A.J Burnett

[Dick Allen]

Thats a hell of a deal for us. And we could throw some money at him and make him our back of the rotation guy for the next couple of years. I like it.

$13 million or more for a back of the rotation starter who while he has his moments is usually mediocre? I don't think JR would like you much.

[RockRaines]

$13 million or more for a back of the rotation starter who while he has his moments is usually mediocre? I don't think JR would like you much.

I was just editing my post, I didnt realize he was already making that much.

 

The picks we would get for him would be better than Allen and Eggy IMO.

[Dick Allen]

Amazing how many people think this would be a great deal for the White Sox. The guy still would have to be paid a lot this year which to us is nothing, but, this year, his ERA and WHIP are higher than Jose Contreras. Soxtalk wanted to replace Contreras with Burnett in 2005, and thank God KW didn't agree.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Amazing how many people think this would be a great deal for the White Sox. The guy still would have to be paid a lot this year which to us is nothing, but, this year, his ERA and WHIP are higher than Jose Contreras. Soxtalk wanted to replace Contreras with Burnett in 2005, and thank God KW didn't agree.

Look at his home/road splits. That turf can't be helping him any.

 

AJ isn't throwing the ball in the mid to high 80's, so throwing out the ERA and WHIP, he's already a better option than Contreras has been lately.

[RockRaines]

Amazing how many people think this would be a great deal for the White Sox. The guy still would have to be paid a lot this year which to us is nothing, but, this year, his ERA and WHIP are higher than Jose Contreras. Soxtalk wanted to replace Contreras with Burnett in 2005, and thank God KW didn't agree.

To be fair, Contreras's stats are influenced alot by his early run. AJ would be better than the COunt of late: June 6.83 ERA July 8.62 ERA. Or last year's 5.57 ERA . This is AJ's first season since 2003 with an ERA over 4.

[Chisoxfn]

Apologies if posted somewhere else, but there was a deadline article, saying he thought we would get Burnett for Jack Egbert and Brandon Allen.

 

Thoughts if that actually happened? Would you want A.J to opt out after this season?

I wouldn't have any complaints with that deal. I'd be thrilled and I think as highly about Egbert as anyone on this site (and that probably includes Heads, since he's recently bagged on Egbert a bit).

[Chisoxfn]

Somewhere out there the Gagemeister suddenly gets an erection.

I love Burnett. He's yet to work with what I would consider a top notch pitching coach. He clearly has great pure stuff and at 13M a year I don't consider his contract a total hardship. Plus the Sox have plenty of funds available for next season that it wouldn't even be an issue if he didn't opt out (they would just have to make sure they dealt one of Vaz/Jose/Burnett).

[Chisoxfn]

Jack Egbert and Brandon Allen have little trade value. There's no one out there coveting them... at least not in the front offices of baseball. If we got Burnett for that package, it'd be a salary dump. But that's just not going to happen.

Thats just an un-educated post Pratt. I'm not saying either have A prospect value, but both would have a place in almost any organization in baseball.

[Chisoxfn]

Another $50 million? Jesus. That sounds crazy to me for this guy.

He'd get it with ease. Pitchers with his stuff don't grow on trees and he has had major league success at times. Hell, I love Burnett and would be ecstatic to have him on the Sox. He'd immediately become the Sox best pitcher ("stuff wise").

[NorthSideSox72]

Oh wait, I just realized, we can't make this deal. That would give us 2 AJ's, and that is just one AJ too many.

 

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Anyone who would have any reservations whatsoever about this deal should watch this:

 

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/media/vide...90&c_id=tor

 

^That's the kind of arm we'd be getting. Obviously you never know what can happen, and we might get AJ just to have his arm fall off two days later, but assuming we picked him up and made it to the playoffs, this is a guy that is capable of shutting any team down on any given night and out-pitching the best there is. His arm is just that freaking good when he's on.

[Dick Allen]

To be fair, Contreras's stats are influenced alot by his early run. AJ would be better than the COunt of late: June 6.83 ERA July 8.62 ERA. Or last year's 5.57 ERA . This is AJ's first season since 2003 with an ERA over 4.

Or maybe just maybe Contreras comes back with no elbow pain and pitches like he did through mid June when his ERA was under 3.00.

[RockRaines]

Or maybe just maybe Contreras comes back with no elbow pain and pitches like he did through mid June when his ERA was under 3.00.

Totally possible. Though his age and last season point to him being somewhere in between of the two stages of this year, while AJ Burnett has been putting up some solid seasons here for a few years and is younger. Though he is also a giant injury risk.

[Dick Allen]

Anyone who would have any reservations whatsoever about this deal should watch this:

 

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/media/vide...90&c_id=tor

 

^That's the kind of arm we'd be getting. Obviously you never know what can happen, and we might get AJ just to have his arm fall off two days later, but assuming we picked him up and made it to the playoffs, this is a guy that is capable of shutting any team down on any given night and out-pitching the best there is. His arm is just that freaking good when he's on.

