Resurgence

In no way am I going to attempt to justify the 5-year, $82.5 million contract Yankees GM Brian Cashman handed A.J. Burnett in December of 2008.

Prior to his Yankees signing, Burnett was simply a slightly above average pitcher. In the 2008 season with Toronto he posted a 4.07 ERA, which, while inflated by pitching in the AL East, is hardly worthy of that type of commitment.

It simply didn't make sense why the Yankees and their fans expected him to be their messiah. That being said, he drastically underachieved.

His first season with the Yankees went generally the same as his final one with Toronto: his ERA rose 0.03 points and he had 13 wins. That seemed to be a realistic projection of what he would offer for the coming four years of his massive deal, production not worth his salary.

Of course, he would go on to implode the two years after as we all know. He scuffled with Jorge Posada (as quite a few others have), prompting the Yankees to appoint Francisco Cervelli and soft-swinging Jose Molina as his personal catchers. While the results were slightly better, Burnett's battery mates weren't the ones that could control the fact that his curveball bounced two feet in front of home plate.

Burnett simply could not handle the pressure of pitching in the Big Apple. Like many other athletes that fizzle there, as well as in cities like Boston and Philadelphia, the stress was too great - particularly for a guy as emotional as A.J. Burnett. His always stuff was still there, but the correct mindset wasn't.  Being traded to the Pirates for a pair of prospects was the best thing that could have happened to him.

Fouling a ball off of his face just before the season wasn't as big a deal away from New York.

Not only is he now pitching in a smaller market with less pressure and more forgiving fans, but the NL Central lineups he faces do not consist of Ellsbury, Pedroia, Gonzalez, Ortiz, Youkilis (all healthy and hitting), ever. Pittsburgh is a place where he can relax and take on a new role of being a leader.

Burnett's leadership is paying dividends with the young Pirates staff, particularity concerning James McDonald, a guy largely unknown is his first four years in the show. Under Burnett's tutelage, the 27-year-old is dazzling fans with a 2.19 ERA and 6-3 record.

And once again, Burnett is making the most of his every fifth day as well: after six innings of two-hit ball against the Tigers earlier tonight, he sits at 8-2 with a 3.24 ERA (which would be the lowest of his career). He's won his last seven starts.

Along with Andrew McCutchen, McDonald, and the the finally emerging Pedro Alvarez, Burnett has become an instrumental part of a scrappy Pirates club that in finally convincing fans at PNC Park to believe. When they tossed in a few prospects to land Burnett, the front office was probably not expecting this magnitude of a reward.

Frustration with the Media (ESPN) - Part 2

Continued from Part 1.

ESPN has a blog called the "Heat Index," which shows they are not even trying to hide the fact that they play favorites to the larger markets that have a bandwagon fan base across the country. When the Indiana Pacers beat the Heat in one of their first round matchups, the headlines were not "Pacers win" but rather "Heat fall." The Pacers were still ignored, and all of the featured articles were how the Heat could improve for the next game, etc., as opposed to anything to do with the Pacers' success. This is just a general example; the network uses this technique when it comes to any of their large market lovers.

MLB closer Heath Bell picked up on ESPN's team favoritism as well, as I'm sure many others have, saying, "I truly believe ESPN only cares about promoting the Red Sox, Yankees and Mets--and nobody else. That's why I like the MLB Network, because they promote everybody. I'm really turned off by ESPN and Baseball Tonight. When Jake Peavy threw 8⅓ innings on Saturday, they showed one pitch in the third inning and that was it. It's all about the Red Sox, Yankees and Mets."

Ratings, ratings, ratings. That what drives ESPN. The rather frustrating part to many sports fans is the fact that they succeed with their act. Whether people love or hate LeBron James, ESPN knows "reporting" every single one of his brainless comments will generate traffic, because people will see James' name and automatically be drawn to the article.

Of course, some athletes are shoved down our throats anyway, even if they aren't a top player like James. At first people thought the Danica Patrick story was something worthy of excitement, until they realized she is a terrible driver with a huge ego who will probably never win a NASCAR race. But articles on her still get comments, mainly criticizing her like I just did. But to ESPN, what does it matter? She ups their ratings.

More on this topic soon.

