Sources: O's get Burnett

By Tony Massarotti

Saturday, July 23, 2005

 

CHICAGO - With Major League Baseball's trading deadline less than 10 days away, the first dominoes began to topple last night with the news that pitcher A.J. Burnett was headed to the Baltimore Orioles.

 

? ? According to sources, the Orioles, Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays are on the verge of consumating a deal that would bring Burnett to Baltimore along with infielder Mike Lowell and minor league outfielder Eric Reed. In return, the Marlins were to receive outfielder Admin Bigbie, starter Hayden Penn and relievers Jorge Julio and Steve Kline.

 

? ? The final stage of the deal would be for the Orioles to find a home for starter Sidney Ponson in order to clear payroll to take on Lowell's salary.

 

? ? Sources said Baltimore wanted to send Ponson to Florida, who in turn would ship him to the Devil Rays in exchange for one of three relievers - Trever Miller, Travis Harper or Lance Carter.

 

? ? Despite much speculation in Boston about the Red Sox' interest in Burnett, the defending world champs were never really close to a deal for the right-hander, according to sources. While the Marlins, like the Red Sox, were looking for bullpen help, the Sox also were reluctant to part with right-hander Bronson Arroyo. The Sox' 28-year-old righty is not eligible for free agency until after the 2008 season and remains one of the more cost-efficient performers on the club.

 

? ? As for the Orioles, the addition of Burnett will give them a powerful arm to help combat the Red Sox and New York Yankees in the AL East. Baltimore is expected to employ Lowell as a first baseman and DH on a club that already features one of the most explosive lineups in the AL.

 

? ? Sox officials were wary of Burnett, 28, both during the offseason and in recent weeks primarily because he has had a history of injuries over the first six years of his career.

I miss "Rumor Central"; I liked reading about this much better there. :plain

to bad..... best wishes to Mike and Aj hope they do good im going to be rooting for them

I don't like the deal...We better have something else coming up...

it's not definately done though....so let's hope for clearer heads.

not official... should be on rumors forum

 

I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope this doesn't happen. I REALLY believe Lowell is on the right track and has been for the past couple weeks...

As it is this deal is just OK.

 

I mean Steve Kline is good, but just sucks in the AL.

Julio is just OK, but could be good.

Penn will be good one day.

Bigbie, leaves a lot to be desired.

Tampa bay reliever #1,2 or 3... not so bad.

 

we the need relievers because we're 12th in the NL in bullpen ERA.

 

This trade could be the precursor to something else though. Like maybe getting Mark Redman, or someone else. If we get a bigger piece from this down the line then i will be pleased.

Otherwise... its just OK.

with willis pitching the way he has been, we need starters, not relievers

yeah, im not too thrilled about adding three more bullpen arms with Alfonseca comin back too.....makes zero sense....

I think trading Lowell is a huge mistake. I just don't understand how a guy can play for so long, then slump for a year and people are so short-sighted they think that he'll never recover. He may have just all of a sudden forgot how to hit, but it's not too likely.

 

The really sad thing about this trade is that besides Julio I don't think any of the guys stick with us. Bigbie is a light hitting corner outfielder that is a platoon player at best. Penn is a decent prospect, but in our system he's one of many. I like Julio, but even he has his problems.

Well relievers are good trade bait... im sure were not done dealing yet.

:crying

I really like Julio.. might be alone on this one. I think he'll be our closer next year and a solid one at that.... just my opinion.

 

Hate seeing Mike go though but it really leaves us with a lot of options for next year and even this year if it is so desired.

 

I wish Bigbie wouldn't have been included because it's going to block Hermida from coming up.

 

Just remember guys, we're losing a .500 pitcher and a .240 hitter.

as long as we got rid of mikeys huge contract im fine with the deal

 

we get something back for burnett and added payroll flexibility..

I really like Julio.. might be alone on this one. I think he'll be our closer next year and a solid one at that.... just my opinion.

 

Hate seeing Mike go though but it really leaves us with a lot of options for next year and even this year if it is so desired.

 

I wish Bigbie wouldn't have been included because it's going to block Hermida from coming up.

 

Just remember guys, we're losing a .500 pitcher and a .240 hitter.

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100% Agree! But i think Bigbie's tenure here will be for only a matter of days.

What sucks is that Mike has been hitting the ball so much better the last week or so. He's been hitting it hard but he's been unlucky. He's hitting .286 in July. This is gonna suck so freaking badly if he wakes up and starts hitting .300 again.... And yeah, with the way Willis has been pitching, we need Burnett, gosh I hope some miracle happens and the trade doesn't.

 

Is this team better with Julio, Bigbie, Kline and Penn, than it was with Burnett and Lowell?

How much will we feel like s*** if Mikey starts tearing it up the minute he gets to Baltimore. I hope something happens and this deal falls through, I still think it's a big mistake getting rid of Mike.

HORRIBLE DEAL.....

 

We are getting jack s***... we are not even getting Daniel Cabrera....

 

This is bull... Bigbie and Julio both are schleps...and Penn is unproven..

 

I cant believe we are giving AJ away for nothing...

