Cards put in their bid for Burnett
By Joe Strauss
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/01/2005ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
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Florida Marlins starter A. J. Burnett
(Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
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The Cardinals officially have placed themselves in contention for free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett by breaking precedent with a four-year offer worth almost $10 million per season, sources confirmed Thursday night.
Burnett, the centerpiece of the Cardinals' offseason planning so far, is considered the most attractive talent within a relatively thin free-agent pool. The Arkansas native is expected to decide among several offers before Major League Baseball's winter meetings convene Monday in Dallas.
Previously unwilling to guarantee more than three years to any starting pitcher, the Redbirds were the last team interested in tendering a proposal late Wednesday night, according to a source familiar with the situation.
"I know the plan was to make an offer. It's my understanding we were putting one together," manager Tony La Russa said Thursday night.<SCRIPT language=javascript><!-- // beginDisplayAds("Frame1","","");// --></SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.1 src="http://OAS-Central.RealMedia.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_jx.ads/www.stltoday.com/sports/cards/1848225641@Frame1" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT>
Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty, out of town much of this week, could not be reached for comment. Jocketty and La Russa met with Burnett in Florida last month.
The Cardinals' bid is believed to include an option for 2010. The proposal represents a significant break from the organizational philosophy under current ownership. Burnett is the first starting pitcher to command a four-year bid since a group headed by Bill DeWitt Jr. purchased the club in March 1996.
The Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners and New York Mets also are believed to be competing for Burnett. The Blue Jays reportedly offered Burnett a five-year deal worth about $50 million, leaving the club unsure if geographical factors and emotional ties may help their case. Burnett grew up a Cardinals fan.
Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker of Little Rock, Ark., couldn't be reached for comment Thursday night but previously said he believed the process would accelerate this weekend.
Guaranteeing a fifth year was considered vital to any team's chances of landing Burnett, a hard-throwing righthander who has spent his career with the Florida Marlins. For the Cardinals, such a commitment was too much, leaving some within the organization unsure about the team's chances.
Significant debate took place before the club tendered a four-year offer that represents the most lucrative ever made by the Cardinals for any pitcher. DeWitt finally gave his blessing Wednesday, and the offer was made.
Last April, the Cardinals signed Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter to a two-year, $13 million extension that includes a vesting option for 2008. The club is likely to approach lefthander Mark Mulder about an extension before next season. Mulder is entering the final year of a deal after his option vested for 2006.
The Cardinals remain intrigued by free-agent reliever Octavio Dotel, who already has received multiple offers despite continuing to rehab from elbow reconstruction in June. Quoted in Thursday's editions of the Dominican Republic newspaper La Caribe, Dotel named four interested teams - the Houston Astros, New York Mets, Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers - but did not cite the Cardinals. The Texas Rangers also are believed to be in pursuit.
Dotel, who pitched only 15 games before undergoing ligament replacement surgery June 6 - also insisted he would not rush his rehab in order to be ready for opening day, a possibility the Cardinals previously thought existed.
"This recovery process will take at least a year," Dotel told La Caribe, "and I don't want to do anything to interrupt it."
The market for relief pitching continues to skyrocket, as Tom Gordon reportedly has agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal to close for the Philadelphia Phillies. Tim Worrell accepted a two-year deal to return to the San Francisco Giants, and Kyle Farnsworth is reportedly close to accepting a three-year contract similar to Gordon's from the New York Yankees.
Former Cardinals pitcher Jimmy Journell on Thursday signed a minor-league deal with the Cincinnati Reds after the Redbirds allowed him to pursue free agency. Journell, once considered among the club's top pitching prospects, hurt his standing by going 0-1 with a 10.38 ERA in five relief appearances last season. Journell, 27, made 12 appearances for the Cardinals in 2003 and 2005. He missed most of 2004 after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Florida Marlins starter A. J. Burnett
(Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
</TD></TR><TR><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: top; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #336699; TEXT-ALIGN: left" height=1>
The Cardinals officially have placed themselves in contention for free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett by breaking precedent with a four-year offer worth almost $10 million per season, sources confirmed Thursday night.
Burnett, the centerpiece of the Cardinals' offseason planning so far, is considered the most attractive talent within a relatively thin free-agent pool. The Arkansas native is expected to decide among several offers before Major League Baseball's winter meetings convene Monday in Dallas.
Previously unwilling to guarantee more than three years to any starting pitcher, the Redbirds were the last team interested in tendering a proposal late Wednesday night, according to a source familiar with the situation.
"I know the plan was to make an offer. It's my understanding we were putting one together," manager Tony La Russa said Thursday night.<SCRIPT language=javascript><!-- // beginDisplayAds("Frame1","","");// --></SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.1 src="http://OAS-Central.RealMedia.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_jx.ads/www.stltoday.com/sports/cards/1848225641@Frame1" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT>
Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty, out of town much of this week, could not be reached for comment. Jocketty and La Russa met with Burnett in Florida last month.
The Cardinals' bid is believed to include an option for 2010. The proposal represents a significant break from the organizational philosophy under current ownership. Burnett is the first starting pitcher to command a four-year bid since a group headed by Bill DeWitt Jr. purchased the club in March 1996.
The Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners and New York Mets also are believed to be competing for Burnett. The Blue Jays reportedly offered Burnett a five-year deal worth about $50 million, leaving the club unsure if geographical factors and emotional ties may help their case. Burnett grew up a Cardinals fan.
Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker of Little Rock, Ark., couldn't be reached for comment Thursday night but previously said he believed the process would accelerate this weekend.
Guaranteeing a fifth year was considered vital to any team's chances of landing Burnett, a hard-throwing righthander who has spent his career with the Florida Marlins. For the Cardinals, such a commitment was too much, leaving some within the organization unsure about the team's chances.
Significant debate took place before the club tendered a four-year offer that represents the most lucrative ever made by the Cardinals for any pitcher. DeWitt finally gave his blessing Wednesday, and the offer was made.
Last April, the Cardinals signed Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter to a two-year, $13 million extension that includes a vesting option for 2008. The club is likely to approach lefthander Mark Mulder about an extension before next season. Mulder is entering the final year of a deal after his option vested for 2006.
The Cardinals remain intrigued by free-agent reliever Octavio Dotel, who already has received multiple offers despite continuing to rehab from elbow reconstruction in June. Quoted in Thursday's editions of the Dominican Republic newspaper La Caribe, Dotel named four interested teams - the Houston Astros, New York Mets, Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers - but did not cite the Cardinals. The Texas Rangers also are believed to be in pursuit.
Dotel, who pitched only 15 games before undergoing ligament replacement surgery June 6 - also insisted he would not rush his rehab in order to be ready for opening day, a possibility the Cardinals previously thought existed.
"This recovery process will take at least a year," Dotel told La Caribe, "and I don't want to do anything to interrupt it."
The market for relief pitching continues to skyrocket, as Tom Gordon reportedly has agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal to close for the Philadelphia Phillies. Tim Worrell accepted a two-year deal to return to the San Francisco Giants, and Kyle Farnsworth is reportedly close to accepting a three-year contract similar to Gordon's from the New York Yankees.
Former Cardinals pitcher Jimmy Journell on Thursday signed a minor-league deal with the Cincinnati Reds after the Redbirds allowed him to pursue free agency. Journell, once considered among the club's top pitching prospects, hurt his standing by going 0-1 with a 10.38 ERA in five relief appearances last season. Journell, 27, made 12 appearances for the Cardinals in 2003 and 2005. He missed most of 2004 after undergoing shoulder surgery.
