Burnett soap opera drags on

Jays’ final offer is 5 years, $55 million ‘You know it’s a dogfight,’ says Ricciardi

DALLAS— The baseball winter meetings have been hijacked by the A. J. Burnett soap opera and the Blue Jays hoped last night that their roller- coaster ride of emotions would end with a contract signing by today.

Toronto has made a final fiveyear, $55 million (all figures U. S.) offer to Burnett, said to be the most guaranteed money sent the pitcher’s way. But the St. Louis Cardinals were believed to have countered with a four- year deal worth $48 million and averaging out to more money per year than Toronto put forward. “When you know you have some money and you know you have some prime free agents out there you know it’s going to be a dogfight,’’ Jays general manager J. P. Ricciardi said of the Burnett sweepstakes after emerging from an afternoon of trade talks aimed at bolstering his team’s bats. “ But we’ve gone this far. Another few days won’t hurt.’’

It looked yesterday as if Ricciardi was within minutes of landing Burnett, reversing what had seemed a dire situation late Sunday after the Cards felt they had a deal to secure this winter’s top free- agent pitcher. St. Louis rarely goes beyond three guaranteed years for any pitcher and a source said the Cards were furious when Burnett’s agent, Darek Braunecker, went back to the Jays early yesterday morning looking for a counter- proposal to their four- year, $40 million package.

But the drama rolled into last night after the Jays refused to match the Cards’ annual average by upping their bid to five years and $60 million, leaving the ball in their opponent’s court with St. Louis seeming poised to land Burnett if they agreed to add a fifth season to their package or offer an easily vested option year.

Further complicating matters yesterday was the late- hour entry into the Burnett bidding by the Washington Nationals who offered a four- year, $40 million deal with no option year in the hopes they would spark the interest of Burnett’s wife, Karen, a native of nearby Bowie, Md. The Nats are owned by Major League Baseball and still have no official budget, but received permission to make the offer from MLB during the day. Burnett’s wife is said to be playing a key role behind the scenes, cool to the idea of her husband playing in Canada and far more excited about the possibility of St. Louis or Washington. But getting St. Louis to come closer to the total money Toronto has guaranteed was proving a long, slow process.

Ricciardi spent time yesterday revisiting with the Philadelphia Phillies about a potential blockbuster swap of Vernon Wells for right fielder Bobby Abreu. The Jays have also looked at a deal with the Rangers for left fielder Kevin Mench. One scenario discussed by the teams would see Mench and first base prospect Adrian Gonzalez go to Toronto in exchange for Miguel Batista, Orlando Hudson and Brandon League, a reliever coveted by Rangers pitching coach Mark Connor dating back to his time working with the Jays a few years ago.

There were rumours yesterday that the Nationals and Jays had discussed a Batista deal that would send outfielder Brad Wilkerson, who can also play first base, to Toronto. Nats GM Jim Bowden later denied to reporters that he is trying to trade Wilkerson.

Jays president and CEO Paul Godfrey arrived here in the late afternoon — he’s expected to announce a Ricciardi contract extension through 2010 as early as today — and denied rumours he’d asked the MLB players’ association to get involved in the Burnett case to ensure he took the best monetary deal out there.

“ Why would we do that?’’ Godfrey asked. “ That would seem to be counterproductive. I know the first thing the players’ association would tell me is, ‘ He has an agent, go speak to him.’ ”

In a minor deal, the Jays sent righthander Chad Gaudin to the Oakland Athletics for a player to be named.

Gaudin, 22, was 9- 8 with a 3.35 ERA in 23 starts for Triple- A Syracuse last season, ranking fourth in the International League in ERA. He struggled in a brief stint in the majors, going 1- 3 with a 13.15 ERA in five appearances.