Yankees talking with Pirates about Burnett
Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett reacts after inducing a ground out from Philadelphia Phillies' Pedro Feliz to end the top of the seventh inning of Game 2 of the 2009 World Series. (Oct. 29, 2009) Credit: AP
The Yankees continue to work on a trade that would shed A.J. Burnett. Talks haven't stalled, but a significant hurdle that remains is how much of the remaining $33 million on his contract they will have to pay.
The Pirates are the only team known to have engaged with the Yankees regarding Burnett.
The righthander has two years left on the five-year, $82.5- million deal he signed before the 2009 season, and for a trade to get done, the Yankees likely will have to eat a sizable portion of that. Just how sizable, and the quality of player -- or players -- the Yankees might get in return from the Pirates, are the primary elements holding up a deal.
"Ten million isn't going to get it done," an industry source familiar with the Yankees' thinking said Friday. In other words, with the players being discussed, the Pirates would have to pick up more than $10 million of the $33 million Burnett is owed. For the Yankees to eat close to $23 million, the source said, the Pirates would have to surrender much better players than the ones who have been discussed. The source said the Yankees have yet to receive a "legitimate" offer.
General manager Brian Cashman is under orders from managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner to bring the payroll down in the coming years so the team can avoid paying a luxury-tax penalty that hits 50 percent in 2014. The days of blank-check offseasons in the Bronx are over.
Therefore, money the Yankees don't have to pay Burnett, 21-26 with a 5.20 ERA the last two seasons, likely would go toward signing the DH whom manager Joe Girardi has said is "important" to the club's success this season. Raul Ibañez is the preferred choice among the trio the team is considering, with former Yankees Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, a much longer shot, also candidates. A Burnett trade also would increase the possibility of re-signing Eric Chavez as a backup infielder.
Cashman hinted immediately after the season that Burnett could be on the trading block, and the organization's desire to move him only increased after the trade that brought in Michael Pineda. The Yankees have seven starters for five spots, with Burnett, Freddy Garcia and Phil Hughes the likely contenders for the fifth spot behind CC Sabathia, Pineda, Ivan Nova and Hiroki Kuroda.
Hughes has been a constant presence at the Yankees' minor-league complex in Tampa for several weeks, and word from Tampa is he's in prime condition, having lost the excess weight he showed up with last February. The team has high expectations for Hughes, who went 18-8 with a 4.19 ERA in 2010 before falling to 5-5, 5.79 in an injury-plagued 2011.
One concern within the organization is the potential circus of a fifth-starter battle that includes Burnett, who typically doesn't pitch great in spring training.
The nightmare in that scenario would be Burnett honoring that past, Hughes pitching lights-out and the club either a.) putting Burnett in the rotation anyway and Hughes in the bullpen or b.) dealing with a potentially unhappy Burnett, a starter his entire career, in the bullpen.
Cervelli OK. Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli said Friday he has recovered from the concussion symptoms that ended his 2011 season prematurely.
He said his symptoms are "all gone since November. The doctors said just get ready to work hard. I feel great. Normal.''
Cervelli appeared in 43 games in 2011, batting .266 with four homers and 22 RBIs. He will battle Austin Romine to back up Russell Martin.
Of a possible trade of Burnett, Cervelli said: "I love A.J., man. A.J.'s one of the best guys on the team. But like I said, we don't control that.''
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