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  • 03/22/2009, 08:40PM ET

A.J. Burnett's contract will go down as the worst contract of the offseason.

Schadenfreude - Resting... (25-23-3) vs GoChiCubs (3-21-1)
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By the past season, I am talking about after the end of 2008 season to Opening Day 2009.

A.J. Burnett signed a 5 year $82,500,000 contract after the 2008 season coming off his 18 win season and opting out of his contract. This was, the worst contract given out. It averages to $16,500,000 per season for the next 5 years.

Here are A.J.'s career numbers:

87 wins, 76 losses. 3.81 career ERA. These are decent numbers. Not great, but decent.

Here are some stats from his contract year:

18 wins, 10 losses, 4.07 ERA, 1.342 WHIP.

Highest WHIP for him in any season with more than 25 starts.
Highest ERA for him in any season with more than 25 starts.
Most hits ever given up in a season by him with 211.
Most runs ever given up by him with 109, most earned runs by him at 100.

The reason I had to use 25 starts is because most of his career he lands on the DL at least once a season.

He has more than 30 starts 3 times in his career. All 3 times were contract years.

He is now the 5th highest paid pitcher in baseball in average salary, only behind Sabathia, Santana, Zito and Zambrano.


I do not think so, Edgar Renteria. The guy signed a 2 yr./ 18.5 mil. dollar deal. 9.25 mil. a year. Burnett may not be durable but he's great when healthy right? Yes.

Now what about Renteria? He's great when not injured right? No. He was horrible last year his best year was when he put up these numbers:




G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
150 562 94 156 32 1 16 76 63 77 21 13 .278 .346 .423 .769

16 HR's? My man Mike Fontenot had 9 HR's in half the at-bat's! Not just above half. Half the at-bats and he's not a starter! Fontenot had 23 less RBI's in half the at-bat's. And don't say "Who cares about him he's a scrub" well first of all I'm making my point and the dude is getting half the ab's and is putting up pretty good numbers only 7 HR's and 23 RBI's behing a guy who got 500+ AB's.


OK, you went with Renteria as your pick. A few things about Edgar. He is a decent ballplayer, has had a few all-star game appearances to his credit and is signed for a little more than just 1 year's salary for Burnett. It is a 2 year contract with an option for a 3rd for 18.5 million. Burnett is signed for 5 years at 82,500,000 at 16,500,000 per season. Huge difference.

Burnett is 32 years old, not exactly the age when you are looking for a pitcher to be at their best. His track record isn't very good as far as health. He misses a lot of games in non-contract years, and there are 4 years of this before his next contract year. He will be 37 when his contract expires and for a pitcher with a bad track record for injuries, that isn't a good thing.

Edgar is a 5 time all star, a very good track record as far as injuries go and a 3 time silver slugger winner. He may not be the player that he was a few years ago and may have signed for more than his productivity warrants, but at the same time, when you compare his contract to Burnett and the risk/reward potential, there is no contest here. He will be 34 when his contract expires. Better chance he finishes his out.


A.J. had 17 wins last year. I do not think he can go that far downhill in one year. We all know Burnett isn't worth $16,500,000 a year but $9,500,000 for a guy who was once an ok ballpllayer. Honestly that's pretty bad considering there are backups doing better than that. And still the Yankees can afford him. Who can't they afford if he's getting you 9-13 win's he's still giving you a solid season but not great. Neither one of them deserves that much money. And add on the Economy right now. Burnett is not going to do very well my prediction is:

12-11, 4.26 ERA, 180 K's, 69 BB's.

Not too bad but bad enough.

My prediction for Renteria.

9 HR's, 55 RBI's, 3 SB's, 265. BA.

Honestly that's pretty bad considering there are backups doing better than that.

I'd be surprised if Renteria is better than Mike Fontenot this year.


First things first. You have yet to get any of the stats you are using correct. Please look them up before posting. Burnett had 18 wins, not 17. Renteria had better seasons than the one you said is his best.

Second, just because the Yankees can "afford" the contract, that does not make any difference whether the contract is bad or not. A lot of other teams sign bad contracts:

Zito in San Francisco
Chan Ho Park in Texas
Rodriguez in Texas
Hampton in Colorado
Neagle in Colorado

And on and on.

Then you say Renteria will have a worse season than a Cubs SS, what do you base this on? The SS for Chicago has never played more than 120 games in a season, while Renteria hasn't played that few since his rookie season.


