A.J. Burnett Inexplicably Vetoes a Trade to the Angels
Foolish Yankees starter A.J. Burnett has reportedly vetoed a trade that would have sent him to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for former Yankee Bobby Abreu. My lone question is, why? The only assumption here is that A.J. Burnett is more confused than Jose Canseco’s personal shopper.
In the midst of all the rumors hinting that the right-hander would be shipped to the Pittsburgh Pirates, one would think the sudden gift of being sent to a consistently competitive team that won 86 games last year and added Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson in the offseason would be a no-brainer. But Burnett apparently has a list of 10 teams he can refuse trades to and that includes the Angels, though amazingly not the hilarious Pirates.
Since trade talks with the Indians have quickly “cooled off” it looks like we’re back to New York and Pittsburgh squabbling over how much of Burnett’s contract the Yanks are willing to eat. A deal is expected to go down before the weekend since Burnett is due to report to camp on Sunday.
Additional Note: Yes, Burnett has mentioned on more than one occasion that his wife does not like flying, but I don’t buy this excuse. Her personal driver can take her and the kids out to California for the regular season and she can stop and shop in each big city along the way. Problem solved.
Previously: The Pirates and Yankees Have the “Framework of an AJ Burnett Deal in Place”
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93 Responses to “A.J. Burnett Inexplicably Vetoes a Trade to the Angels”
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February 16th, 2012 at 2:48 PM
AJ? Come to Pittsburgh — sadly people here will think you are the second coming of…of….Pat Meares?
February 16th, 2012 at 2:50 PM
Well this is just stupid on his part. Now he’s just being a petulant child. Abreu would have been a great add for NYY too.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:50 PM
Matt Morris, lines two through eight.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:52 PM
Since trade talks with the Indians have quickly “cooled off” it looks like we’re back to New York and Pittsburgh squabbling over how much of Burnett’s contract the Yanks are willing to eat.
I can’t see how Pittsburgh would benefit from having Burnett. They are quite capable of giving up shots into the Allegheny without him.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:52 PM
Gotta be up there for one of the most ludicrous contracts of the last decade. Wasn’t it like 4 years and $50M?
February 16th, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Listen I’m just saying.
The Central is winnable by a bad team.
A bad team with a pitcher that has an off chance of being competent thrown into the mix is better than last year.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Gotta be up there for one of the most ludicrous contracts of the last decade. Wasn’t it like 4 years and $50M?
Yeah and Dave Littlefield traded for him with that contract.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:54 PM
AJ to the Succos? No thanks. We don’t need another 8-12 starting pitcher.
/it’s baseball, I don’t know WTF I’m talking about.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Linsanity.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Apparently his wife hates to fly and the Angels was on his no-trade list.
See, women do rule all baseball players, hence the reason why Clifton Lee is in red pinstripes, and not blue ones.
/fuck the Yanks
//BASEBALL!!!!
February 16th, 2012 at 2:55 PM
The Angels should consider themselves lucky that this trade backfired.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:55 PM
I cant wait unitl we get his ass out of NY
February 16th, 2012 at 2:55 PM
I keep hearing that they’re targeting Abreu, Damon, or Ibanez. I can’t believe they would consider any of them. Don’t they have enough old guys?
February 16th, 2012 at 2:56 PM
i never understood how someone who could throw with such outrageous stuff couldn’t ever find a way to be consistent. he’s a dumbass.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:57 PM
She has a much higher possibility of dying in normal North Jersey (or New York or wherever the Burnetts live) rush hour traffic than she does in an airplane ride to Orange County.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:57 PM
I keep hearing that they’re targeting Abreu, Damon, or Ibanez. I can’t believe they would consider any of them. Don’t they have enough old guys?
They need a lefty bat to fill in at DH from time to time
February 16th, 2012 at 2:58 PM
Define bad.
It’ll take at least 85 wins.
Also, Burnett doesn’t want to leave the East coast. Simple as that.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:58 PM
I get his angle. He wants to go to Shittsburgh so that people will forget he was ever a Yankee. Why go to a team that isn’t forgotten about after the first month of the season? He doesn’t need that attention.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:58 PM
The only thing I’m excited for in the upcoming season, is more clips from The Wire on Yardwork.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:58 PM
All west coast teams are on his no trade list supposedly. I think this trade is going to fall through with how long it is taking and playing out through the media. Burnett may not be great and a supposed jerk, but he has more upside and inning eating potential than Correia. The Bucs have little starting depth and some money to spend here since Edwin Jackson turned down 3/30 and Oswalt won’t bother with them.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:58 PM
Arte Moreno just has a vault full of money a la Scrooge McDuck, right? Damn that man likes to spend his money.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:58 PM
seriously though? yankees should’ve sweetend the pot to get hafner…that dude with the short RF fence would’ve been DEADLY for 81 games.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:00 PM
Burnett is gonna shit on any West Coast trade.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:00 PM
I don’t like this excuse. Her personal driver can take her out to Cali for the regular season and she can stop and shop in each big city along the way. Problem solved.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:00 PM
81 games, is that his over/under for total games he would play for the season?