 

Daniel Cabrera would be the only guy that would make sense for us to get.. he is a young, talented, and cheap pitcher...

 

but instead we get Bigbie and Julio.... what a crock of s***....

 

HORRIBLE...

What sucks is that Mike has been hitting the ball so much better the last week or so. He's been hitting it hard but he's been unlucky. He's hitting .286 in July. This is gonna suck so freaking badly if he wakes up and starts hitting .300 again.... And yeah, with the way Willis has been pitching, we need Burnett, gosh I hope some miracle happens and the trade doesn't.

 

Is this team better with Julio, Bigbie, Kline and Penn, than it was with Burnett and Lowell?

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problem is we need production out of lowell.. hitting singles and doubles doesnt amount to anything.. yes he is a fan favorite, including one of my favorites, but realistically speaking he has hit 7 HR since last years all star break, which are as many as Easley has hit this year. I rather have $18 million to spend on another player than on a slap hitting defensive 3B

What sucks is that Mike has been hitting the ball so much better the last week or so. He's been hitting it hard but he's been unlucky. He's hitting .286 in July. This is gonna suck so freaking badly if he wakes up and starts hitting .300 again.... And yeah, with the way Willis has been pitching, we need Burnett, gosh I hope some miracle happens and the trade doesn't.

 

Is this team better with Julio, Bigbie, Kline and Penn, than it was with Burnett and Lowell?

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problem is we need production out of lowell.. hitting singles and doubles doesnt amount to anything.. yes he is a fan favorite, including one of my favorites, but realistically speaking he has hit 7 HR since last years all star break, which are as many as Easley has hit this year. I rather have $18 million to spend on another player than on a slap hitting defensive 3B

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Lowell is my favorite player on the team... but I agree 100% with everything you said. Without Lowell, our payroll going into next year is right around $40 million.. so that means we can take on money at the trade deadline if we want or in the offseason.. if we want to. It really leaves open a lot of options.

Very good trade if we are getting rid of all of Mike's contract.

 

Think of it this way- We are trading away a pitcher who won't be here next year for 21 million dollars of payroll flexibility, a 26 year old reliever who throws one of the best fastballs in all of the bigs and has a career ERA under 4.00 to boot , a top pitching prospect ( you can never have enough pitching prospects ) and an OF who will either A. Be a great # 4 guy next year or B. traded this year for another pitcher.

 

Face it guys, noone was going to take Lowell and if we were stuck with his contract we would really be handcuffed for the following 2 years. Miguel moves to his more natural position, and we have one of the best prospects in Hermida to step in the OF either this year or next.

 

I still think we need a power hitting # 5 hitter in this lineup though, and would love to see a Dunn or someone like that over here with the extra payroll flexibility we gain. We also have the pitching prospects the Reds want to get him.

Very good trade if we are getting rid of all of Mike's contract.

 

Think of it this way- We are trading away a pitcher who won't be here next year for 21 million dollars of payroll flexibility, a 26 year old reliever who throws one of the best fastballs in all of the bigs and has a career ERA under 4.00 to boot , a top pitching prospect ( you can never have enough pitching prospects ) and an OF who will either A. Be a great # 4 guy next year or B. traded this year for another pitcher.

 

Face it guys, noone was going to take Lowell and if we were stuck with his contract we would really be handcuffed for the following 2 years. Miguel moves to his more natural position, and we have one of the best prospects in Hermida to step in the OF either this year or next.

 

I still think we need a power hitting # 5 hitter in this lineup though, and would love to see a Dunn or someone like that over here with the extra payroll flexibility we gain. We also have the pitching prospects the Reds want to get him.

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Agreed with all that too. Good post. I agree with the need of a #5 hitter with power... but won't Dunn be due a crap ton of money in arbitration? Also, it sounds like the Reds are asking for the 2nd coming of Cy Young in return.

Miami Herald says not a done deal yet:

Just when it appeared as if the Marlins and Baltimore Orioles had reached an impasse in trade talks involving Mike Lowell and A.J. Burnett, there were new reports Friday that discussions were heating up again and a deal could be close.

 

But multiple industry sources discounted the latest rumblings, and as the Marlins opened a three-game series with the Giants, both Lowell and Burnett were in uniform and on the Florida payroll.

 

ESPN reported Friday that the Orioles could be working on a deal that would send pitcher Sidney Ponson to the Devil Rays, thereby clearing money to acquire Burnett and Lowell.

 

But all other indications were that no deal was imminent because Ponson has no-trade power, which he would likely use to block a trade to the Devil Rays, and the Orioles have no assurances that Burnett -- who can become a free agent after the season -- would agree to a contract extension if he was obtained in a trade with the Marlins.

 

Ponson's agent, Barry Praver, said neither he nor the player had been approached by the Orioles about waiving his no-trade clause in order to complete a deal.

 

 

 

Please let the Boston Herald's sources be wrong, and the Miami Herald's sources be right. Let's ride this team out, they're showing signs of life lately.

Ponson you fat f***

I think their supposed sources are bogus. All the other papers are saying the trade talks heated up a bit, but nothing new. I found this article as well which states basically that the deal is dead as reported.

 

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/basebal...ack=1&cset=true