Yanks: 5/80 for AJ?

[Fan4Life]

Well, we know what his established performance is. We know what a WAR in free agency has been worth recently. We can pretty easily come to the conclusion that Burnett is worth in the neighborhood of $15M a year, maybe a little more depending on how you think he'll go going forward. The rest of the baseball world knows this, too.

5/80 is exactly the type of deal everyone should have expected.

I'd still like to know how much of a role insurance plays in defraying the risk on a player like AJ. If you were willing to go 4@$15, will insurance help you feel better about going to 5@$16?

[LookinUp]

I'm not totally opposed to 5 years. I'm just opposed to 5 guaranteed years. We could try to get creative by offering a 5th year as an option that automatically vests after year 2 or 3 if he throws a certain amount of innings.

We could even be a little loose in the vesting criteria. I'd be ok with a vesting option on innings only, for example, that doesn't mention ERA or wins. Obviously, we could also offer many more stricht, but also lucrative, performance based incentives that make the total value of the deal even higher than the Yankees.

There are ways to attempt to justify in Burnett's mind why he should dis the Yanks to come here.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'd still like to know how much of a role insurance plays in defraying the risk on a player like AJ. If you were willing to go 4@$15, will insurance help you feel better about going to 5@$16?

I think insurance is difficult to get and even more difficult make a successful claim on. I would assume that any deal would be paid in full except in rather extreme cases like Albert Belle's career ending condition. So, no insurance wouldn't make me feel much better about giving five years to a guy who's unlikely to give you five back.

[incubus]

I think if we offer slightly less that the Yankees, we can land AJ. It makes his life easier to play in Baltimore. He has a half an hour drive to work instead of a 5 hr, and he wouldn't have to rent some expensive place to sleep in NY.

If the Yankees offer 5/80, the O's should offer 5/75. I think that would land him.

[Dipper9]

I think if we offer slightly less that the Yankees, we can land AJ. It makes his life easier to play in Baltimore. He has a half an hour drive to work instead of a 5 hr, and he wouldn't have to rent some expensive place to sleep in NY.

If the Yankees offer 5/80, the O's should offer 5/75. I think that would land him.

Between room and board, higher taxes, AND the fact that HERE he gets to live with his family, I think that is ample evidence to convince the Union that he is not going against their wishes of "getting as much as you can." I think you're right...5/75 gets it done.

[JTrea81]

I think insurance is difficult to get and even more difficult make a successful claim on. I would assume that any deal would be paid in full except in rather extreme cases like Albert Belle's career ending condition. So, no insurance wouldn't make me feel much better about giving five years to a guy who's unlikely to give you five back.

Duquette explained this on XM the other day. You can insure 3 years for a LT deal and then have to go year to year beyond that. So at the end of the three years, you have to reinsure the player for the next year and so on.

[DrungoHazewood]

Between room and board, higher taxes, AND the fact that HERE he gets to live with his family, I think that is ample evidence to convince the Union that he is not going against their wishes of "getting as much as you can." I think you're right...5/75 gets it done.

You really think Burnett weighs those factors so heavily that they pull the Orioles ahead of a higher bid, despite the fact that the Yanks expect to perform better than the Orioles can realistically hope to perform, at least in the short term?

[Dipper9]

You really think Burnett weighs those factors so heavily that they pull the Orioles ahead of a higher bid, despite the fact that the Yanks expect to perform better than the Orioles can realistically hope to perform, at least in the short term?

Not really. I am basing this on a couple things I have heard/read on the Hangout, most notable the thought that Burnett wants to play close to his family, the thought that Burnett is NOT crazy about playing in NY, and the notion that the Union would be all over him if he does not accept the highest bid.

[Lucky Jim]

Between room and board, higher taxes, AND the fact that HERE he gets to live with his family, I think that is ample evidence to convince the Union that he is not going against their wishes of "getting as much as you can." I think you're right...5/75 gets it done.

NYC and the state of NY are in dire financial condition right now. The taxes are rising all around us. It's a significant concern for anyone thinking of moving here - because, well, it wasn't cheap to begin with.

[JTrea81]

As an example, I believe the Giants offered Carlos Lee the most, but he elected to sign in Houston at a slight discount...

Giants offered 6/112, he signed in Houston for 6/100...

[PeterWyshner]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8812098/Cubs-close-to-re-signing-righty-Dempster?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=49

...perhaps a sign that 5/$80 isn't so far off. I mean, if Demptster is getting 'slightly over 50' then I think that would lead most to believe that the rumors of a Yankees offer are more on point then not.

...doesn't seem like the economic crisis is having much impact on free agency thus far.

[TonySoprano]

As an example, I believe the Giants offered Carlos Lee the most, but he elected to sign in Houston at a slight discount...

Giants offered 6/112, he signed in Houston for 6/100...

No state income tax in Texas.

[tywright]

Would any of you guys be up for signing Burnett for 5/75 ?

[Sports Guy]

Would any of you guys be up for signing Burnett for 5/75 ?

Not me.

I think the best contract I would put on the table would be a 4/60 deal...With a 4 million dollar buyout or 15 million dollar 5th year option that kicks in with 400 IP in 2011 and 2012.

So, he either gets 4/64 or 5/75.

I just am not guaranteeing 5 years to a FA pitcher, especially one with an injury history.

[SteelerG]

Not me.

I think the best contract I would put on the table would be a 4/60 deal...With a 4 million dollar buyout or 15 million dollar 5th year option that kicks in with 400 IP in 2011 and 2012.

So, he either gets 4/64 or 5/75.

I just am not guaranteeing 5 years to a FA pitcher, especially one with an injury history.

4/64 with a team option for a fifth year gets it done. AJ does want to return to Baltimore. He just wants a competitive offer.