Braves Burrnett offer not "even close" to Market Value

[source mlb.com]


Right after CC is taking a $161 million 7 year deal, the offer made last week to AJ Burnett seems small in comparison. The offer is originally marked at $60 million for 4 years with a 5 year option, over 5 years it is worth an estimated $80 million. But now, Mark Bowman is reporting that sources in Burnett's camp think that this is not "even close." Wow! The largest free agent pitching offer by the Braves since we grabbed Maddux, and it is like we are offering peewee league pricing. The main competition? The Yankees. They have reportedly offered him $64 million guaranteed over 4 years. It seems the 5th year option alone is not going to put Burnett convincingly in our corner.

The Braves should not offer Burnett the kind of money that CC is getting, but 80 million is a lot too. Unfortunately for the Braves, the year we have money to spend, we are competing in one of the most over paid free agent markets since ARod signed with Texas for over $250 million. What are the Braves to do? I don't know. If we blow our load on Burnett, what about getting the hitter we need? It will mean more trading, and losing more young talent. We have been doing that for a long time, it generally works, but there is no one coming up that will be the kind of big time pitcher that Burnett can be. It is a tight spot. I hope Wren continues to compete over Burnett because, as I have said before, it makes us look more competitive for other free agents, and in particular to Jake Peavy who has a no-trade clause. I have to warn Wren, if we don't land Burnett, to not leverage the future of the team by over-trading as a result. We all want Burnett, but if we can't afford him, the fans will understand, but we don't want you to give up. Hang in there Wren.

[UPDATE: Talks between Burnett and The Cubs have broken down. Seems there is a little less competition]
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MLB Winter Meetings: Yankees swooping in for the kill

[sources mlb.com]

There is competition out in Vegas for pitcher AJ Burnett. Mark Bowman writes that the Yankees are going to make an offer that will beat the Braves offer. Then it will be decision time for Wren; do you counter attack or just lick your wounds in defeat? It is clear that there are pros and cons to having Burnett. For one he could be a solid addition to the staff in the 1 hole next year with the absence of Hudson, but as a long term ace there are doubts about his health. I would like the braves to continue to compete over Burnett while still remembering that sinking big money into a pitcher won't solve all our problems.

However, the biggest reason to continue to compete over Burnett is it may help convince Peavy that we are taking winning seriously. Perhaps that may sway him to waive his no-trade-clause in favour of Atlanta. That is a big hope since only Jebus knows what the hell is going on out there in wilds of San Diego.

Hang in their Wren, show those blow hard Stank-ees that you got a spine - if only to get Peavy.


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MLB Winter Meetings: A Contract Offer to Burnett

Mark Bowman, the Braves beat blogger for mlb.com, is reporting that the Braves have offered A.J. Burnett a 4-year deal with a 5th year option. There were no numbers, but we can assume that they are impressive, but not Yankee or Red Sox impressive. With the Yankees offering heaven and hell to CC Sabathia, the Red Sox perhaps looking backwards to Lowe and east to Japan, I am going to be optimistic about our chances of landing Burnett. We are definitely a more attractive landing pad with the acquisition of Javy Vazquez. And with the Peavy musk still in the air, things could be looking up for the starting rotation.

UPDATE: Appears the deal is worth $15M per year, and that fifth year option sets the Braves' offer apart from that of other teams.



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