Yankees leading Burnett chase: report
The bidding war for pitcher A.J. Burnett is heating up as baseball's winter meetings wind down Thursday in Las Vegas.
After reaching a preliminary agreement with left-hander CC Sabathia — the biggest free-agent catch this off-season — the New York Yankees have stepped up as a clear favourite for the former Toronto Blue Jay, major-league sources told FOXSports.com Thursday.
Burnett's representatives, including lead agent Darek Braunecker, were expected to give interested clubs one last chance to top the Yankees' five-year offer worth an approximate $85 million US.
The Atlanta Braves, who recently traded for former Chicago White Sox right-hander Javier Vazquez, made Burnett a four-year, $60-million proposal last week.
A report Wednesday said the National League club raised that to a five-year pact for $80 million, but it wasn't confirmed by anyone connected with the Braves or Burnett's camp.
However, there were suggestions Thursday morning that Atlanta was preparing a final push and guaranteeing a fifth year.
Earlier this week, Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi said the team would not be prepared to give Burnett a five-year contract. Burnett, who turns 32 in January, had a career season in 2008, winning 18 games, throwing 221 1/3 innings and striking out 231.
He has dealt with injuries throughout his 10 years in the majors, but appeared in 35 games in 2008 (including 34 starts). In his previous nine seasons, Burnett reached 30 starts just once.
On Nov. 4, he chose to opt out of his contract with Toronto, an option Burnett had when he signed a five-year, $55-million US free-agent deal in December 2005. Two years and $24 million remained on his contract with the Blue Jays.
His raw stuff is among the best in baseball — a fastball that touches 99 miles per hour, plus a nasty mid-80s curve — but he's been maddeningly inconsistent throughout his career and has made regular trips to the disabled list.
Without Burnett, the Blue Jays' projected starting rotation includes Roy Halladay, Jesse Litsch, David Purcey, Casey Janssen, and potentially one of these players: Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil and Scott Richmond.
The team is hopeful Dustin McGowan can return in May following surgery to repair fraying of the labrum in his right shoulder, while Shaun Marcum will miss the entire 2009 campaign following surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.