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From David Waldstein in The New York Times, the latest news about the city's second-biggest sports story:
The Yankees continued to engage in trade talks regarding A.J. Burnett on Wednesday, and according to one baseball official, it is even more likely now that Burnett will be traded. Until Wednesday, the same official said it was possible there would be no trade, but now it appears a deal will get done, and most likely before pitchers and catchers report on Saturday.
Okay, nothing there of real note. Burnett's probably going to be traded, as everyone's been saying for the last couple of weeks. And the likely trade partner hasn't changed, either ... But hey, what's this?
"According to the official, there are now two teams involved in talks with the Yankees: the Pirates and" ... wait for it ... "an unidentified team."
There it is! THE MYSTERY TEAM. Yay!!!!
Of course, it's the Times so they can't just say it's a MYSTERY TEAM. Because that sort of sounds like Mystery Machine, and you just can't have the Mystery Machine running around inside the Times, leaving skid marks and Scooby Snacks in its wake. That just wouldn't do, at all. So instead the team is unidentified. /boring
But we've got a MYSTERY TEAM here, friends. Which makes this little drama about three times more interesting than it was yesterday. Yesterday, it seemed we already knew the ending, and were just sitting through a little Act 2 flavor involving a few million bucks and a couple of players nobody's ever heard of.
All that's changed now. Now we might actually be surprised at some point in the next 48 hours. If you're pregnant, you probably already know if you're having a boy baby or a girl baby because by God you just couldn't help yourself could you. But by God you don't know which uniform A.J. Burnett will be wearing in spring training next week.
And that is a beautiful thing.
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Comments
Not to count out the MYSTERY TEAM, which has never been wise this offseason
but if I were a baseball official who may or may not work for the New York Yankees (and maybe I am. YOU DON’T KNOW), I wouldn’t want to tell a reporter that a trade was definitely going to happen, and the Pirates were the only team in on it. Because once you’ve admitted you’re definitely sending this guy to the Pirates, it makes it harder to insist that they have to send back someone who profiles as more than a future org player, even if you’ve already leaked the scoop that Gerrit Cole is not coming back in the deal.
I’m saying that I wouldn’t rule out that there’s a mystery team, and I wouldn’t rule out that it’s the Spotsylvania Knights.
Not actually affiliated with whygavs.
by WHYG Zane Smith on Feb 16, 2012 9:57 AM EST reply actions
The A's
It’s gotta be the A’s, because that’s the only thing that makes sense in this offseason where the A’s moves make no sense.
by hookthemyo on Feb 16, 2012 10:08 AM EST reply actions
won't happen
Burnett has all of the West Coast teams on his no-trade list because his wife lives in Maryland and is afraid to fly; he’s already refused an Angels deal for this reason, and I don’t think there’s any reason to think he’d accept a trade to the A’s.
(I would like to boast that I may have been the first person to come up with that explanation, having discovered the pertinent information while doing research to confirm that Burnett’s wife is very attractive. She also seems to be a pretty private person, so I feel a little bad that her fear of flying is all over the baseball blogs.)
Not actually affiliated with whygavs.
by WHYG Zane Smith on Feb 16, 2012 10:28 AM EST up reply actions
I could see Beane finding his way into this deal
Oakland sends a lefty outfielder to the Yankees (I’m thinking Seth Smith, the perfect DH platoon partner for Andruw Jones; Smith exclusively hits righties and he doesn’t field well). Smith is expendable now, and is actually kind of in the way (especially with Manny probably signing soon).
Burnett (and about $20-30M) to the Pirates
Someone young and promising to the A’s. Possibly an infield prospect, or at worst, a good relief pitcher. Maybe the A’s send an extra youngster to Pitt to sweeten their return.
Pirates get a new toy they never could have afforded otherwise, Yankees dump Burnett and fill their only remaining lineup hole, A’s clear their OF logjam and add value elsewhere.
Beane’d.
by ahhall on Feb 16, 2012 3:51 PM EST up reply actions
Cashman was restless he was ready to trade
He jumped out the window cause he couldn’t get a deal made.
Huntington was waiting with a safety net.
He said “Don’t bury me cause I’m not dead yet”.
[Chorus:]
Why don’t you tell me ‘bout the mystery team?
I wanna know about the mystery team.
Let’s make a deal
‘cause I’ve tried and I’ve tried,
and I’m still mystified.
I can’t do it anymore and I’m not satisfied.
-Amazing how a “mystery team” can exist with the know-all, tell-all, report every hangnail and blister like it’s WWIII NYC media on the case.
by bucdaddy on Feb 16, 2012 11:01 AM EST reply actions
Can We Play Guess the Mystery Team?
Okay, one guess each.
Burnett and $10 million to Houston for Carlos Lee.
Reasoning: Houston is desperate for starting pitching and Carlos Lee’s defense has deteriorated to a point where he must play first base. His offense at that position is below average.
Upside for Houston: They get a number four. perhaps a number three (on that staff) starter for two million less than they must pay Lee in 2012, and only 6.5 million in 2013 (Burnett’s salary minus the $10 mil). They can continue their
-dare I write it-youth movement with Lee off the roster.Upside for Yankees: They get a DH who can still hit while increasing their present payroll for right around the $2 million (Lee’s 2012 salary minus Burnett’s) they reportedly have budgeted for the position. They fill a hole without going over budget. They save 6.5 million in 2013 (what they owed Burnett minus the 10 mil they sent with him), and Lee can disappear from the roster, since his contract ends after this season.
by RichL on Feb 16, 2012 4:14 PM EST reply actions
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