more than four years and will not be anywhere close to $80 million. When contacted by the Daily News, Braunecker would not give specifics as to which teams have submitted offers. "Talks are progressing on a number of fronts," Braunecker wrote Tuesday in a text message. ...While confirming his team's offer to C.C. Sabathia, Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner also said his team was prepared to make offers to A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe. "Yes," Steinbrenner said when asked if an offer was made to Sabathia. "And we're prepared to make offers to Burnett and Lowe."... According to a report in the Toronto Star, the Blue Jays have an offer ready for Burnett for $54 million for four years that they have been waiting to make to Braunecker... From the Globe's Tony Massarotti: Burnett has long been a favorite of owner John Henry, who owned the Marlins when the talented righthander pitched for the club, but his asking price will be so steep that at least one major league general manager believes the Red Sox will not invest the $16 million-$18 million annually that it could take to sign a pitcher who seems motivated only in seasons in which his contract is up. (Before this year, Burnett went 20-16 for the Jays, but pitched just over 300 innings combined in two seasons.) According to the Globe's Nick Cafardo, the Sox don't want to extend themselves that long contractually or money-wise for Burnett.

 

 

Mis read it. it basically says they won't go past 4 years on any deal.

[jacksonianmarch]

Here's the issue that needs to be addressed with Masterson. It seemed like the last few starts, he was getting figured out. 18IP 18H 10ER 11BB 11K. They picked a time that was not only strategic for the team, but one that was strategic for the player. Lefties started figuring him out. Without a decent changeup, he's a reliever, and a matchup reliever at that. He showed he can give you innings. He showed he can get you groundballs, but he also showed you he can be wild and he can give up the gopherball. He's young, he's inexperienced and as a starter, he's unfinished. If his changeup doesnt make strides this ST, he should not be a starter on the big league club. Its that simple. And making a plan for him to be a starter when his arsenal is incomplete is a great way to end up like the 08 yankees. If Masterson is to jump in value, he needs to spend some time in ST or in AAA honing the changeup. If he doesnt master it, then he's gonna be a righty relief specialist.

[Dojji]

Here's the issue that needs to be addressed with Masterson. It seemed like the last few starts' date=' he was getting figured out. 18IP 18H 10ER 11BB 11K. They picked a time that was not only strategic for the team, but one that was strategic for the player. Lefties started figuring him out. Without a decent changeup, he's a reliever, and a matchup reliever at that. He showed he can give you innings. He showed he can get you groundballs, but he also showed you he can be wild and he can give up the gopherball. He's young, he's inexperienced and as a starter, he's unfinished. If his changeup doesnt make strides this ST, he should not be a starter on the big league club. Its that simple. And making a plan for him to be a starter when his arsenal is incomplete is a great way to end up like the 08 yankees. If Masterson is to jump in value, he needs to spend some time in ST or in AAA honing the changeup. If he doesnt master it, then he's gonna be a righty relief specialist.[/quote']

 

They picked a time when Buchholz was pitching well. End of sentence. I disagreed with the move at the time as costing us depth. I still disagree with it even though it turned out for the best, since a decent starter is better than a great reliever most of the time, unless the reliever is Papelbon or Rivera.

[BSN07]

Here's the issue that needs to be addressed with Masterson. It seemed like the last few starts' date=' he was getting figured out. 18IP 18H 10ER 11BB 11K. They picked a time that was not only strategic for the team, but one that was strategic for the player. Lefties started figuring him out. Without a decent changeup, he's a reliever, and a matchup reliever at that. He showed he can give you innings. He showed he can get you groundballs, but he also showed you he can be wild and he can give up the gopherball. He's young, he's inexperienced and as a starter, he's unfinished. If his changeup doesnt make strides this ST, he should not be a starter on the big league club. Its that simple. And making a plan for him to be a starter when his arsenal is incomplete is a great way to end up like the 08 yankees. If Masterson is to jump in value, he needs to spend some time in ST or in AAA honing the changeup. If he doesnt master it, then he's gonna be a righty relief specialist.[/quote']

 

I agree for the most part. I don't think he's a righty specialist tho. But he does need a 3rd pitch to be a good SP.