A 4.76 ERA this season seems to indicate he isn't on most nights.

[Kalapse]

AJ is starting tonight, at home against the Rays in case anyone wants to see him pitch.

[fathom]

Burnett's off the market, according to Gammons.

[Chisoxfn]

I also want to point out that you can offer arbitration to a player that opts out, unless there is a specific clause in the contract which prevents such (similar to what the Japanese players typically do).

[Frankensteiner]

Or maybe just maybe Contreras comes back with no elbow pain and pitches like he did through mid June when his ERA was under 3.00.

 

It's certainly possible this takes place. However, I don't know if that is such a good strategy if you're a contending team where only one starting pitcher has been consistently good for the past month. If Contreras was our only weak link, I'd have no problem waiting him out but the situation is a little different.

 

You are quick to point that Burnett's struggled this season, but he's probably been better than Contreras over the last 3 years (including Jose's 2005). He's had 3 good starts in a row and is usually really good against Boston and NYY, which not only figures to be our competition come playoff time, but also 2 teams we play a lot in the 2nd half.

[witesoxfan]

I find it hard to believe that AJ Burnett has better stuff than Javy Vazquez. Perhaps my untrained eye is blinded by love and sickass movement, but I see 2 good fastballs, a good change, a good curve, and a good slider from Javy. Is AJ Burnett's stuff really that good? And along the same lines, even coming from Javy's biggest fan, stuff alone does not make a pitcher.

 

I might very well prefer Contreras to Burnett. Perhaps potential rumors would light a fire under Jose's ass and he'll come out guns blazing.

[RockRaines]

A 4.76 ERA this season seems to indicate he isn't on most nights.

Right, about a run up from last season. His problem is that his fastball has such good movement that if he doesnt hit the corners, it drifts over the heart of the plate and gets hit hard. That seems to be a little bit of his problem this season.

 

I actually see Gavin Floyd as being a younger Burnett without that crazy 2 seemer. Gavin has both the mid-90's fastball, great curve and good ancillary stuff, but lacks consistency.

[RockRaines]

I find it hard to believe that AJ Burnett has better stuff than Javy Vazquez. Perhaps my untrained eye is blinded by love and sickass movement, but I see 2 good fastballs, a good change, a good curve, and a good slider from Javy. Is AJ Burnett's stuff really that good? And along the same lines, even coming from Javy's biggest fan, stuff alone does not make a pitcher.

 

I might very well prefer Contreras to Burnett. Perhaps potential rumors would light a fire under Jose's ass and he'll come out guns blazing.

Aj has a better fastball, better curve, not nearly as good of a change.

[Frankensteiner]

It's certainly possible this takes place. However, I don't know if that is such a good strategy if you're a contending team where only one starting pitcher has been consistently good for the past month. If Contreras was our only weak link, I'd have no problem waiting him out but the situation is a little different.

 

You are quick to point that Burnett's struggled this season, but he's probably been better than Contreras over the last 3 years (including Jose's 2005). He's had 3 good starts in a row and is usually really good against Boston and NYY, which not only figures to be our competition come playoff time, but also 2 teams we play a lot in the 2nd half.

 

The other thing that I'd like to say here is that this doesn't really need to come down to Burnett v. Contreras. If Count comes back strong that's great. If that happens, you can still make an argument that Burnett is a better option than Vazquez, or a tired combo of Danks/Floyd. I think there's going to be opportunities for him to pitch here regardless of what happens with Contreras.

[Heads22]

noooooo

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

A 4.76 ERA this season seems to indicate he isn't on most nights.

Look at his game log: http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_player...&statType=2

 

He seems to be either excellent or horrible. He's the ultimate example of a high risk/high reward pitcher, but if the Sox can get an arm like this as cheaply as this, I don't know how they could pass it up.

 

Maybe he's not excellent most nights, but the Sox don't make the playoffs most years, and most young starters don't end up pitching this much and still have enough to keep it up in the playoffs. It's just my opinion, but in a big game I'd rather have a guy like Burnett that I know has a real shot at completely dominating a lineup than a guy like Javy who I pretty much know is going to go 7 and give up 4-5 runs. With the Sox farm system where it is and considering the caliber of players that are on the market, they aren't in a position to pick and choose which aces they want to get. It's either Duch who has been a reliever his whole career and could never come close to this level of play again and will cost Josh Fields, Burnett who has been inconsistent but costs less, someone else who is mediocre all the time, or nothing.

 

Another thing to note is that by adding another starter, Contreras can move to the pen where he should be more refreshed and gain velocity. This would allow him to take some innings from Danks and Gavin, who need to be watched carefully as the last thing we need is one of them to get hurt. Bringing in another guy also allows the Sox the chance to "piggy-back" Floyd and Danks if they wanted to, with either Contreras or someone else stepping into the rotation. 4IP per start each and then end with a reliever would save them some good work.

 

Anyway, it's more than just looking at ERA.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Aj has a better fastball, better curve, not nearly as good of a change.

AJ's 2-seamer is better than Javy's as well.