Tagged: A.J. Burnett

Pettitte Stays in Pinstripes, While Varitek is do This Week

Andy Pettitte, 36, signed a one year, $5.5 million dollar deal with the Yankees. The deal could be worth up to $12 million dollars if he reaches all of his incentives. Contracts with incentives are the best contracts, you can’t overpay or underpay a player who has incentives in the contract. Pettitte was 14-14 last season with a 4.54 ERA. He also had 158 strikeouts in 33 games, 204 innings pitched. Pettitte played nine seasons with the Yankees before joining the Houston Astros from 2004-2006 and then went back to the Yankees after the 2006 season. The Yankees rotation is now set to be C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Chein-Ming Wang, Pettitte, and then Joba Chamberlain. I think Phil Hughes should be the fifth starter and not Joba. Joba went 3-1 this season as a starter. Joba needs to stay in the bullpen so in a few years when Mariano Rivera retires Joba can become the closer, but I am getting off track. In order for Pettitte to come back on to the roster the Yankees designated Chase Wright for assignment. Wright went 10-3 this season at Double-A and Triple-A

Andy Pettitte

The Red Sox have set a Friday deadline for Jason Varitek. The deal would pay him a base salary of $5 million dollars for 2009 and a club option for 2010 worth $5 million dollars. if he doesn’t make his mind up by Friday Boston would likely trade for a younger catcher, maybe Jarrod Saltamacchia (that was a mouthful), of the Texas Rangers or Miguel Montero, of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Varitek will turn 37 in April. Last season he batted .220, with 13 home runs, and 43 RBI’s. He was backup to Joe Mauer of the Twins in the 2008 All-Star Game , his third all-star game, at Yankee Stadium and caught Jon Lester’s no-hitter.  Varitek will probably start this season and will have Josh Bard or a young catcher as his backup this season and in 2010 will mentor a young catcher. It is also possible that Boston wants a young catcher to catch knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. That is unlikely though because Wakefield is close to retirement. I hope Varitek comes back tomorrow! 


Jason Varitek gives Alex Rodriguez a face full of catcher's mitt, setting off a benches-clearing incident July 24.

I love this picture.

Also I just noticed that in past entries “Varitek” is spelt “Varitex.” Sorry.


Pat The Bat

First- Since there is news to blog about look for Red Sox, Yankees, Rays to continue when there is no news to blog about or during spring training.

Second- Milton Bradley signed with the Cubs pending a physical on a three year $30 million dollar deal. Look for more on that tomorrow.
Third- Jason Giambi is expected to go to the Oakland A’s.
Forth- Twins owner Carl Pohald died today.
WOW! Is the hot stove heating up two all-star players are close to signing while one signed today. Pat Burrell signed with the Tampa Bay Rays today on a two year $16 million dollar contract. Pat the Bat won the World Series with the Phillies beating the team he signed with today the Tampa Bay Rays. Burrell is 32 and the right handed slugger the Rays have needed forever. Burrell is a veteran who can help the Rays this year. Burrell will probably be the DH with the A’s. Burrell walks a lot while he hit 33 home runs, had a .250 batting average and drove in 86 RBI’s. The move by the Rays kind of keeps them up with the Yankees who signed C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira along with former Red Sox Kevin Cash. Burrell will help the Rays who know have to play with people watching them. Even with the signing Tampa Bay will not compete, because Longoria and others will have to make changes, which will give the Rays a not so good first month, half, or who knows it could take a week for Longoria to make his changes. Now that the Hot Stove is heating up maybe Varitex will sign with Boston soon.
Burrell

Red Sox, Yankees, Rays- Rotation

First- WOW! Today is the slowest day in sports ever. So slow I was going to put this story up around spring training.

Second- Some of my NFL predictions were off, but who would have thought that the Chargers would have beat the Colts.
Third- My Celtics better start another streak. If they win tonight against the Knicks it will be a two game win streak.
Now to the Entry.
Who will win the A.L. will it be the Rays, Sox, or that team in New York (I’m to mad at them for some reason to say their name). I will lock at every thing from the players to their ballparks to their fans.
Rotation
C.C. Sabathia, NYY, A.J. Burnett, Chein-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes/ Alfredo Aceves
Josh Beckett BOS, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Brad Penny, Tim Wakefield/ Clay Buchholz
James Shields TB, Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza, Andy Sonnanstine, David Price/ Mitch Talbot
The Yankees have two real aces along with one ace. To be a real ace you have to be an ace no questions asked. To be an ace you only need some people to think your an ace. C.C. and A.J. are real aces while Wang is just an ace. The Red Sox have three real aces being Beckett, Lester, and Dice-K. They also have an ace being Brad Penny. they Rays have two real aces being Shields and Kazmir. Garza is an ace while Price is a future ace. Joba needs to stay in the bullpen so if I were the Yankees I would get Smoltz or someone and move Joba to the ‘pen. The Red Sox need to have a sixth man ready like Clay or Masterson in case Penny or Beckett gets hurt. I would start Clay in the bullpen at first. Masterson should stay in the bullpen. Bowden needs half a year then the Sox should call him up in the summer. The Rays just need to get better every year. Their rotation is great, just not ready to compete with the rotations of Boston and New York.
Note- If a “/” is in front of their name then they are the “sixth” or backup starter. If they are bold that means they are one of the top five starters, which gives their team a point. If underlined then they are an honorable mention and gives their team 1/2 a point.
Sorry not showing much love to the Rays.
Todays points
Red Sox- 3.5
player
Yankees- 2.5
player

Rays- 1.5
player
Look out for the infield tomorrow

Brad Penny & Josh Bard

First- Here is the link to the salaries that I used for the roster game. try it if you want, it is kinda fun.
It only has the salaries from the start of the season, so now Masterson or Price.
Second- My Celtics got back on track by kicking the Sacramento King‘s but.
The Boston Herald is reporting that the Red Sox have reportedly reach a deal with starter Brad Penny and catcher Josh Bard. Penny’s deal is worth a base salary of five million dollars plus bonuses. Penny is a nine year major league veteran. Penny has played all nine years in the N.L. with the Florida Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was injured most of the season last year making only 17 starts with six wins and nine losses. With the exception of 2008 Penny’s stats are better then A.J. Burnett’s who recently signed with the New York Yankees, the Red Sox rivals. In 2007 Penny had 16 wins while Burnett had ten wins and eight loses. Penny will be the fifth or forth man in the rotation. Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson, and Michael Bowden where also in the running for the fifth man in the rotation. I think Clay, Masterson, and Bowden will still compete for the rotation in case Penny gets injured. Masterson will probably stay in the bullpen now, while Clay could start the season in the bullpen to see how he does back at the major league level. Bowden will probably stay in AAA for half the season then move to the majors in the summer.
Josh Bard played seven games for the Red Sox in 2006 trying to catch knuckle baller, Tim Wakefield, allowing ten pass balls. Bard must have learned to catch a knuckle ball because I don’t think he would be back here unless he knows how to catch Wakefield. Bard’s contract is worth 1.6 million with a non-guaranteed major league deal. Bard has played seven major league seasons with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres. He is 30 years old, with 28 carer home runs and a .265 carer batting average. He had one home run and 36 hits, in 57 games with the Padres this year. Bard has been to the post season only once where he went one for seven.
Overall I like both moves by the Red Sox, mostly the Penny deal.