A.J. doesn’t really like T. O.
DALLAS— The Blue Jays think they are close to finally buying a vowel.
After J. P. Ricciardi went ahead and inked B. J. Ryan, setting the salary bar at an all- time high for free agent relievers, he has a significant offer out there to A. J. Burnett that would create a standard for future, mediocre-career-record starters. The Players Association and the brotherhood of player agents are well-pleased with the new-look Jays.
It became abundantly clear with every passing hour that as Day 1 of the winter meetings wound down at the Anatole Hotel, that prized free- agent starting pitcher Burnett and his agent Darek Braunecker found themselves caught between a rock and an expensive place, being forced to choose between the traditional baseball values of the middle-America Cardinals, the green, green grass of home, provided by A.J.’s wife’s parents in Washington, D. C., and the unseemly greenbacks of the Canadian Jays. The Jays originally peaked at an offer of $50 million ( all figures U. S.) for five years. The Burnett camp then asked for $60 million and the Jays, with nobody else close in guaranteed money, met them halfway at $55 million.
Perhaps I owe an apology. Granted, when Ryan and Burnett came to visit Toronto, I suggested they were using the Jays as a launching point on their magical mystery tours and there was little chance for the locals to succeed. But that was before realizing that the combined offer for the two hurlers would come out to a cool $ 102 million for the next five years. Money talks, apparently speaking volumes. But Burnett wants no part of Toronto. That’s not to say that he won’t take the money. Face it. If the Jays were really that attractive a landing strip for Burnett, he would have already agreed to terms on that stunning five- year deal much earlier. But he was dragging his heels waiting for a better offer from Cards GM Walt Jocketty that would make the decision to turn down the Toronto money seem at least palatable. A source close to the Cardinals claimed to be surprised when the Burnett contract was not settled in St. Louis’ favour on Sunday night, considering the specific and heated discussions between player- agent and club that continued late into the evening.
This had seemed like déjà vu for the Jays. Last year, they bid on free- agent Matt Clement, banking on his personal relationship with pitching coach Brad Arnsberg. Like Burnett, their studentmentor gig dated back to the Marlins. The Jays offered Clement more guaranteed money than the Red Sox but lost out because of issues other than cash. At the All- Star Game this season the former Cubs starter specifically cited the passion of the Fenway Park fans, which he said was similar to what he was used to at Wrigley Field.
This year it was different, because Ricciardi entered the fray with deeper pockets and does not want to stop until he spends it all. The funny thing is that if Ted Rogers, last December, had acknowledged the reality that he was about to purchase the SkyDome and the effect it would have on his baseball payroll, then he could have probably landed Clement with a pre- emptive bid and ended up with a better pitcher than Burnett for less. But he didn’t and the Jays are on the verge of blowing the rest of the extra payroll without having addressed the issue of a slugger to add life to the lineup. At the B. J. Ryan press conference last week, Ricciardi said that he had $68 million committed to payroll for ’ 06 and wanted to keep it below $80 million, total. If Burnett takes the Jays’ folding green, with the addition of $ 11 million per season for one starter the Jays salary commitment — if you consider their projections on what is required to retain their seven arbitrationeligible guys — leaps to $79 million.
If Burnett is on board, the only way to free up money for a hitter would be to trade Miguel Batista and Shea Hillenbrand and possibly non- tender Ted Lilly. The Hinske contract, with two years left, is untradeable. If the Jays are forced to eat some of it in order to move him, then it’s not worth it. They may be better off if Burnett goes elsewhere.
If Burnett signs, the Jays are done with free agency and must concentrate on adding hitters the old-fashioned way — via trade, value for value.