Yanks Trade Burnett to Pirates

[a700hitter]

Pirates, Yankees Agree To A.J. Burnett Trade

By Mark Polishuk [February 17 at 12:04pm CST]

 

The Pirates and Yankees have agreed to a trade that will send A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh, reports Ken Rosnethal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). "One final detail" is being worked out today, but the Yankees will send Burnett and $20MM to the Pirates in exchange for two low-level minor leaguers, leaving the Bucs responsible for the remaining $13MM in the two years left on Burnett's contract. This final detail could well be the identity of the minor leaguers, as CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman reports that there is "still a bit of debate" between the clubs about which prospects will be going to New York.

 

Burnett will take a physical on Sunday and, due to the amount of money changing hands, the trade needs to be approved by the league. As was reported earlier this morning by ESPN's Buster Olney, the Pirates and Yankees hope to be able to take the deal to the commissioner's office sometime today.

[VA Sox Fan]

 

Do you think the Pirates would trade for Lackey too?

[Emmz]

"Pirates acquire Burnette and Lackey, aiming for Mets' loss record." Sounds like a really good Onion article.

[Station 13]

Yankees getting salaries relief from the Pirates......whoodathunk

[Laser Show]

Burnett is gonna turn it around outside of the spotlight. 14+ wins and sub-4.00 ERA.

[Meh]

Diego Moreno coming over to the Yankees. Could be a nice find, according to several Pirates fans they had him pegged as their future closer. Throws 97 mph but NH wasn't a fan and didn't promote him fast enough. The other guy looks very meh but the key to the deal was getting AJ off the Yankees and clearing some cap space to go after guys like Damon, Soler and Chavez.

[User Name]

Pirates fans as a legitimate source of scouting information? Are ya serious?

[jacksonianmarch]

Diego Moreno and Exicardo Cayones come back. Will get SRs on them as soon as I can.

 

I think this is a good deal for both sides, honestly. Burnett wasn't going to start in NY and was expensive, so they got 2 prospects that arent top notch in any way and got $13 mil in salary relief. The Pirates get a guy with AJ's stuff for $5 mil in 2012 and $8 mil in 2013. My guess is they will deal AJ before the deadline, so for two marginal prospects and $3 mil they may have one of the best pitchers to deal at the deadline, which could nab them some actual prospects for the future. To prove my point, here are AJ's splits since he came to NY

 

Pre-ASB- 23-18 4.22ERA 1.36WHIP 1.9K/BB

Post ASB- 11-17 5.56ERA 1.56WHIP 2.2K/BB

 

The K's and walks are better in the second half, but he gets hit much, much harder. In Pitt, he's probably going to have a sub 4ERA come the ASB and will likely fetch a deal worthy of taking on some of his salary

[Meh]

Pirates fans as a legitimate source of scouting information? Are ya serious?

 

To some degree. He does have good stuff, no denying that. They read up on their prospects just like you do with the Red Sox or Jackson does with the Yankees. If you traded a guy like Alex Wilson and everyone on here was saying he could be a middle of the rotation pitcher I'd put some stock into that.

[Overdamonster]

Looking @ AJ's line I never really understood what NY thought they were getting with the $ they spent. 2004-2007 the ERA was sub 4 but in 2008 he crept above 4. WHIP was headed north as well. Declining skills plus the pressure of NY (eventhough CC helped mitigate the expectations) lead to the more dramatic fall off for sure in the past 2 years. I would assume in a less demanding market (Pittsburgh) in a less intense divison the aging AJ can get 10 to 13 wins and an ERA around 4.80.

[Divinity]

Looking @ AJ's line I never really understood what NY thought they were getting with the $ they spent. 2004-2007 the ERA was sub 4 but in 2008 he crept above 4. WHIP was headed north as well.

 

I'm sure NY thought they'd be getting similar production to his 2008 season, despite his ERA had crept above 4, he finished the 2008 season with an 18–10 record and established career highs in almost every single pitching category. He set a career high with 18 wins, appeared in 35 games while starting 34 games, pitched 221 1/3 innings, and led the American league with 231 strikeouts. His 34 starts also led the AL, and he threw curveballs a higher percentage of the time than any other AL starter.

[Overdamonster]

I'm sure NY thought they'd be getting similar production to his 2008 season' date=' despite his ERA had crept above 4, he finished the 2008 season with an 18–10 record and established career highs in almost every single pitching category. He set a career high with 18 wins, appeared in 35 games while starting 34 games, pitched 221 1/3 innings, and led the American league with 231 strikeouts. His 34 starts also led the AL, and he threw curveballs a higher percentage of the time than any other AL starter.[/quote']

 

I am sure they did but 2008 seems like an anomaly overall. It just seems to reason that he would decline post 2008 when you take into consideration his age...in which he did. I know I am armchair quaterbacking this but don't we all know better than every FO post the fact. All in all he is better off in Pittsburgh with lower expectations.

[Youk Of The Nation]

I don't know who to feel worse for, the Pirates or Burnett.

[Divinity]

I don't know who to feel worse for' date=' the Pirates or Burnett.[/quote']

 

Why feel bad for Burnett? he got a World Series ring and millions of dollars he didn't earn during his time in NY

[Youk Of The Nation]

Yeah, but now he's playing for the Pirates. It's a tossup.

[Overdamonster]

I don't know who to feel worse for' date=' the Pirates or Burnett.[/quote']

 

They deserve each other.

[Divinity]

Yeah' date=' but now he's playing for the Pirates. It's a tossup.[/quote']

 

He dug his own grave, Yankees were originally sending him to the Angels for Bobby Abreu, but he decided to act upon his no trade clause.

[jacksonianmarch]

Cayones and Moreno. More than I thought we'd get. Just looked through Cayones here and he is intriguing. He's got a good eye and was doing well in the GCL playing as a 19 yr old, then moved up to the NYP and went 2 for 32, skewing his numbers a bit. My guess is he starts in SI.

 

Moreno has a big arm and has shown good command up until last season. He apparently has closer level stuff, but has maturity issues. Which may be the reason why they had him stay in High A for 2011 even though he dominated that same level in 2010 to a level most people don't see very often. His WHIP in High A in 2010 was under 0.5 with a K/9IP of 13 and a K/BB of over 11. Just insane numbers. If he gets his head on straight, he's probably headed to Trenton for 2012 and could be an option for us this yr if he comes out ballin

[jacksonianmarch]

AJ broke his orbital bone and is out into June. Talk about a kick in the pants for the Pirates who were hoping to parlay a strong first half into a deal for prospects at the deadline.

[Dojji]

Actually I don't think it hurts them that much. It might even help them. All Burnett has to do is pitch well in about 5 starts. He has less room to fluctuate as per his usual inconsistency.

[Palodios]

Dear Pittsburgh Pirates:

 

What the f*** were you thinking?

 

Seriously.

 

Out of curiousity, how much money would you give us for Lackey?

[example1]

Actually I don't think it hurts them that much. It might even help them. All Burnett has to do is pitch well in about 5 starts. He has less room to fluctuate as per his usual inconsistency.

 

Wishful thinking my friend.

 

This hurts the Pirates.