A.J. Burnett to Baltimore? No thanks. Not for the price the Orioles will be forced to pay for the 4-5 starter.
Phillies and Orioles have had very preliminary talks on a trade that would send A.J. Burnett to Baltimore, sources tell @FOXSports1.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 19, 2014
This weekend, FOXSports.com’s Jon Morosi reported that the Orioles and Phillies were in the early stages of trade talks for the 37-year-old starter. CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman countered by saying that there’s “not too much” to those conversations. Thank goodness.
I was driving the Burnett to Baltimore bandwagon during the offseason after being impressed with his metrics in the second half last season with Pittsburgh. After taking a look at what he’s done in Philadelphia the first three months of the season, I’m jumping off.
Burnett’s 4.08 ERA in the National League should be enough to convince everyone that he’s not a good fit in the AL East. If it isn’t, perhaps his 3.82 BB/9 will be. There’s only one Orioles starter that has walked more per nine that Burnett, that’s Ubaldo Jimenez (5.42 BB/9).
Heyman has a few other stats that should scare away the O’s:
But here’s the evidence. His 4.08 ERA ranks him 36th of 49 NL starters who qualify for the ERA title, and his 1.36 WAR ranks even worse, 42nd of 49 starters.
The Phillies have to be floating this rumor. Can’t see where the Orioles would have any interest in Burnett with the numbers he’s posted.
Actually…he makes perfect sense….low cost, on the fence starter that fits in perfectly with the O’s ways of doing business. He’ll likely retire next year so they won’t have to worry about giving him anything more then what he is owed….He will “be another arm” rather then a real help to the team…The O’s are simply not going to dish out any real prospects, nor any real money for a guy like Sale for example…that could really put them over the top…they seem content with “we like our guys”….and being a half way decent team in a terrible division this year. They’d rather grind it out with guys like this, and hope they stay where they are rather then put a strangle hold on the division, and be an elite team like the A’s.
I agree with you Jason but what I hear is that Burnett doesn’t want to come here. From what my boy MGW has said before, pitchers like Burnett are afraid to come to the AL, from what I’ve read, Burnett would rather go back to Pittsburgh. Seems strange to me though after Burnett was pissed about not getting his start last season and the Pirates going with Cole instead. I guess its easier to forgive than come to the AL and watch your numbers blow up.
Good….I hope he doesn’t come…he is not an upgrade and they don’t need him. He is however, the “type” arm the O’s brass would go after, which is incredibly dumb that there are even rumors to begin with. If DD wants to make good on the “win now” mentality he was throwing out there at the beginning of the year, well, now is the time to prove it.