/sorry
February 16th, 2012 at 3:01 PM
A team that would be 70 wins in another division could conceivably be an 85 win team in that tire fire of a division.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:02 PM
A team that would be 70 wins in another division could conceivably be an 85 win team in that tire fire of a division.
outside of detroit the AL central is pretty stinky.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:03 PM
not sure what my point was there, just pointing out that the indians, royals, twins and whitesox won’t be very good this year.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:03 PM
This. Spend some of that stolen money baby. Cali style.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:03 PM
at least the ones from Arkansas they do.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:03 PM
hard to get excited and want to play through aches and pains when you’re out of it by may. plus, hafner wouldn’t need to play that often since it’s not like the yanks lack for offense.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:04 PM
The Tribe will be aight….. and finish 3rd in the division.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:04 PM
detroit might win 110 games this year if things go their way.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:05 PM
Indians and Royals will win between 72-82. Twins in the 64-70 range, and don’t see the Meth Sox winning more than 62.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:05 PM
Am I talking myself in to the logic that Prince and Albert leaving the division makes the Pirates six to eight wins better than last year? Absolutely.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:05 PM
Is the nl west any good? AL West has two beastly teams. Would suck to be an A’s or Mariners fan.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:06 PM
youre not concerned about an IF with miggy at 3b, peralta at SS and prince fielder at 1b? there’s some holes there.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:07 PM
Am I talking myself in to the logic that Prince and Albert leaving the division makes the Pirates six to eight wins better than last year? Absolutely.
North Shore Saloon $1 beers FTW!
February 16th, 2012 at 3:07 PM
D’Backs are going to be really good (like 95 wins good), Giants still have that pitching and have Posey back. Dodgers still have Kershaw & Kemp. Rockies and Padres are meh, but Padres have some interesting pieces.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:08 PM
All west coast teams are on his no trade list supposedly.
Another pasty East Coaster……Do.Not.Want.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:08 PM
youre not concerned about an IF with miggy at 3b, peralta at SS and prince fielder at 1b? there’s some holes there.
i was exaggerating. that team is going to rake though. and prince isn’t as big of a liability on defense as everyone thinks he is. Miggy at 3rd though.. wooof.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:09 PM
D-Twat is gonna see a lot of small ball this year.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:09 PM
They really need to bottom out and get out of the baseball hell of winning 75-80 games which doesn’t get you a good draft slot
February 16th, 2012 at 3:10 PM
That is a BAD defense. I would fully expect the Miggy at 3B experiment to end by mid-May. Jhonny will not hide anyone’s flaws while playing a 6 step range SS.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:10 PM
They really need to bottom out and get out of the baseball hell of winning 75-80 games which doesn’t get you a good draft slot
forgot robin ventura is their manager now. interesting.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:10 PM
Or McFadden’s where the music is at a deafening volume. Fuck that place.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:11 PM
Detroit also plays the NL Central in interleague play, including the Pirates twice.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:11 PM
On the plus side, I can guarantee that after this year they will never again finish in 6th in their division.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:12 PM
Another pasty East Coaster……Do.Not.Want.
Hes from Arkansas, and you should not want him because he cant find the strikezone
February 16th, 2012 at 3:12 PM
i hate peralta.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:12 PM
What did this used to be? I didn’t go up to the Strip much anyway, so I have no idea what anything is now, or became in the last 8 years.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:13 PM
Yeah Reinsdorf never went overslot, hence them having the worst minor league system in baseball. Admit it, Meth Sox are doomed.
As long as he gets 10 starts at 3B, I’ll be content for fantasy purposes.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:13 PM
Detroit has to be the only team in baseball other than the Yankees where Peralta could still have a starting job at SS. Oh god, Last week’s Whitney Houston Vocal Range >>> Peralta’s Range at short.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:13 PM
Maybe the east coast moves his needle Timmy.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:14 PM
Pujols terrorized the Pirates like nobody else though. Had he stayed in St Louis he would have gone down as the all time homerun king in the city of Pittsburgh.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:14 PM
I cannot hate him Spence. He was so money in the playoffs. I dare say that JaHonny was clutch.
That supercedes any other liability that he had during regular seasons.
/And there are a LOT of liabilities
//Can’t believe Tiggers are playing him at SS
February 16th, 2012 at 3:15 PM
Not a chance.
There’s a 4-5 win difference between AL and NL. If you want to say AL East to NL Central (biggest gap), I’d say maybe 8 games maximum.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:15 PM
He better run if there’s a benches-clearing brawl against Texas
/obligatory
I don’t think that really matters that much, to be honest.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Pujols terrorized the Pirates like nobody else though.
The entire Milwaukee Brewers organization terrorized the pirates for about 3 years there… didn’t they win like 20 something games in a row over them at Miller Park and like 30 of 40 overall or something absurd. They made the pirates their little bitches.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:16 PM
Did the Houston Astros just get contracted?
