US PresswireThe Pittsburgh Pirates made offers to pitchers Roy Oswalt and Edwin Jackson this winter, but both of them spurned the idea of moving to western Pennsylvania. Now the Pirates may have found their man.
Fox Sports reports that the team has had discussions with the New York Yankees about A.J. Burnett, who led the American League in strikeouts back in 2008 when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays. Since then, though, he's been a bit of a disappointment to many Yankee fans. Last season, he went 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA.
Fox notes, though, that the discussions "failed to progress and perhaps qualified only as due diligence." However, the Yanks may have more incentive to ditch the 35-year-old Burnett as spring training gets closer; the team could use a little financial wiggle room to add Eric Chavez and whatever left-handed bat (Raul Ibanez, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui) they choose to sign, Fox notes. Burnett has two years and $33 million left on his deal. The Pirates, no doubt, would expect the Yanks to pay a big chunk of that if a deal were made.
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