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After committing 7 years to cc-
5 years to burnett is not a great move.

Yes he COULD be fantastic- but his injury history can't be
ignored- as can't him only beong 'healthy' in contract years

It's not the 16 mil per thats a problem- its the YEARS

You had to ruin the warm fuzzy feeling that Yankee fans have after seeing Cashman spend a quarter billion on 2 pitchers by mentioning Pavano, didn't you....DIDN'T YOU!

"Why the Burnett deal can 'burn' the Yankees?" Methinks it has something to do with Sally-Boy's health issues. Well at lest the Yankees can do one of those cop duo shows with their two newe pitcher signings, I've even got the name for it "Fatso and 'IR'", kinda rolls off the tongue..........

He is a three or possibly number four pitcher on the team if Joba stays as a starter. Not a number two. Still, a lot of money. Have to wonder who was even close to that offer.

where else were you going for a pitcher, Pettit good but did not have a good second half.Lowe ok but not sure he wants to be here Sheets hurt at end of year last season. and the kids last year stunk so you had to spend the money to get the players that would make the staff better its a risk but one you have to take.

Pavano 2.0

The Yankees are an awful defensive team and have been for 10 years. It is nonsense to continue to point to the starters as the reason the Yankees haven't won. You put the Rays defense on the Yankees last year and the Yankee starters (when healthy) would have been one of the best staffs in baseball. The Yankee offense has made up for their awful defense for years during the regular season but once the playoffs begin you can't outhit a poor defense because you are facing good pitching from teams that can catch the ball.

QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 09:40 AM ET  12.13 by 50yearfan

He is a three or possibly number four pitcher on the team if Joba stays as a starter. Not a number two. Still, a lot of money. Have to wonder who was even close to that offer.

it will prolly look like

cc
wang
AJ
tons of fun
whichever AAA star they are gonna embasrass this year

This is easy to critique. In reference to the money, when you got it spend it. The number of years? Sure five's alot. Talent and abilities, no question there. But his ERA was over 4. Sure but under 4 against the Rays and Sox. Not to mention he was very consistent in blowing away the yankees last year who themselves finished with 89 wins in third place. Injury prone? Sure. Then Why sign him??. To fill their pitching needs. If Whitey Ford was available they'd give him a mazillion dollars.

QUOTE(#9):

Originally posted 10:26 AM ET  12.13 by The Original Tony

If Whitey Ford was available they'd give him a mazillion dollars.

Whitey's dead?

Mornin' OT.

Not very smart at all.

Hey Chasin. No he ain't dead. But nowa days his left arm is only good for lifting beers.

This piece is just a totally negative take on Burnett, so off the top of my head, here's a few positives. I can't help but remember Burnett mowing down the Yanks and Red Sox last year with lights out stuff. 5-0 with a 2.56 ERA in 8 career starts against Boston, btw. Toronto wanted to keep Burnett, and they should be most familiar with him, and Atlanta wanted him to top their rotation. Comparing Burnett and Pavano is like comparing apples and oranges. Before joining the Yankees, Pavano was pitching in a pitcher friendly park against the NL. Burnett was pitching in a park that favors hitters in the AL East, where he thrived. 3-1, 1.64 ERA against NY last year. He also has very good career numbers at Tropicana Field and Camden Yards. Burnett's injury history is not nearly as bad as Pavano's. Burnett's best in the league K/9 rate of 9.39 will help the Yankee's ? defense ( as will Sabathia's K's), with fewer balls in play. One never knows, the potential for problems is there, but that exists with every pitcher, and considering his stuff and if he's healthy, Burnett will be a big plus for NY, at least for a while.

I think at least one of these free agent pitchers will burn the Yanks with injuries, maybe both. But the Yankees needed pitching badly. Barring injury, they'll be better this year. I'm not a Yankee fan, but the defense is still pretty weak, IMO.

QUOTE(#7):

Originally posted 10:16 AM ET  12.13 by trooper707

The Yankees are an awful defensive team and have been for 10 years. It is nonsense to continue to point to the starters as the reason the Yankees haven't won. You put the Rays defense on the Yankees last year and the Yankee starters (when healthy) would have been one of the best staffs in baseball. The Yankee offense has made up for their awful defense for years during the regular season but once the playoffs begin you can't outhit a poor defense because you are facing good pitching from teams that can catch the ball.

You are 100% wrong.
AVERAGE pitching + stout offense got them TO the playoffs
the last 7 years (other than last year)
it is the LACK of a true TOP Pitcher that has screwed them
in the post-season (their hitting has faltered also- I admit)

Defense is defense- yes it has been sub-par....
I challenge you to find a REAL stat that showed their D
cost them more than 4-7 games during the year

Pettites incompetance over the last half killed us-
he was supposed to be our #2- we NEEDED him
to win & he failed
Wang going down early was HUGE as well....

