AJ Burnett

[RockRaines]

t's Official: Burnett Agrees With Jays

A.J. BurnettThe Toronto Blue Jays agreed to terms Tuesday with Burnett on a five-year, $55 million contract, a source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. The deal will be announced at an afternoon news conference in Dallas.

[Wedge]

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.

 

A.J. Burnett

Kevin C. Cox/WireImage.com

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 résumé.

 

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.

 

Jerry Crasnick covers Major League Baseball for ESPN Insider. ESPN.com senior writer Jayson Stark contributed to this report. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

 

 

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Edited December 6, 2005 by Wedge

[GoodAsGould]

Thats not 2 bad of a contract considering the type of stuff Burnett has even if I dont think much of him. Much better than the BJ Ryan contract.

[Balta1701]

Thats not 2 bad of a contract considering the type of stuff Burnett has even if I dont think much of him.  Much better than the BJ Ryan contract.

Personally, I think it may very well wind up being worse than the Ryan deal. Ryan...at least there's not as much concern with either injury or attitude as there is with Burnett. You think he'll suddenly stop being a wounded malcontent now that he has cash? I don't.

 

Ryan currently looks horrifically overpaid, but in a few years, contracts may catch up with him. If he stays healthy, his contract may look a lot better than Burnett's does in a few years when Toronto's trying to get Philly, NY, or Boston to take him off thier hands.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

I thought that Burnett needed to go to the right spot-he needed to be teamed up with a Dave Duncan or Rick Peterson or Orel Hersheiser. I just don't see things working out in Toronto for him overall. Halladay-Burnett-Lilly-Chacin-Towers is pretty good assuming they tender Lilly, don't trade Chacin, and they stay healthy which is a big if-although Halladay will probably be back to a full season of health.

[whitesoxfan101]

A.J. Burnett=Kerry Wood 2.0

 

Just a horrid signing by the Blue Jays, this contract will quickly turn into an albatross.

[Yoda]

The Blue Jays rotation, on paper, isn’t bad at all. They’ve signed two big names in Burnett and Ryan, but they need some help offensively. They can probably sign Sosa, then they’ll have a chance of topping the Red Sox and Yanks.

[Balta1701]

The Blue Jays rotation, on paper, isn’t bad at all. They’ve signed two big names in Burnett and Ryan, but they need some help offensively. They can probably sign Sosa, then they’ll have a chance of topping the Red Sox and Yanks.

Dude, I don't think the pills you're taking are any more legal than the ones Sosa took.

[GoodAsGould]

If Toronto can even add a decent bat they might be a team to reckon with.... but its not like the yanks or redsox improved hell if redsox lose Manny/Damon they could be worse.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

If Toronto can even add a decent bat they might be a team to reckon with.... but its not like the yanks or redsox improved  hell if redsox lose Manny/Damon they could be worse.

 

They desperately need Alexis Rios to find the power stroke scouts think he'll develop because that lineup has some solid complimentary players but no real foundation piece

[Jordan4life_2007]

Over 100 million spent on Ryan and Burnett? What a crummy market it's become for pitchers.

[jenksd]

In 5 years AJ Burnett will be remembered only as a Joe Crede look-a-like.

[ChWRoCk2]

wow jays are going at free agency strong, they have improved their pitching, now all they need is a hitter and they r set

[Punch and Judy Garland]

wow jays are going at free agency strong, they have improved their pitching, now all they need is a hitter and they r set

 

They are improved but I htink they are more than a bat away. Even if all their pitching is as good as it could be, they need some more oomph in that lineup

[DBAHO]

For Toronto to attract FA's, they have to overpay. And with the increase in payroll they're getting, they're going to go out and get some top tier free agents. Yeah, Burnett's a risk, but would you prefer him for an extra $3M or Paul Byrd?

 

Looking at their lineup, you think they wish they had Carlos Delgado back right now? They really do need an increase in power. We had about 6 guys hit over 20 HR's this season, Toronto had 1, Vernon Wells. And to put that into perspective even more, Frank Catalanotto was the only regular who posted a +.800 OPS.

 

Put simply, all this new pitching is great, but if their offense stays the way it was in 05, no way are they going to be a playoff team, especially in the AL East.