First of all it's a 2B. Mike Fonetnot. And the SS you are reffering to is Ryan Theriot. And he has played more than that except when he was in a pinch hitting role. Renteria will either really suck or get injured. I'm going to say suck. He has a great injury record. He will be worse than last year. The chances of Burnett being under 500. in W-L are very slim. Renteria does not steal very many bags. And does not hit for very much power. I'm going back to Fontenot. He had 7-10 HR's in 250 AB's, Renteria in 500 AB's had 10 HR's. Fontenot last year didn't srart a bunch a games he had 1-2 AB's per game while pinch hitting. Now during the time he started he had 3-4 AB's PG.

You made a point in my argument.


"The SS for Chicago has never played more than 120 games in a season, while Renteria hasn't played that few since his rookie season".

Ok first of all if he's played more than 120 games in each season why can he only hit 270. with 10 HR's?

When you have a backup doing better than you it's pretty bad.


I don't know what else to say besides Burnett nor Renteria will perform up to there contract.

Comments (18) Add A Comment

March 22, 2009  08:45 PM ET
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This TD was just done a couple of days ago...

March 22, 2009  08:47 PM ET
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QUOTE(#1):
Originally posted 08:45 PM ET  03.22 by jbfpack

This TD was just done a couple of days ago...

Actually, I had it up and challenged someone to it but they declined.

March 22, 2009  08:47 PM ET
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QUOTE(#2):
Originally posted 08:47 PM ET  03.22 by Schadenfreude - Resting...

Actually, I had it up and challenged someone to it but they declined.

Who?

March 22, 2009  08:50 PM ET
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QUOTE(#3):
Originally posted 08:47 PM ET  03.22 by Dyhard

Who?

I don't remember the name but when I went back and looked I think the person got banned. Sorry, I can't remember the name.

March 22, 2009  09:13 PM ET
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QUOTE(#4):
Originally posted 08:50 PM ET  03.22 by Schadenfreude - Resting...

I don't remember the name but when I went back and looked I think the person got banned. Sorry, I can't remember the name.

Well check your old TD's

March 22, 2009  09:14 PM ET
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QUOTE(#5):
Originally posted 09:13 PM ET  03.22 by Tru-Dolfan: Hates Brady!

Well check your old TD's

If it isn't taken, it is deleted. That is what happened in that case.

March 22, 2009  09:43 PM ET
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QUOTE:
Originally posted by

Hmmm...Renteria is a decent pick, but Renteria has All Star appearances, is costing half as much as Burnett, will play every day, not every 5 and was almost a 20/20 SS last season....I will wait for the arguments, but leaning left..

Almost 20/20? He had 10 HR's and had 6 SB's how does that make him an almost 20/20 guy?

March 22, 2009  09:48 PM ET
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Those were his best stats in his career. I'm sorry my bad. I'll clarify that. But no he had 10 HR's and 6 SB's.

March 22, 2009  09:55 PM ET
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Okay, honestly it doesn't matter. He absolutely sucked last year and A.J. won 17 games. Can't go that far downhill in one year plus when you have Tex and C.C. in the clubhouse and when A-Roid get's back they will dominate. Still hate 'em but it'll happen.

March 23, 2009  09:25 AM ET
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I argued a very similar TD. 2 guaranteed years is never as bad as 5, and Renteria hits when he's in the NL.

The Burnett deal is horrid.

March 23, 2009  11:59 AM ET
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QUOTE(#14):
Originally posted 09:25 AM ET  03.23 by Porkins: Container not free?

I argued a very similar TD. 2 guaranteed years is never as bad as 5, and Renteria hits when he's in the NL.The Burnett deal is horrid.

Agreed. I think that contract is an epic failure of epic proportions.

Epic.

March 23, 2009  11:59 AM ET
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Epic.

March 23, 2009  05:56 PM ET
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the average salary for a MLB player is right at $3 Million.....Edgar times 3....AJ times 5+......I'll take Edgar

March 23, 2009  06:21 PM ET
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Yankees VASTLY overpaid for this DL stalwart.....

March 23, 2009  06:22 PM ET
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AJ Burnett will go down on A-Roid

March 23, 2009  07:56 PM ET
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I think the Yankees will get two really good years out of this contract. This year and the last year. He will disappear somewhere on the DL next year and someone will find out he's a relative of Carl Pavano. Until the Steinbrenners put a gun to his head after year 4 and oh my gosh the guy says he feels the best he has his whole career and is considered a CY Young canidate for his contract year.............By the way I don't dislike the guy. Just tired of seeing the price of tickets, food, etc. go up because of horrible investments like this.

March 24, 2009  11:10 AM ET
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ENOUGH about your boyfriend Mike Fonetnot. voted <---

 
March 24, 2009  02:02 PM ET
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QUOTE(#23):
Originally posted 11:10 AM ET  03.24 by Minny fan, for worse or worse

ENOUGH about your boyfriend Mike Fonetnot. voted <---

I never heard of him until this.

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