Pitching coach plays vital role Jays money ball
Arnsberg has good rapport with A.J.
DALLAS— Hallelujah! The Jays have finally begun paying attention to constructive criticism. They are, at last, listening to outside voices, pointing out that their original five- year plan for contending would not work without a significant influx of cold, hard cash. They certainly now realize that Billy Beane and his small- budget A’s, as annual contenders, are unique. Give the Jays marks for paying attention to reality. They have added former O’s closer B. J. Ryan at $47 million ( all figures U. S.) over five years and then, yesterday, signed exMarlin A. J. Burnett to a $55 million, five- year deal. In the quest for the fireballing Marlins starter, the Jays were aided immeasurably by the presence of Burnett’s friend, mentor and confidant, Brad Arnsberg. The relationship originally blossomed in 2002 when Arnsberg was the Marlins pitching coach and Burnett posted his best season, going 12- 9 with a3.30 ERA and 203 Ks in 204 innings. Arnsberg estimates that he talked to or emailed Burnett some 30 times during the recent negotiating process. He worried when he didn’t hear from him for a week until Monday night when a subdued friend called to say he was signing with St. Louis.
“ I was Punk’d,” Arnsberg said with a laugh, referring to the Ashton Kutcher TV show featuring celebrity pranks. “We small- talked for a little bit and laughed for a little bit. Then he said, ‘I’ve been dreading this phone call.’ Immediately I drew my guard. I told him that from Day 1, I didn’t want to be used as a pawn. Friends don’t do that to friends.
“ So, I immediately came back, ‘ Well, I wish you the best of luck and I think you’re making a very poor decision.’ I swallowed it, hook, line and sinker. Then he said, ‘ I told you I’d never lie to you. I’m just messing with you.’ It was a good three or four minutes before I ( learned) that he had committed to the Toronto Blue Jays.” One cannot overestimate the importance of Arnsberg in the process. The Jays are counting on their pitching guru to help transform Burnett from a career sub-. 500 pitcher into an annual 16- to 18game winner, fitting into the rotation right behind Roy Halladay.
That’s a huge leap of faith.
This X- factor is why the Jays were able to value a thus- farjustaverage pitcher far higher than did other organizations in Biggest contracts in Blue Jays history:
Carlos Delgado – $68 million (four years)
A.J. Burnett – $55 million (five years)
B.J. Ryan – $47 million (five years)
Roy Halladay – $42 million (four years)
Delgado – $36 million (three years)
Roger Clemens – $31.1 million (four years)
Joe Carter – $25 million (four years)
Raul Mondesi – $24 million (two years)* *option years of contract guaranteed as part of trade. All figures U.S. the bidding. Nevertheless the Jays are taking a huge gamble, one that will inevitably mark J. P. Ricciardi’s legacy as GM.
“ It’s a huge feather in my cap, personally,” Arnsberg emphasized. “ What we’ve done together in the past made a big difference, but what we do in the future is the most important thing. A.J. realizes that we’re kind of in this thing together. I said there’s a chance you could come over here and in your first year go 8- 20.
“ But, I’ve never worried about that. I know the success we’ve had together and I know the success I’ve had with a lot of really solid arms . . . and not even solid arms. I really feel that it would have been a major mistake for him — and I’m not saying I’m a guru — but our personal relationship with what we’ve done in the one year before he went down with his Tommy John surgery, it was amazing to see what level this kid had gotten to. It makes me think there’s so much more we can explore.” The Jays’ emphasis now shifts to the trade front. It has been a whirlwind two weeks and the jury remains out. Only time will tell if they have invested in the right players to help them meet the challenge of the Yankees and Red Sox. But, at least, this time they are trying to compete with real players rather than rhetoric about young players and hope. The Jays staged the ultimate in self-congratulatory high-fives yesterday, inking Ricciardi, their 46-year- old GM, to a three- year extension through 2010, only hours before introducing Burnett to Toronto fans.
Certainly the Jays deserve to be congratulated for not backing down when the bidding got outrageous. They were clearly on a mission. In fact, they have now done exactly what they set out to accomplish entering the off- season, signing a No. 2 starter and a bullpen ace, while structuring the Burnett deal to leave salary room for a couple of hitters. The time for further review on these signings is not until the second half of ’ 06. For now, the Jays seem to be headed in the right, but a rather expensive, direction.