(Newser)
–
The New York Yankees have snapped up free agent pitcher AJ Burnett with a 5-year, $82.5 million contract—and the deal could be a risky one, writes Jay Jaffe in Baseball Prospectus. Burnett’s contract forces the team to hold onto him for all 5 years unless they trade him; this for a pitcher whose continued arm problems have frequently kept him off the field.
In 2006 and 2007, Burnett was on the disabled list for over 4 months, and “now that he's not pitching for a contract, it might only be a matter of time before Burnett winds up” there again, Jaffe notes. Still, the New York Post observes that adding the combination of Burnett and CC Sabathia gives the Yankees arguably “the best rotation in baseball.”