February 16th, 2012 at 3:16 PM
As much as I hate to agree with Mr. Pankey, I remember a few years ago everyone was saying the Blue Jays were a playoff team in any other division, but were stuck in 3rd in the AL East. If you look at their splits, the best vs.-division record they had was the AL East.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:18 PM
They are moving to the Al West after this season, so, yes.
/East Coast bias’d
February 16th, 2012 at 3:18 PM
That’s the equivalent of dominating NFC West teams in the last 5 years.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Okay let’s put it this way then seeing as I was using arbitrary numbers.
The Pirates are capable of being just over .500, and would not be if they were in a different division.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:18 PM
Did the Houston Astros just get contracted?
For the purposes of the divisional race this year, yes.
/Mike Scott ain’t walkin through that door
February 16th, 2012 at 3:19 PM
I really need to get back into a league… Haven’t done it in years.
/Would get my ass handed to me in year 1 because I’ve been out of it for so long
February 16th, 2012 at 3:20 PM
What did this used to be? I didn’t go up to the Strip much anyway, so I have no idea what anything is now, or became in the last 8 years.
It used to be a dumpy bar which I cannot remember the name — if you remember where HiTops used to be it would be about 3\4 doors down to the left if you are looking at HighTops front door. There are all kinds of Restaurants\Bars near PNC now, and a really nice concert venue which holds 5-6k.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:20 PM
It’s not inconceivable that the Pirates could contend for the Central. Just unlikely. Still think the Cardinals win it by at least a couple of games.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:21 PM
I love that Hernia put his own comment as an update to the story. Classy.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:21 PM
Certainly it’s possible, but that’s a 70-74 win team even in the Central. But a few teams will outperform/underperform by 8 games every year, so who knows.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:21 PM
I won the lottery in my one league (bottom 4 get into a lottery system), and I ended up with first pick. He’s coming off his keeper contract, so I’m scooping him up first overall.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:22 PM
Oh okay… yeah I have been to a few spots on the strip, the bars which jut out into the water, etc, but all those bars on the North Shore were really just coming in as I was leaving. It’ll be interesting to see how much has changed in May. This weekend is 16 miles, so it looks like my knee is gonna hold up just well enough to make the race.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:23 PM
This weekend is 16 miles, so it looks like my knee is gonna hold up just well enough to make the race.
TBL Pittsburgh meet up
February 16th, 2012 at 3:24 PM
Not if it involves running sixteen miles, fuck that.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:25 PM
Enough people were complaining about it that I felt the need to add that.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:26 PM
The two things I need out of the trip
1) Hemingway’s cheesy spinach artichoke dip with the soft/buttery pita
2) Prantl’s burnt almond torte
February 16th, 2012 at 3:26 PM
No. They will never win. Not with that motherfucking slimy cocksucking front office.
/sincere
February 16th, 2012 at 3:26 PM
I changed it to “additional note” to appease you, ms621, you.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:27 PM
Visited pittsburgh about 2 years ago. Great town. Shame it’s infested with so many steelers yinzers.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:27 PM
He really is a whiny little bitch.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:27 PM
Well I’m going for the Marathon, obviously, but all you other folks have lots of stuff to do. The Reds are in town, too, if you’re into AAA baseball.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:27 PM
I changed it to “additional note” to appease you, ms621, you whiny bitch
February 16th, 2012 at 3:28 PM
And a LOT of my semen in the groundwater.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:28 PM
2) Prantl’s burnt almond torte
Dude, I live about 90 seconds from Prantl’s — I’ll bring one. Hell we could play beer pong at my house.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:28 PM
i know, i know…he was money last year. im just disgusted as to how many stupid mental errors he CONSISTENTLY made while here. just frustrating as all hell.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:29 PM
Let me guess. South Aiken?
February 16th, 2012 at 3:30 PM
Let me guess. South Aiken?
Wrong side — Ivy
February 16th, 2012 at 3:31 PM
Gotcha. I haven’t been there yet.
Though I am in favor of getting fucked up and going to Bangkok Balcony and demanding they let me in to the opium den I am certain exists in the building.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:32 PM
and yet there is no mobile site.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:33 PM
Uhhh…Reds are going to be an above .500 team this year.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:33 PM
I changed it to “additional note” to appease you, ms621, you.
Ha, you could have left it as is. I genuinely thought it was funny that you simply copied and pasted your comment straight up to the post.
February 16th, 2012 at 3:36 PM
I want to say Burnett’s wife is from PA or MD and that’s why the west coast teams are out. Plus, would Burnett even make the Angels’ rotation? He could be the ace of the Pittsburgh staff. Going from AL East to NL Central would be huge for him. Houston and the Cubs make the numbers look a whole lot better than the Red Sox and Rays.
February 16th, 2012 at 4:24 PM
You can say you don’t like the “excuse” that his wife doesn’t like to fly but it’s his wife. “Happy wife = happy life”.