A.J. Burnett left the Pirates after the 2013 season to spend a year in Philadelphia. — GETTY IMAGES
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
News: The Pirates are bringing back A.J. Burnett, signed Friday for one year at $8.5 million.
Views: Wow, so that’s a start, huh?
I’m going to type out some stuff here in real-time, so please keep refreshing to see the whole thing once it’s done. Just wanted to put something up right away.
Burnett will be 38 in January, and he’s coming off a strange season in Philadelphia in which he pitched through significant hernia pain to log a National League-high 34 starts and 213 2/3 innings while going 8-18 with a 4.59 ERA. The latter numbers don’t look great, but 196 strikeouts, 96 walks and the injury factor all point to a guy who is still … well, A.J.
There’s nothing not to like here. Obviously. No one better understands Burnett’s value than the Pirates or Pittsburgh, and it’s become clear in recent weeks that the rotation could have significant holes to fill given the uncertain statuses of Francisco Liriano and Edinson Volquez, plus long recoveries ahead for Charlie Morton and Jameson Taillon. Help was needed. And help with starting pitching is always extra welcome when it comes with real knowledge of that pitcher and that pitcher’s excellent relationship with Ray Searage. Indications had arisen in recent days that Burnett might be spurning all other offers — the Orioles had just made him one, right near his home, and he had a player option from the Phillies worth $12.75 million that he declined — to come back to Pittsburgh, so it’s telling that this got done the way it did.
The most prominent question probably will be what impact this has on Russell Martin, though it shouldn’t be. This could not possibly be connected. The Pirates need pitching help, and A.J. is pitching help. I know everyone’s eager to read Martin into every move the team makes, including whether or not something constitutes PR or saving face for Martin’s departure, but it doesn’t apply here for me. At all.
The real most prominent question — and Neal Huntington is holding a conference call with us reporter types at 4:30 p.m. — will be Burnett’s health status. He delayed any hernia procedure until after the season, and I’ve yet to hear if one actually occurred.
If A.J. can be A.J., and it’s for half his most recent salary … man, what’s not to like?
I’ll update this file after the conference call.
UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: I’ll type as quickly as I can some summaries of what Burnett and the GM says. Burnett will be first on the line.
Burnett: “It’s about winning to me. It’s about how many I’ve got left. It’s about my family and my heart. To be able to get out where I want, I’m so lucky to have that opportunity. There’s nowhere I’d rather finish my career that in that city, with that organization and those people in that locker room. I’m sure I’ve got one more left in me, and there’s no place I’d rather be.”
On hernia: “I had surgery in October, and the very next week I was ramping up my training. I expect to be full-go for spring training.”
Says he approached Pirates, not other way around: “This wasn’t about money. And if anybody asks, this was going to be my last season. I want to be in a place where I was really, really happy. This is just where I belong. There are some gut feelings you have to go with. I made it very clear, this wasn’t about the money. Let’s just get it done.”
I asked A.J. about his pain threshold in 2013: “It wasn’t as much painful as there was a constant grab. I was under contract to pitch for the Philadelphia Phillies, and I gave them everything I had. I was in touch with doctors to make sure it wasn’t getting worse and just kept going.”
4:58 p.m.: Going to put up podcast momentarily of my appearance just now on 970 ESPN to talk about this with David Todd. There will be a full column on this later. Promise.
5:08: Full column to come soon, actually. Will try to get it done before tipoff of the Pitt game.
November 14, 2014
News/views: Pirates bring back A.J.
by Dejan Kovacevic • Columns • Pirates
A.J. Burnett left the Pirates after the 2013 season to spend a year in Philadelphia. — GETTY IMAGES
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
News: The Pirates are bringing back A.J. Burnett, signed Friday for one year at $8.5 million.
Views: Wow, so that’s a start, huh?
I’m going to type out some stuff here in real-time, so please keep refreshing to see the whole thing once it’s done. Just wanted to put something up right away.
Burnett will be 38 in January, and he’s coming off a strange season in Philadelphia in which he pitched through significant hernia pain to log a National League-high 34 starts and 213 2/3 innings while going 8-18 with a 4.59 ERA. The latter numbers don’t look great, but 196 strikeouts, 96 walks and the injury factor all point to a guy who is still … well, A.J.
There’s nothing not to like here. Obviously. No one better understands Burnett’s value than the Pirates or Pittsburgh, and it’s become clear in recent weeks that the rotation could have significant holes to fill given the uncertain statuses of Francisco Liriano and Edinson Volquez, plus long recoveries ahead for Charlie Morton and Jameson Taillon. Help was needed. And help with starting pitching is always extra welcome when it comes with real knowledge of that pitcher and that pitcher’s excellent relationship with Ray Searage. Indications had arisen in recent days that Burnett might be spurning all other offers — the Orioles had just made him one, right near his home, and he had a player option from the Phillies worth $12.75 million that he declined — to come back to Pittsburgh, so it’s telling that this got done the way it did.
The most prominent question probably will be what impact this has on Russell Martin, though it shouldn’t be. This could not possibly be connected. The Pirates need pitching help, and A.J. is pitching help. I know everyone’s eager to read Martin into every move the team makes, including whether or not something constitutes PR or saving face for Martin’s departure, but it doesn’t apply here for me. At all.
The real most prominent question — and Neal Huntington is holding a conference call with us reporter types at 4:30 p.m. — will be Burnett’s health status. He delayed any hernia procedure until after the season, and I’ve yet to hear if one actually occurred.
If A.J. can be A.J., and it’s for half his most recent salary … man, what’s not to like?
I’ll update this file after the conference call.
UPDATE 4:30 p.m.: I’ll type as quickly as I can some summaries of what Burnett and the GM says. Burnett will be first on the line.
Burnett: “It’s about winning to me. It’s about how many I’ve got left. It’s about my family and my heart. To be able to get out where I want, I’m so lucky to have that opportunity. There’s nowhere I’d rather finish my career that in that city, with that organization and those people in that locker room. I’m sure I’ve got one more left in me, and there’s no place I’d rather be.”
On hernia: “I had surgery in October, and the very next week I was ramping up my training. I expect to be full-go for spring training.”
Says he approached Pirates, not other way around: “This wasn’t about money. And if anybody asks, this was going to be my last season. I want to be in a place where I was really, really happy. This is just where I belong. There are some gut feelings you have to go with. I made it very clear, this wasn’t about the money. Let’s just get it done.”
I asked A.J. about his pain threshold in 2013: “It wasn’t as much painful as there was a constant grab. I was under contract to pitch for the Philadelphia Phillies, and I gave them everything I had. I was in touch with doctors to make sure it wasn’t getting worse and just kept going.”
4:58 p.m.: Going to put up podcast momentarily of my appearance just now on 970 ESPN to talk about this with David Todd. There will be a full column on this later. Promise.
5:08: Full column to come soon, actually. Will try to get it done before tipoff of the Pitt game.