Pirates still Burnett's likely destination
The Yankees and Pirates inched closer Tuesday to an agreement that would send A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh by the weekend, and the prevailing expectation remains that's where the righthander will end up.
But the day's most interesting development was that two additional teams inquired about the pitcher.
A source said Tuesday that the Indians and Angels checked in about Burnett, with Cleveland offering Travis Hafner as part of its proposal. The source said the Angels made what the Yankees considered to be an "even better offer," but Burnett has a limited no-trade clause that lists 10 teams, including the Angels.
The Indians have been looking to move the 34-year-old Hafner, a lefthanded designated hitter who has been injury-prone in recent years and is due to make $13 million this season. Hafner, who hit 13 homers in 94 games last season, has played more than 100 games only once in the last four years.
A healthy Hafner, however, would solve the Yankees' search for a DH. Raul Ibañez is still their first choice, followed by Johnny Damon, who to this point, the industry source said, has asked for a salary in the range of $3 million, more than the Yankees want to pay for a DH.
Talks with the Indians aside, the belief is still that Burnett will be sent to the Pirates. The hang-up to a deal remains what it's been for the last week -- how much of the remaining $33 million on his contract each team will pay.
The Yankees have maintained they want the Pirates to pay more than $10 million or, if the Yankees are going to absorb $23 million, for Pittsburgh to include better players in its offer. The magic number from the Yankees' perspective is in the neighborhood of $13 million, meaning the clubs aren't that far apart, the reason for expectations that a deal eventually will be made.
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