Pineda, Montero Swapped (and what it means)

It's a trade that may not seem like a huge deal to casual baseball fans. But a few years from now, this deal could have a profound impact on the Yankees, and be an integral part to getting the Mariners back on track.

New York has dealt DH/C Jesus Montero and relief pitcher Hector Noesi to the M's in exchange for phenom pitcher Michael Pineda and the righthander Jose Campos.

Noesi is a 24-year-old reliever who posted a 4.47 ERA and 45 strikeouts is his rookie campaign. Campos has yet to sniff the bigs.

Maybe those two guys will turn into decent players. Time will tell. The other two involved, Montero and Pineda, have superstar potential.

While his ability to catch is in question, Jesus Montero has extraordinary talent with his bat. After some struggles in triple-A, Montero went on to hit .328 with four bombs and 28 ribbies in just 18 games last year with the Yanks. Had he stayed in New York, he would have been the everyday DH.

I've had the pleasure of watching Montero when he played for the double-A affiliate of the Yankees, the Trenton Thunder. Let's just say the man could hit.

Michael Pineda may continue to morph into the additional impact starter behind CC Sabathia the Yankees have yearned for. He's only 22, but he showed he was major league ready in his rookie campaign with Seattle. He posted a 3.74 ERA, with 173 Ks in 171 innings. His stat line included a sparkiling 1.10 WHIP, and opposing batters hit just .211 against him. The sophomore possesses electrifying stuff, and the Yankees' hope is he will create an imposing 1-2 punch with CC is the postseason.

The deal, while widely said to favor the Yanks, is logical for the M's as well. Loaded with young arms, everyday position players are a scarcity in the organization.

Both of these players are already on the brink of stardom. In Seattle, Montero won't have the pressure of playing in New York as he develops. Seattle has some of the best fans in sports, but to say they will contend for their division is borderline absurd. Pineda, on the other hand, will have to adjust to facing the big guns of the AL East, and the hardships that comes with playing in the Bronx.

Behind Sabathia, Pineda, and Ivan Nova, the Yankees' rotation is in question. Phil Hughes, Freddy Garcia, A.J. Burnett and newly-signed Hiroki Kuroda will contend for the final two spots. Suddenly, this rotation looks like one to be reckoned with.

The organization probably will root for Hughes and Burnett to fill the 4-5 spots; Hughes because he's young and still shows potential, and Burnett because of the cash invested in him. Burnett had a rough year before redeeming himself in his divisional playoff start.

Kuroda's situation is interesting. His ERA was 3.07 with the Dodgers last year, ace material on a number of teams. But if he doesn't impress in Spring Training, he could find himself coming out of the pen.

Kuroda's acquisition is now silver lining with Pineda coming to the Bronx. Brian Cashman and the Yankees organization can only hope he is worth giving up Montero, a guy who could be an icon in Seattle for years to come.

Against the Odds, Burnett Comes Through

I have to start off by gloating that somehow I saw this coming. Six innings pitched and two runs was what I projected for A.J. Burnett last night. I just had a gut feeling for some reason. Maybe it was partially because of his final regular season start against Boston; I do not know.

While it wasn't always pretty last night, A.J. pitched even better than my projection. He ended up surrendering only one run in five and two thirds innings en route to earning the win and keeping the Yankees' season alive. Sure, he needed Curtis Granderson to bail him out when he walked the bases loaded in the first. But what's wrong with a break going your way? When he left the game to the bullpen, his team had more runs than the opponent. He did what he needed to do.

Perhaps all he needed was confidence. Burnett constantly told reporters all season he believed he had what it took to be successful. Did he mean it? Only he knows. His self-confidence was probably wavering at best through his regular season struggles, in which he posted a miserable 5.15 ERA. Nonetheless, manager Joe Girardi kept putting him out there, much to the displeasure of the Yankee faithful.

And last night, well, his own teammates probably questioned whether their season was over before the game started. While everyone knows Burnett has the stuff to be successful, he just can't locate it. Extensive work with pitching coach Larry Rothschild helped fix his release and it proved successful, at least for yesterday's ballgame.