[Dojji]

Actually if you look at the BA splits vs left and right, Masterson isn't as badly plagued by lefties as all that. The issue with Masterson was that he walks lefthanders, not that he surrenders hits to them. That will probably get better with development.

[TheKilo]

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=256581&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_mlb

 

According to ESPN, Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein talked to Burnett's agent Darek Braunecker on Tuesday to discuss the team's interest in the 2008 American League strikeout leader.

[BSN07]

I know it's being "tin foil on my head" guy(didn't there used to be a little smilies icon for that?). But this just drips of the Sox being in, only to drive up the price. I mean it so public. Every site has a story on it. This is just not how the Sox FO approaches players they really want. I mean there is even a story about how much John Henry likes Burnett. This the same John Henry that never get's involved with the players personnel side of things. I believe the Sox are trying to get the Yankees to over spend on Burnett. Hoping his contract will turn into an albatross. And all the while are trying to sign Teixeira:thumbsup:

[TheKilo]

The stories about Henry and Burnett were back when Henry owned the Marlins.

[BSN07]

The stories about Henry and Burnett were back when Henry owned the Marlins.

 

Ya I know what they where about. But it just seemed odd for it to come out is what I ment.

[BoSox21]

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=256581&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_mlb

 

You went to a Canadian site? I'm impressed

[BSN07]

You went to a Canadian site? I'm impressed

 

 

Yup the Canucks have the inside track on this one, he had too. Toronto is so boned when he leaves. There's even rumors starting to come out the might shop Halladay.

[Dojji]

Considering his reputation, if we do get AJ I want Tek around to call his shots. I don't trust Burnett on his own.

[Dipre]

Here's the issue that needs to be addressed with Masterson. It seemed like the last few starts' date=' he was getting figured out. 18IP 18H 10ER 11BB 11K. They picked a time that was not only strategic for the team, but one that was strategic for the player. Lefties started figuring him out. Without a decent changeup, he's a reliever, and a matchup reliever at that. He showed he can give you innings. He showed he can get you groundballs, but he also showed you he can be wild and he can give up the gopherball. He's young, he's inexperienced and as a starter, he's unfinished. If his changeup doesnt make strides this ST, he should not be a starter on the big league club. Its that simple. And making a plan for him to be a starter when his arsenal is incomplete is a great way to end up like the 08 yankees. If Masterson is to jump in value, he needs to spend some time in ST or in AAA honing the changeup. If he doesnt master it, then he's gonna be a righty relief specialist.[/quote']

 

He would make greater strides with his changeup if he were pitching in the Majors, and for that he needs to be in the situation in which he is more likely to excel, which is the bullpen, the fact is, pitching the way he pitches now, Masterson would get destroyed by lefty mashers while starting by mid-season next year, but while in the BP, he will have time to learn more of the league and develop that change-up of his, since as stated before, they have a number of years to finish the project of him, so right now, i'd go for the "Don't fix it if it ain't broken" approach.

 

And one other thing, i never said he was elite, i just said that alongside Paps he was damn near, and that is a fact.

[BSN07]

The Blue Jays haven't made an offer yet to free agent starter A.J. Burnett, and GM J.P. Ricciardi doesn't expect to win the bidding by offering the most money. However, the Jays may separate themselves by being willing to offer Burnett the five-year contract he craves. Ricciardi didn't say he would go that far, but the concept does not scare him. He'll wait to make his offer until after other teams submit their bids.

 

I think that will keep him out of Boston.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

I didn't think Toronto wanted him back.

[BoSox21]

I didn't think Toronto wanted him back.

 

Once the news came out that Marcum would miss all of next season, they tried like to hell to stop him from opting out

[Dipre]

Still, a 5 year contract to AJ "Primadonna" Burnett seem ludicrous to me, his dedication to the game is suspect to say the least.

[naptownsoxfan]

Still' date=' a 5 year contract to AJ "Primadonna" Burnett seem ludicrous to me, his dedication to the game is suspect to say the least.[/quote']

 

AJ "Primadonna" Burnett love that, pretty much sums him up!

[Dipre]

Thank you, came up with it all by myself.