Jays land Burnett with five-year, $55M deal

Discussion in 'Other Sports' started by Rex Grossman 8, Dec 6, 2005.

  1. Rex Grossman 8

    Rex Grossman 8 NFLC nflcentral.net Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>DALLAS -- A.J. Burnett agreed to a five-year, $55 million free-agent contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a source told ESPN.com.The deal will be announced at a Tuesday afternoon news conference in Dallas.After courting A.J. Burnett for a month, the Blue Jays landed their man.Burnett joins reliever B.J. Ryan as the second pitcher to sign a five-year deal with Toronto this offseason.The Burnett deal is the longest contract for a free-agent starter since Chan Ho Park's five-year, $65 million contract with the Texas Rangers in December 2001."When you get involved with this, you know it's a long process," Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi said after spending most of Monday negotiating with agents Darek Braunecker and Mark Rodgers."It's no slam dunk. Everybody wants things to happen fast. Sometimes it just doesn't go at the pace you want it to go at," Ricciardi said.The deal means the Blue Jays have poured $102 million into two pitchers this offseason. On Nov. 28, B.J. Ryan finalized the largest contract for a relief pitcher in baseball history, a $47 million, five-year contract. Ryan, who pitched for Baltimore last season, is Toronto's new closer.Burnett, 28, has been considered the top pitcher available on the free-agent market. He went 12-12 with a 3.44 ERA for Florida, although he struggled down the stretch and was banished from the team in the final week after criticizing manager Jack McKeon and his coaching staff.Burnett missed almost all of the 2003 season following reconstructive elbow surgery, and his career record is a modest 49-50, all with the Marlins. But he's one of the few pitchers with a 98-mph fastball and a no-hitter on his r?sum?.Burnett joins the Florida exodus as the franchise purges payroll, the result of the franchise abandoning its bid for a new ballpark near downtown Miami. Catcher Paul Lo Duca's trade to the Mets was finalized Monday; right-hander Josh Beckett and All-Star third baseman Mike Lowell were dealt to the Red Sox in a November trade involving minor leaguers; first baseman Carlos Delgado also was acquired by the Mets; and second baseman Luis Castillo was traded to the Twins in recent weeks.</div>http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2249623
     
  2. ortiz34

    ortiz34 BBW Member

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    Pretty overpaid. The Blue Jays need a bat and they'll be good in a few years.
     
  3. Brooksie5

    Brooksie5 NFLC nflcentral.net Member

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    How come nobody said the O's signed LaTroy Hawkins? Cal Ripken Jr. got his 3000th hit off LaTroy (I was at the game).
     
  4. AdropOFvenom

    AdropOFvenom BBW Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Dont waste your money on Burnett.Career Record 49-50ERA 3.73K to BB Ratio is barely 2:1Only reached 25 starts in 3 of 7 major league seasons.Purely Mediocre.Terrific stuff, but doesnt know how to use it and its not gonna change.Is that worth 10 million a year plus to you? It isnt to me. wink.gif</div>Quoting myself from the B.J. Ryan thread..Whats bad is that you didnt just pay 10 million for him....you paid 11. [​IMG]
     

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