DEL.ICIO.USMajor League Baseball Winter Meetings
Braves could add to Burnett offer; trade for Ankiel
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, December 08, 2008
Las Vegas — While the Braves would prefer not to turn an option into a guaranteed fifth year in their offer to free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett, there are indications they would do it if that’s what it took to outbid the New York Yankees or other suitors.
“You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” manager Bobby Cox said when asked about pitching-needy teams like the Braves having to offer more money and/or longer deals than they’d prefer for free agents who’ve had health issues.
On the first day of baseball’s annual winter meetings, there were reports that the Yankees were considering making a four-year, $64 million offer to Burnett. The Braves last week offered him what was believed to be a four-year, $60 million offer that also included a fifth-year vesting option.
Braves officials met again with Burnett’s agent and also continued on several fronts in their pursuit of an run-producing outfielder. They’ve discussed a possible trade for St. Louis’ Rick Ankiel, a converted pitcher who has 36 homers and 110 RBIs in 585 at-bats since returning as an outfielder in 2007.
The Braves also have expressed some interest in Seattle veteran Raul Ibanez, but there are several other teams that have gone harder after the 36-year-old free agent.
Braves general manager Frank Wren said the Braves and many other teams would now prefer to fill a need by signing a free agent, if possible, rather than trade away prospects. Last week the Braves traded catching prospect Tyler Flowers and three other young players to get veteran starter Javier Vazquez.
Now, they hope to bolster the rotation in a bigger way by signing Burnett as their ace.
“He’s got a fabulous arm,” Cox said of the right-hander, who had a career-high 18 wins and led the American League with 231 strikeouts in 221-1/3 innings in 2008. “He’s a guy who can go out there, even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, and throw a no-hitter.”
Burnett, 31, was slowed by injuries and never won more than 12 games in a season before going 18-10 with a 4.07 ERA this season. His contract with Toronto gave him the right to opt out of the final two seasons and $24 million and become a free agent.
Two of his three best seasons have come in the years before free agency, including a 12-12 record and 3.44 ERA in his last season with the Marlins in 2005, when he had 198 strikeouts in 209 innings.
He had ligament-transplant (“Tommy John”) elbow surgery in 2003, and had disabled-list stints in 2006 and 2007 for elbow and shoulder soreness, neither considered serious.
The Braves turned their focus to Burnett after six-week trade negotiations with San Diego for 2007 Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy stalled. Wren said Monday that he’s had no negotiations with the Padres since Atlanta pulled out of the Peavy talks four weeks ago.
Jair Jurrjens is coming off a strong 13-win rookie season, and the Braves wanted to make sure he doesn’t have to carry too much of a load in 2009 with Tim Hudson out recovering from elbow surgery.
John Smoltz also gave Cox reason for optimism Friday when the 41-year-old Braves stalwart threw off the mound for the first time since June shoulder surgery. Smoltz reported no pain, and Cox said there was no doubt in the manager’s mind that Smoltz would be back pitching in 2009.
Although Smoltz is a free agent, the Braves have made it clear to him that they want him back if he’s able to pitch. Smoltz has spent his entire major league career with the Braves and has said he expected to work out a contract with them later this winter.
There had been talk after Smoltz’s surgery of him coming back as a reliever for the second time, but Cox said Monday that both Smoltz and the Braves, for now, are thinking of him as a starter for 2009.
The Braves have Mike Gonzalez penciled in as closer in 2009, with Peter Moylan and Rafael Soriano as a potentially formidable setup duo if both make it back from surgeries.
Moylan, who had ligament-transplant elbow surgery in May, has progressed well and should be ready at the end of spring training or shortly after, Wren said. The Braves might not know until late January if Soriano (nerve-transposition elbow surgery) will be ready for spring training.
Cox said there was room in the Braves’ budget to sign or trade for another starting pitcher and still afford Smoltz or Tom Glavine, who’s also attempting a comeback from elbow and shoulder surgeries. Glavine isn’t far enough into his rehab program to know if he’ll make it back.
