Burnett says he wont resign with Marlins

[Zvon]

Said some bad stuff about the Fish yesterday.
McKeon says he's just a little frustrated.

But,....could you imagine.........................................?

[Frayed Knot]

I don't know what to make of Burnett.
I could see him being underpaid at $10mil, or overpaid at $5mil.

[metirish]

I'd not want to be the GM that gives him 4 years/$40M, for years people have talked about his great stuff yet he was 37/38 coming into this season..

[willpie]

I just keep hearing that he's kind of an asshole (i.e. not AJ Pierzynski level asshole, but not a fun guy to be around). I feel like this team is in a pretty good place, chemistry-wise, and I'm disinclined to eff that up, especially for someone with a history of living up to his potential only sporadically.

[Guest Edgy DC]

What kind of first base can he play?

[MFS62]

IIRC, when he was in the Mets system, he wore fatigues all the time and had several body piercings. That apparently got him labelled as "someone we don't want in our clubhouse."

He is one of those Faberge eggs- when he's intact, he's very valuable. But when he's broken, he's worthless. And he's spent too much time on the DL over his career for my taste. Add that to the fact that he hasn't pitched well in several starts down the stretch for the Fish this year, and I'm getting a mental red flag about his arm.
I'd pass.

Later

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Here are six reasons not to chase A. J. Burnett:

Martinez. Benson. Glavine. Seo. Trachsel. Zambrano.

I don't want to see them strengthen their strengths and ignore their weaknesses.

Maybe they go after Burnett if they end up dealing some pitching for a 1B who can hit. But otherwise, there's no point.

[Guest Rotblatt]

I'm with Yance. No reason to overpay for a starter when we have six solid ones already--plus Heilman, who can pinch start as needed.

And shit, we could have a seventh by mid-season if Petit progresses the way everyone's predicting.

Starting pitching is the last thing we need.

[Guest KC]

Leo and Cox will get him and work their magic.

[nymr83]

]What kind of first base can he play?

i couldn't have put it better myself.

the mets dont need starting pitching so unless the second coming of pedro becomes available please please please focus on 1B, 2B, and C and what can best be done at those positions either through free agency, trades, or internal promotion (no move can often be the best move when the "veterans" out there are not likely to outhit the kids you already have)

[seawolf17]

I don't want him either, but the story gets just a titch odder:

Marlins cut ties with Burnett

MIAMI -- A.J. Burnett is very close to becoming a former Florida Marlin.

Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest said Burnett has been asked to leave the team and will not be offered a multiyear contract during the offseason. The decision came a day after the pitcher said the team plays scared because manager Jack McKeon and the coaching staff are too negative. Burnett popped off after losing his sixth decision in a row at Atlanta.

Beinfest says Burnett has not been suspended and will be paid for the rest of the season.

Burnett becomes a free agent after the World Series. He went 12-12 this season with two shutouts, four complete games and a 3.44 ERA.

[Guest Iubitul]

Like KC said - He signs with the Braves, and wins the Cy Young next year.

If the Braves stay away from him, that should be a big red flag to stay away, too....

[Guest Edgy DC]

This isn't an endorsement of pursuing Burnett --- Heavens, no --- but that there's hat's a hard philosophy to win with.

[smg58]

I've always had the impression that Burnett's overrated, and that somebody will pay too much for him. The Braves don't have the money to make him that kind of offer.

Don't forget Bannister when you talk about potential starting pitchers under the Mets' control.

[Frayed Knot]

Florida also sat Miguel Cabrera down for "disciplinary reasons".
That ship be sinking.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

It all started when that bat boy drank a gallon of milk.

[Guest Rotblatt]

I'm with smg. Braves don't touch Burnett because he's too expensive. They'll pick up some cheap-ass retread instead and turn him into an ace.