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 10:01 AM ET  12.13 by bestone777

where else were you going for a pitcher, Pettit good but did not have a good second half.Lowe ok but not sure he wants to be here Sheets hurt at end of year last season. and the kids last year stunk so you had to spend the money to get the players that would make the staff better its a risk but one you have to take.

I agree with your rational-
but I'd rather commit my YEARS to someone who at least
has a track record of being healthy....

Why not give Garland a deal ??- check out his innings
no less than 190 over the last 6 years AND he's younger
- might not have burnetts 'stuff' but he's going to PITCH

QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 10:53 AM ET  12.13 by CunningLinguist

This piece is just a totally negative take on Burnett, so off the top of my head, here's a few positives. I can't help but remember Burnett mowing down the Yanks and Red Sox last year with lights out stuff. 5-0 with a 2.56 ERA in 8 career starts against Boston, btw. Toronto wanted to keep Burnett, and they should be most familiar with him, and Atlanta wanted him to top their rotation. Comparing Burnett and Pavano is like comparing apples and oranges. Before joining the Yankees, Pavano was pitching in a pitcher friendly park against the NL. Burnett was pitching in a park that favors hitters in the AL East, where he thrived. 3-1, 1.64 ERA against NY last year. He also has very good career numbers at Tropicana Field and Camden Yards. Burnett's injury history is not nearly as bad as Pavano's. Burnett's best in the league K/9 rate of 9.39 will help the Yankee's ? defense ( as will Sabathia's K's), with fewer balls in play. One never knows, the potential for problems is there, but that exists with every pitcher, and considering his stuff and if he's healthy, Burnett will be a big plus for NY, at least for a while.

All good points. Burnett has proven he can pitch well in the AL, no easy feat. The flip side is in 8+ full seasons he has pitched 200 innings only twice, both contract years. A top of the rotation guy must throw north of 200 innings something that Sabathia and Wang can do fairly easily. Last but not least pitching in pinstripes is a funny thing something to watch for in both Sabathia and Burnett. No matter how you slice it $82.5 for someone who hasn't proven he can stay on the mound is a lot of money. Then again the Yankees have a lot of money.

QUOTE(#15):

Originally posted 10:55 AM ET  12.13 by jgb

You are 100% wrong.AVERAGE pitching + stout offense got them TO the playoffsthe last 7 years (other than last year)it is the LACK of a true TOP Pitcher that has screwed them in the post-season (their hitting has faltered also- I admit)Defense is defense- yes it has been sub-par....I challenge you to find a REAL stat that showed their Dcost them more than 4-7 games during the yearPettites incompetance over the last half killed us- he was supposed to be our #2- we NEEDED him to win & he failedWang going down early was HUGE as well....

7 games is a lot of games, in fact winning them means they make the playoffs. There is just no getting around it their outfield defense is not only the worst in baseball it is the worst I have ever seen and I'm not young. If I were a Yankee pitcher any ball hit out there I'd be afraid to turn around. Pettite led baseball in balls in play falling for hits, Mussina was third. As I said earlier I read a study that measures this sort of thing and concluded that the Yankee era was half a run higher than average based on defense and the rays was .2 runs or so lower becasue of defense. Lower Pettitte's era by half a run and all of a sudden he looks more than good enough.

I don't see how anyone can compare Burnett to Carl Pavano who is a jerk. Burnett is a gamer

And the Seattle GM should take a look a look at his train wreck of a team..they play in a gorgeous ballpark in a great town with great people and their team stinks

QUOTE(#18):

Originally posted 11:05 AM ET  12.13 by trooper707

7 games is a lot of games, in fact winning them means they make the playoffs. There is just no getting around it their outfield defense is not only the worst in baseball it is the worst I have ever seen and I'm not young. If I were a Yankee pitcher any ball hit out there I'd be afraid to turn around. Pettite led baseball in balls in play falling for hits, Mussina was third. As I said earlier I read a study that measures this sort of thing and concluded that the Yankee era was half a run higher than average based on defense and the rays was .2 runs or so lower becasue of defense. Lower Pettitte's era by half a run and all of a sudden he looks more than good enough.

that's ridiculous-
you are picking and choosing points.....

lets say that their D cost them 7 games....
well how many games did a Damon stolen base or hit
WIN the game for the Yankees ?
and how many games did a Melky catch SAVE a game ?

It all basically evens out in the end.
If you really think their D cost them the playoffs- you
didn't watch their games.
- Cano having his worst offensive year, wang going down,
Pettite faltering, out YOUNG starters not winning a game???
that is what screwed us- not out defense

I'm not saying D isn't important....
but if you have a FRONT END STARTER who is mowing
people down- you don't need a stout D-

We really haven't had that since - clemens -
which on a 200 mil payroll is INEXCUSABLE