- MLBtraderumors.com reports that there are four teams involved in discussions on a Burnett trade, but that the Yankees are preferring to deal with Pittsburgh at this point. The other teams are said to be the Indians, Angels, Pirates, and the ever-present "Mystery Team".
- Jon Heyman reports that the Indians discussed a deal that would have sent DH/1B Travis Hafner to New York, but that Cleveland would prefer to not trade from their offense.
- Joel Sherman of the NY Post reports that the Yankees are saying that if they can not get a deal doen to their liking, they would simply hold onto Burnett until the trade deadline.
If the Pirates are going to get this deal done, it is going to require them to eat at least $10-15m of the $33m left on Burnett's contract. The Yankees are also asking for two minor-league prospects, who would not be players on the Pirates 40-man roster. The general consensus is that the players would be "C" level prospects, more than likely from the Class A teams.
Assuming the deal gets done and the Pirates do not include anyone on their 40-man roster, the addition of Burnett would cause a potential logjam in the Pirates rotation. Charlie Morton is still recovering from post-season surgery, and may end up starting the season on the DL - which could push his 2012 start date in Pittsburgh until early May at the worst. If Morton misses an extended piece of Spring Training, he will remain in Bradenton until he is ready.
The rest of the proposed rotation - Erik Bedard, Jeff Karstens, Kevin Correia, and James McDonald - are set to start the season. Burnett would join that group, awaiting the arrival of Morton. The Pirates will also have Brad Lincoln in camp starting games in Florida. Once Morton is healthy, the Pirates would be forced to drop a SP into the bullpen. That decision could be based off performance, or off of past precedence. Jeff Karstens had a nice season in the rotation in 2011, but he tired out in the dog days of summer and may never be a guy who can give a team 200+ IP. He might be the ideal pitcher to take the long relief spot he held prior to his promotion to the rotation last season.
The Burnett deal could also open another door that seemed to be shut. Derrek Lee, still technically a free agent, may rethink his stance on coming back to Pittsburgh for 2012 if Burnett is added to the mix. Burnett and Lee spent 2000-2004 as teammates on the Florida Marlins and remain good friends. If Burnett ends up in black and gold, Lee may decide to re-open negotiations with Pittsburgh. Even with the addition of Casey McGehee, the Pirates feel they need depth at 1st base, a spot that Lee would immediately fill. This would leave Garrett Jones as a 4th OF and back-up 1B. McGehee would become the immediate insurance policy against another Pedro Alvarez slump, and could also spell both SS and 2B if the need arises.
A few more links to A.J. Burnett stories around the web today:
- ESPN.com New York is reporting that the Yankees are waiting for the Pirates to sweeten the pot on the deal.
- MLB.com had the drop on the Cleveland Indians status in the Burnett sweepstakes.
The next 24 hours should be key in figuring out the details of this deal. Stay tuned to Steel World Order for all of your Pirates news!
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