The only reason Burnett was on the hill for the Yanks was because of the Game 1 rain delay. He was expected to work out of the pen for the series in middle inning work. The rotation was supposed to be Sabathia, Nova, Garcia, Sabathia, Nova for the five-game series. Thanks to Mother Nature, A.J. Burnett got his chance, and he made the most of it.

What does this mean? Should the Yankees advance into the ALCS, we will see him on the hill, probably as the Game 2 starter. He is in the Yankees good graces after his performance last night, and he is as important as anyone for the Bombers if they want to make a championship run.

The Closer Debate

As you are probably aware, Mariano Rivera has just shattered the MLB saves record a few hours ago with his 602nd regular season save, breaking Trevor Hoffman's record. The Sandman's poise, determination, and classiness make him the best in history at his position and beloved by the Yankee fan base.

That being said, his greatness is still up for debate. How much value should be placed upon a closer?

Relievers, it is sometimes said, are just the guys who aren't good enough to be starters. Why should getting three outs at the end of a ballgame mean anything when starters are expected to get 21 a night? Wouldn't the MLB's top-notch starters be able to handle a closer's task with ease?

Again, it is only three outs a closer has to get for a successful outing. Endurance isn't needed. Game planning is much simpler. Back when Goose Gossage pitched, he, and other relievers, would sometimes go two or three innings to earn a save, rather than just the one. Isn't the task of the modern-day closer simply too undemanding, and therefore overrated?

Well, not necessarily.

What Mariano excels at, his fantastic cutter aside, is the mental aspect of being a closer. If you have ever been watching a starter throwing a shutout, before or during the ninth inning the announcer will usually always say that the last three outs are the hardest to get. Think of how many no-hitters have been broken up in the ninth inning. A rebuttal to this could be that the starter has already thrown eight innings in a ballgame and is highly fatigued. Well then look at solid relievers who have been shifted from an eighth inning role to closer, and have fizzled extraordinarily. They didn't have the "closer's mentality," or the ability to be able to not let the pressure get to them and shut the door.

When a closer fails, it has a drastic effect on a ballclub, and underlines the value of a successful one. Take a look at Brad Lidge. In 2008, he was a perfect 48/48 in save opportunities, including the postseason. A steady closer adds a reassurance to the end of a ballgame. Like with Mariano Rivera in the Yankees case, the Phillies were almost positive they would win the game when leading heading into the ninth inning when 2008 Brad Lidge came out of the bullpen. Then in 2009, Lidge was awful. His 1.95 2008 ERA ballooned to 7.21 in 2009, and the end of every close game turned into a nail biter for the Phillies with the absence of quality closer work.

And this is why Mariano Rivera stands out. He has given the Yankees that reassuring feeling since he became their closer way back in 1997.  While a save may be an overrated stat by some accords, there is no diminishing on what Mo, a sure first-ballot Hall of Famer and owner of a 0.71 postseason ERA, has accomplished in his career. Some try and use the argument of how easy a task a closer might be to lessen his body of work. Either way, it has MLB Hall of Famers in awe. His excellence at his position exemplifies the value a reliable closer can have to a ballclub.

Emotional Weekend for Jorgie

The end may be near for the great Yankee catcher Jorge Posada.

In the midst of hitting just .165 as the Yankees' DH,  he was placed in the nine hole in the Yankees lineup by manager Joe Girardi. Rather than playing, for reasons still somewhat undetermined, Jorgie decided he wanted the night off.

Whether it was because he felt disrespected by the lineup move or because of his back like he said, Posada didn't give an idea to Girardi. Which is why this event has become so overblown by the media.

Whatever really did happen, Posada regrets his decision, saying, "It's just one of those days that you wish you could have back," in regard to Saturday. He apologized to his manager earlier today, and Girardi said their conversation went well. Once former teammates, the two discussed going through struggles, and moving forward.

Posada is not in the Yankees' lineup for tonight's game against the Red Sox, but according to Girardi, not because of yesterday's event. Rather, it is because of Jorge's performance against lefties, whom he has hit 0-24 against. And so far, that decision has paid off, as his replacement, Andruw Jones, just hit a second-inning homer off of Jon Lester.

Looking forward, Jorgie's apology has been accepted, and he will not be fined by GM Brian Cashman. But will he be able to turn around his productiveness, or lack thereof, at the plate? Will his illustrious career end this season? It's still relatively early in the season, and Posada will get many more chances to swing the bat.

