AJ is Sent to the House

by craig on Sep 27, 2005 4:43 AM EDT in News Comment 11 comments

Could this stretch drive get any crappier? A.J. has worn out his welcome with the club and was basically told not to let door hit him on the butt on his way out.

MIAMI GARDENS -- A.J. Burnett not only has thrown his last pitch for the Florida Marlins, but he's worn the uniform for the last time.

A day after blasting the team, Burnett was dismissed from the team Monday and was advised the Marlins would not offer the free-agent-to-be pitcher a contract.

"In the best interest of the team and A.J., he was asked to leave the team and he has done so," General Manager Larry Beinfest said following the Marlins 4-0 loss to the Nationals. "Furthermore, no multiyear contract will be offered to A.J."

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This is something A.J. has to fix," veteran Lenny Harris said. "You have to talk to people individually; you don't just bring down the ship like that. He buried everybody."

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One source said entering the season he could have been the most attractive free-agent pitcher on the market. "Not now," said the source.

So is A.J. going to find his options very limited in the off season? Will there be any suitors for the young man's talents?

Apparently there will be.

Florida Marlins right-hander A.J. Burnett, perhaps the most talented pitcher available on the free agent market in this coming offseason, said Monday he would strongly consider signing with the Washington Nationals.

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The Nationals are likely to pursue two starters, and Burnett and Cleveland's Kevin Millwood (9-11, 2.92) are strong candidates if the current management structure stays in place.

I truly do wish A.J. well and I hope it all works out for him but I have seen enough.

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Bye A.J.!

And props to Beinfest for not offering a contract when the time comes.

LeBatard said something in the paper today like "good luck A.J. with living up to your talents elsewhere." I think that's my sentiment. Although, honestly, A.J.'s getting a little old for anyone to realistically expect him to turn the corner.

That said, he'll probably go to Atlanta and become Randy Johnson.

by mike42 on Sep 27, 2005 9:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This will also cost AJ

$50,000 since he'll miss a bonus for pitching 210 innings (by one measly inning).

I can't decided if that is a truly shitty thing for the organization to do.

by wiggins on Sep 27, 2005 1:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I can't decided either :-p

Try it yourself - get yourself on TV talking smack about your boss and see if they hand you $50K next week.

by mike42 on Sep 27, 2005 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kidding, but I see your point

And if A.J. wanted that money so badly (and $50,000 isn't much to him - especially with the payday he's about to get), he should have pitched like Dontrelle Willis this year. Dontrelle threw enough innings to earn the bonus (which he isn't going to get either) this year.

A month from now A.J. and his agent are going to be telling people that he's the top option available and that he's a number one starter. If he'd pitched like that (not just in short spurts), I'd feel bad about the Marlins not giving him the bonus. But he didn't earn it.

by mike42 on Sep 27, 2005 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good points.

I know all that - but still. It seems a little shady to send him home before his last start one inning short of a bonus. He didn't picth amazingly well - but he DID pitch those innings.

by wiggins on Sep 27, 2005 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know

That's true too. But did you hear the audio of Burnett talking to the media? They keep playing it on the radio down here. I have no sympathy for the guy.

My guess is also that the stuff he said the other day was not the first issue that they had with him.

And also, while I'm not going into it publicly here, after seeing him "in action" at the Marlins' hotel in New York this summer, he's not high up on my list of good guys that I like to cheer for. The guy is a jerk and he likely deserves worse than he's getting.

by mike42 on Sep 27, 2005 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So, essentially

From an objective perspective, you are right.

But I think this is a highly subjective thing. Guys earn and don't earn their bonuses for reasons like this all the time. A.J.'s not getting his because he was a jerk publicly. Other guys fail to receive theirs because they aren't given the opportunity to get AB's or innings late in the year.

by mike42 on Sep 27, 2005 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I haven't heard anything

Or seen much of anything. I 'm sure he's a jerk, and he probably doesn't deserve anything. Besides - he'll get paid insane amounts this next year (and not perform up to expectations for whoever he signs for). I just hate to see my favorite team's higher-ups make dick moves like that. It has happened too often in the past as well, and can't help with relations with other players.

by wiggins on Sep 27, 2005 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe, maybe not

Well, A.J.'s not making Cabrera and Willis like change this year. Burnett is well into the millions. Taking $50K away from Cabs or Willis would be pretty significant. That's part of why I think this is different (although it really isn't).

The message it sends is interesting. I'm not sure what it does. To potential free agents and players throughout the league, it's definitely questionable, as it seems to make people think that the Fish are pinching pennies and will screw you when they can.

On the other hand, there are obviously issues in the clubhouse. If they can stiff Burnett (who they weren't going to keep anyway) but send a message to Cabrera (and whoever else) at the same time, it may be worthwhile.

by mike42 on Sep 27, 2005 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If the message

gets across and that is what they are doing, that's fine. If they are just being cheap dicks, then...

Argh.

That's why I'm struggling with it. I guess I'll just bid goodbye to AJ with everyone else and forget about it. Just hope he doesn't figure it all out with the Red Sox next year...

by wiggins on Sep 27, 2005 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs