Should The Orioles Trade For A J Burnett?

[TuckerBlair89]

Your plan is banking on the fact that he bounces back and is worth something in the future. There is no evidence that suggests that will happen at all. If the reason he has been bad is because he can't handle the NY spotlight why would any playoff team want to trade for him for a playoff run? If the reason he has been bad because he just isn't that good of a pitcher we are stuck with him for two seasons and wasted 10 million.

That's why it's a risk. This team has been so poorly run over the last fourteen years that we are almost bankrupt in talent. We need to add talent without giving up talent using EVERY method available. This is just one more method. If it turns out to be a bad risk, so be it. I don't think it means much anymore if you lose 90 games instead of 85. The return could be at least one, if not two, B level prospects. It's a risk I'd be willing to take.

The thing about taking a risk on Burnett is that if it fails it hurts the Orioles significantly more than it would if the Red Sox traded for him. It takes away a spot for a young guy to develop in. It takes away salary that could be used in other areas. And it would be rather pointless for us since we will not contend with him or without him.

[ofahn]

The thing about taking a risk on Burnett is that if it fails it hurts the Orioles significantly more than it would if the Red Sox traded for him.

I wish I could do a better job of explaining my POV.

It takes away a spot for a young guy to develop in.

I'm not sure I agree with that right now. Frankly, I'd be happy if Britton, Arrietta, Matusz, Bergesen, and Berken started the season at AAA. DD has put together a quality development staff and those guys could certainly use some of that. Maybe DD is thinking the same thing because Guthrie, Chen, Wada, Hunter, Eveland, and some of the minor league signings could fill a starting rotation if they had to. Burnett would fit in with that mob. In July you could start trading veterans for prospects and bring up deserving pitchers from AAA. If the pitcher stiffs (even Burnett) then waive them and move on.

It takes away salary that could be used in other areas.

Actually, trading Guthrie for a prospect or two and adding Burnett at 5M would be a net gain of at least 4M in salary room.

it would be rather pointless for us since we will not contend with him or without him.

I think it is unrealistic to expect to contend until at least 2014 and that would only be if we refill the farm system right blinken away. IMO this move would NOT be to contend but a calculated risk to add more talent to the team if we can convert Burnett into a tradeable commodity. If it fails it's an acceptable loss of money. Of course, if the team would be willing to spend that same 10M on Soler I would choose him over Burnett.

[ofahn]

I think the Pirates got a windfall in Burnett. His ego will not like being traded for two nobodies, to baseball's backwater, with a pile of money to cover his salary. Look for him to have a big year just to prove the Yankees were wrong about him.

Of course, they weren't but that's a different issue.

[Zach]

He can want to prove whatever, but it doesn't change the fact that 1) there is no real offense behind him there 2) there were no better deals and 3) he can't really pitch that well.

[ofahn]

He can want to prove whatever, but it doesn't change the fact that 1) there is no real offense behind him there 2) there were no better deals and 3) he can't really pitch that well.

How about if we revisit this after the season? The one of us that's least correct buys a beer for the one that's more correct. Deal?

[Jordan Tuwiner]

He can want to prove whatever, but it doesn't change the fact that 1) there is no real offense behind him there 2) there were no better deals and 3) he can't really pitch that well.

He did have a pretty solid 3.86 xFIP last year.

[Zach]

haha fair enough. I hoping to be up in the DC by the end of the year so that deal could work. While he did have a solid xFIP watching him pitch you just came away feeling like he was missing something. He also had a 5.15 ERA, which while good enough for an 11-11 record with the Yankees won't cut it with the Pirates. It also doesn't change the offense of the Pirates being very weak and that he shouldn't expect much support while pitching. Also, there is a reason that there were no better deals on the table for the Yankees to take.