Reunited

Cliff Lee is back in Philadelphia. With his acquisition, the Phillies rotation for 2011 is regarded as one of the best ever. His Phillies contract is approximately for 30 million less than what he was offered by the Yankees, but Lee wanted to play in Philly.

The Phillies rotation now features Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt. With this rotation, three game losing losing streaks will almost disappear entirely, regardless of offensive slumps. The Phillies have turned into most people's pick to win the Series.

I know I was one of those fans who, when the Phillies traded away Lee in order to acquire Halladay, with wishful thinking thought of how awesome it'd be for the Phillies to keep both. Now the dream of many fans in Philly has come true. Lee, from day one, was a fan favorite over here, and him taking a 30 mil pay cut will only endear him to Phils fan even further.

With now sky-high expectations in Philly, what does this mean for the Yankees, whose 7-year offer for Lee didn't happen? Well, now they go into the spring with only two definite starters, C.C. Sabathia and Phil Hughes. It does free up more space in terms of signing other players, but the depth of 2011's free agent class is especially weak.

Lee's deal surprised almost everyone in the baseball world, and the Phillies couldn't be happier with the return, this time for five long years.

It's Getting Ridiculous

As a Yankees fan, I will say this: It's starting to get ridiculous. The Yankees are targeting both Carl Crawford and Cliff Lee, the two most prized free agents this offseason, and will likely offer each of them lucrative contracts. It's getting out of hand. There's just too many insane free agent signings and contracts in New York. It's getting harder to be a fan, as the brass is, and I will say it, trying to buy a championship. People have said it for years, but now it really is coming true.

Imagine the Yankees with Crawford and Lee. It isn't unrealistic to say every man in their lineup could make the all-star team, if Gardy can break out and Jorge has some bat left in him. I mean I honestly don't know what I'd say, as a Yankees fan, when someone comes and tells me the Yanks try to buy championships, because it's a reality. Last year their payroll was roughly seven times that of the Pirates, who's $34,943,000 million was the lowest of the 30 teams. And here's something that might not surprise anyone, but is ridiculous nonetheless. Alex Rodriguez's salary last year was 33 million. What that means is the whole entire payroll of last year's Pittsburgh Pirates team was less than two million more than one player's salary.

And then there's Teixeira and Jeter and Sabathia and Granderson and Burnett and Cano and Rivera and Posada and Swisher.....all, either currently or at one point, all-star caliber players, all with huge salaries. Speedster Brett Gardner, at 452K last year, was the only value player in the lineup, the only guy getting paid below the league average. Shouldn't all these players be able to bring a 28th parade to the Bronx?

Sure. The Yankees need starting pitching. They have two solid starters heading into this year, if you count Phil Hughes who began to fall apart as the home stretch of the season rolled around, and wasn't any better in September. But you figure he's still a solid starter with great potential. Sabathia is in the Cy running annually. So that's two guys. Pettitte has most likely thrown his last pitch.

Then there's A.J. Burnett. Huge contract. Analysts talked about how overpaid he was the day he signed to play in pinstripes. He was said to be barely above average by some. But what none of the Yanks brass predicted was his season in 2010. 10-15 record, which, if you can believe it, was inflated by his solid offense, considering: 5.26 ERA, 1.51 WHIP. Yeah. That'll make Brian Cashman think twice about that move.

But it's all okay in the Bronx, because the Yanks can just pick up yet another superstar in Cliff Lee for some 7 years/150 mil. And since the above-average outfield isn't good enough, Crawford can be included in the budget as well.

The Jeter Situation

One of the greatest Yankees of all time, Derek Jeter, at age 36, wants more than a 3-year deal. The Yankees offered Jeter a 3-year, $45M deal, which seems completely fair considering the Captain's best days are behind him.

He hit a career-low .270 last year, but agent Casey Close still wants 4, or preferably more years for his client, which would be long enough until Jeter retires. But the Yankees don't want to pay Jeter, whose days as an everyday player might be limited, when he is sitting in the dugout as a 41-year old.

The bottom line is, while Jeter will probably eventually be signed, the deal won't be what both sides wanted. The Yankees need Jeter, and he needs them.