Burnett's a total dickwad and pretty stupid too boot. Marlins are absolutely going to offer Burnett arbitrarion now, knowing that he'll never accept, meaning that whomever signs him is going to have to forfeit a draft pick, which will hurt Burnett's salary.

Marlins PROBABLY would have offered him arbitration but now there's no world in the way they do.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

As Edgy and others have already mentioned, the Mets need a first baseman, not another starting pitcher. If the Marlins wanted to cut ties with Delgado or Cabrera, then that should be of interest to the Mets. Let Burnett be some other team's problem.

[Guest KC]

I don't know what kind of contract he'll demand, but boat loads of money
for pitchers are limited to few teams ... and I didn't say that Braves would
pay him premium money. The in-division factor and going to a coaching
staff that is top-notch may be enough for him to sign with the Braves (if
he really has beefs with that negativiy thing or just hates Miami- who could
blame him for that?) for a decent contract.

That aside, I think his value has dropped a bit turning on his mates after a
near miss run at post season.

Second aside, I wouldn't want to play for McKeon either.

[metirish]

I just heard on the FAN that the Marlins don't have to pay Burnett a $50,000 clause for innings pitched, he missed the clause by 1 inning,now that kinda money is probably nothing to him but still, and any reasons given for McKeon being called negative?, so he goes from GrandFather type figure when they won the WS to a negaitve....winning hides it all I suppose.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I'll be a maverick here and say if there's a solid pitcher available the Mets should be looking at him. He strikes me as the type of pitcher they actually like: Talented but not fully realized.

It would also neatly complete the Met career cycle: Trade him to the poormouths while he's young, gather him back in when you're one of the few who can afford it.

[metirish]

I'll take that Johnny if it's 3 years at $21/22 Million, or 4 years at 28/30 Million, not a chance though for 4 years at $40 which is what he will probably want/get, but surely your chart of pitchers that got big deals last season would be food for thought for GM's wanting him...JD send that thread out now, spam MLB with it.

[duan]

the thing about saying

"the mets need a new 1bman/2bman" is that there's not so many of them about on the FA market this year.

There's one 1bman definitely on the trade market in Jim Thome/Ryan Howard.

Thome could probably be had for sucking up a large % of the salary, Howard would clearly take talent.

If you were to give up (just say) Seo & Petit for Howard, their might be a reason to think about Burnett.

[Guest 86-Dreamer]

Howard has only 200 more MLB ABs than Jacobs. Granted, his success over a larger sample size make him a better risk than Jacobs, but not so much better that I would trade Seo & Petit. One or both could end up being one year wonders. Put me on the record now as hoping that Jacobs is our starting 1B next year.

[smg58]

The Phillies are in a bind. They shouldn't trade Howard, and their frequently recurring nightmare is that they dump Thome, eat half his salary, and watch him hit 45 HR for somebody else. If Thome is healthy, I'd ask him if he remembers how to play third base. Risky? Hell yes, but if he can play, dealing him at a discount is no less risky.

And the Phillies have a history of not returning the Mets phone calls when they put a major player on the block, so it won't happen unless the Mets overpay big time.

Like JD, I'm not against moving some of our quantity of starting pitchers and bringing in a legit #2. I have serious reservations over whether Burnett is that guy, though, especially if he comes with a hefty price tag.

[Guest Edgy DC]

And the Phillies have a history of not returning the Mets phone calls when they put a major player on the block, so it won't happen unless the Mets overpay big time.

To whom are you referring.

I see Burnett as getting Benson Bunch money. I'm not sure why Philly will trade Thome for Zabrano+prospect or Trachsel+prospect, only to watch the Mets upgrade thier end with Burnett. Why not just get into the Burnett sweepstakes first, and use Thome to --- I don't know --- buy a new closer.

So, if such a deal goes down, it'll either go down late, or swing the Phillies way.

One thing I like about the Mets pitching is that Pedro is almost like a second pitching coach. Since he arrived, seemingly everybody, to varying degrees, has a nice change-up.