What do you say about this AJ Burnett stuff? Seriously. Other than the fact that the Jays PR people likely want to kill the man today—and the 10,000 Cubs “fans” that were at the Dome this weekend are probably enjoying themselves (in their Mississauga home).
Saying "My focus and abilities belong to the Toronto Blue Jays until I can't control it any longer.” wasn’t likely the brightest thing the man has ever said to a reporter, and it probably gives Jays fans a pretty good idea where Mr. .500 lifetime’s head is on this whole player’s option thing, but, really, what did he say that we didn’t already know?
Drunk Jays Fans sums it up best, I think, when it asks the unanswered question about Burnett: Can you honestly imagine Burnett's mental makeup in a major baseball market? If we're to believe in the Nuke LaLoosh comparisons, what's the over/under on media criticisms before A.J. would snap?
Not many.
Meanwhile, it would be nice if Toronto would evolve one day to the point that it wasn’t so damn hypersensitive about every perceived slight by professional athletes. (Vince Carter aside. Carter should be stoned in public during an annual Kill The Sucky Baby festival held in Dundas Square). T.O. is a wonderful city and those of us that live here shouldn’t need the approval of some uneducated guy who happens to throw hard to understand that.
As for the baseball part of this…I’m sure Neate can pull out all sorts of fancy sounding acronyms that will tell us what anyone with two eyes who isn’t an egomaniacal closet Boston Red Sox fan with a name that rhymes with A.T. already knows.
The man’s overrated and Toronto would be better off using the money they will save by signing someone who can hit the damn ball with a runner on second.
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Overrated? The man's got one of the most overpowering fastballs in baseball, and one of the nastiest curveballs. And all Toronto fans say is that he's a .500 pitcher. Who exactly is overrating him?
Well, he *is* a .500 picture. Ok, .510. 75-72 lifetime (he's 26-22 for the Jays).
And he's hurt A LOT.
Current WHIPs of Jays starters:
Marcum = 0.993*
Halladay = 1.031
Litch = 1.294
McGowan = 1.365
Burnett = 1.506
*leads AL
So you seriously use career won-loss, and a 14-game sample size, to judge pitchers?
Really?
Career WHIPs of Jays starters:
Halladay: 1.219
Marcum: 1.257
Burnett: 1.289
Litsch: 1.337
McGowan: 1.372
Oh, and you know who else has been hurt a lot? Roy Halladay. You know who else? Dustin McGowan.
But by all means, if you'd rather have David Purcey starting once every 5 days...
And note that I actually refuted your arguments instead of poking needless fun at the phrase ".500 picture".
Umm...since you did point out the typo, you really didn't take the high ground on that one, did you?
Although I understand that a career win/loss record is a flawed stat that relies on the performance of others, I will suggest this: In Burnett's case, I feel, it is an example of his inconsistency.
You write that he has "one of the most overpowering fastballs in baseball, and one of the nastiest curveballs." A much more scientific argument than my 15-game WHIP sample, I'm sure. OK, fine. But, does he bring that stuff every game? Has he had it even half the time with the Jays? In my opinion, no.
Statistically, he is the worse starter for Toronto this season. He's gone at the end of the year and he's older than three of the four guys not named Halladay in the rotation. Clearly, he's the pitching asset the Jays would unload if value were available.
I know you like to be contrarian Tyler, but I'm not sure what the point here is....
I'm totally not doing this to be contrarian. You're just making arguments that don't make sense. First it's that a 14-game WHIP justifies him being "overrated". I have to again ask who on earth is overrating him when the whole media has been harping on him since halfway through his first year here.
Statistically, yes, he is the worst starter here. Through 14 games!
Sure, it's probable that he'd be the most likely one to be unloaded, but that isn't in itself a justification for doing so. You have to replace players you trade, and unless you're certain you can get a replacement level starter *and* a clutch bat for Burnett (you can't), you're telling me that you want one of David Purcey or John Parrish pitching every five days for the Blue Jays.
It's very easy to rip on AJ - it's difficult to do it with any semblance of rationality.
Ok...let's try this again. Although we've evolved into a debate about the merits of trading Burnett this season, I dare you to find where I made that suggestion in the OP. I said the Jays would be better off using the money saved by not resigning him (a long shot at best anyway) to get another bat. Toronto has four quality pitchers. They don't have a quality guy to fill the No. 4 spot in the lineup. That's the more pressing need.
As for a trade this season...yes, I'd move him if someone were stupid enough to give up a legitimate bat. And yes, I'd rather have "David Purcey or John Parrish pitching every five days for the Blue Jays" *if* it meant adding offense.
And that's why you're wrong. When asked to take a team with a great pitching staff or a great offence, any seasoned baseball mind will take the pitching staff.
As to the dare - you did pretty clearly say "Clearly, he's the pitching asset the Jays would unload if value were available." I disagree that they would want to trade any pitching assets in a season like this. The fact that it was in the comments doesn't really change it...
As for getting another bat - his name is Adam Lind, and he's waiting patiently in AAA.
OK, so I figure if you guys get in a boxing ring, which one is more likely to fight dirty, and which one is more likely to bribe the referee?
Crazy beats strong every time.
Well, I actually boxed for about 5 years when I was younger.
So I'm the referee-briber.
"They call that the 'stinger.' They ... they don't let you use that no more."
They called me "Kid Gorgeous." Then "Kid Presentable." Then "Kid Gruesome." And finally, "Kid Moe."
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