Fish Open to Trade for SP

[Todd]

Well, Todd, the words you're putting in quotes are ones you're adding yourself.

More along the lines of a Dr. Evil sarcastic airquote


My problem with the team is that in the rare instances when they do add to payroll, that the way they structure the contracts you can tell they have no incentive of honoring them and they are more of a means to an end. I thought Carlos Delgado was the most blatant example of this...signed him to a heavily backloaded contract with IIRC $4 million in year one, during the push for a stadium to show that they were committed to winning, but they had an easy out...either the stadium doesnt get approved and they get rid of him because for that reason OR, the stadium DOES get approved they have to get rid of him anyway because hey...there isnt a stadium built yet so even though its coming they just dont have the funds to keep Delgado for the length.

Fuck Jeffrey Loria.

[Big Z]

Would anyone be opposed to bring back AJ Burnett? I think he'd be a better starter than Koehler at the 5 slot, and should come cheap given how much he's owed.

[emkayseven]

I say let's get Beckett too while we're at it, and then we can see what Julian Tavarez is up to
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real answer: I feel like maybe you forgot the circumstances under which AJ Burnett left this team in the first place

[HUGG]

I would rather not make the playoffs without AJ Burnett than make the playoffs with AJ Burnett.







(I'm lying, but I still hate him)

[Big Z]

I say let's get Beckett too while we're at it, and then we can see what Julian Tavarez is up to
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real answer: I feel like maybe you forgot the circumstances under which AJ Burnett left this team in the first place

I'm not sure what these circumstances were. Please explain.

[HUGG]

He basically got kicked off the team with about a week left in his last season here for criticizing the organization (mostly Jack McKeon).


That said, I could swear I remember that having been reconciled since. I know he's said he regrets it. I doubt it would stop them from acquiring him.

[Big Z]

Ahh interesting. What a dick.

[emkayseven]

He was also something like 1 inning and 1 K short of 200 IP and 200 K which would have triggered bonuses and there were rumors that they sent him home to avoid paying them out

[HUGG]

It cost him $50k because he was 1 inning short of 210. He got $50k for 190, $100k for 200, or $150k for 210. It cost him a 200 strikeout season (he needed 2), but he didn't have any bonuses tied to that.

Josh Johnson's first career start was as the replacement for Burnett.
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September 27, 2005|DAVE HYDE Commentary

MIAMI GARDENS — A.J. Burnett got sent home Monday night, and the Marlins' front office got to send one final message.

You can call it justice, if you want. But in the season's final week, with the Marlins' hopes almost flat-lined, ending the Burnett Era in this manner involves more surface entertainment than actual consequence.

The Marlins assured a mouthy pitcher, who couldn't finish his starts, now wouldn't finish the season? Hey, if it feels good, do it.

They said he wouldn't be offered a free-agent contract from them? That sounds tough, but the simple truth is they weren't going to sign him anyhow.

So Burnett's situation Monday is really a nothing story from the Marlins brass that's piled on top of Sunday's silly story created by Burnett. Let's back up to that and take a poll: Raise a hand if you think Marlins manager Jack McKeon did or said something to cause Burnett to collapse like an aluminum can down this lost month of baseball.

Is there anyone with a hand up?

Anyone at all?

Besides Burnett, that is.

Or what about McKeon being the root of Mike Lowell hitting eight home runs this year, Juan Pierre not walking enough and hitting the ball in the air too much and Guillermo Mota pulling a disappearing act from Opening Day?

Again, any hands up besides Burnett's?

Apparently, it wasn't enough for Burnett to leave town by shrinking in a playoff race, since with the playoffs up for grabs he's lost six consecutive decisions in often dismal style and hasn't won a start since Aug. 19.

Now he added to the embarrassment by making dumb excuses and got an exit visa for it.

"We play scared, we manage scared, we coach scared, and I'm sick of it, man," Burnett said after losing a 3-0 lead in the Marlins' loss in Atlanta.

He said the atmosphere was "depressing." He said there was too much "negativity." He said, "A positive pat on the back is better than anything, and I haven't seen a positive pat on the back since April." He said he wasn't naming names, but he didn't have to considering the map he drew.

Before Monday's game Burnett wasn't adding to or subtracting from his comments.

"Not talking," he said.

A little later, minutes before the game, he was given his walking papers in a meeting with McKeon and General Manager Larry Beinfest. So he misses his final, meaningless start. And so his stint here ends with nasty words and a kick in the pants.

Back to the real issue of the blame game: If you were to rank the reasons, from personal struggles to constant injuries, as to why the Marlins became baseball's most underachieving team this season, McKeon might crack the Top 10. He might. But just barely, if he did.

No, he didn't set the right atmosphere. Yes, he complained too hard. But scared? That was a big Burnett complaint. How could McKeon not manage scared, to some degree, when the offense generated as little as it did?

When the infield was brought in early in one game, with the thought of preventing a runner scoring from third base, Burnett was upset enough to "lose my focus" on the mound. Gee, who knew he was so sensitive?

Burnett also called a recent start against Houston, "the biggest of my career" before promptly walking the eighth and ninth batters, light-hitting Brad Ausmus and pitcher Roger Clemens, to force home the game-tilting runs. Scared maybe?

There are other issues with this team, as there always are with any team with big hopes gone sour. Monday provided a glimpse into one when Miguel Cabrera was sat down for the game. "Club discipline," McKeon said.

Cabrera is young, strong and, along with Carlos Delgado, still carried the offense. But he needs to work harder, evidently. He still has to learn what being a pro is about.

Less than two weeks ago, the Marlins were 1 games up in the wild-card race. October beckoned. But with less than a week to play the only news was losing news: Benching Cabrera and saying good-bye to Burnett for good.

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/200...eon-atmosphere

he had a 6.40era in his final 6 starts of 2005 (2.90 before that)

[marlinsfan24]

There are other issues with this team, as there always are with any team with big hopes gone sour. Monday provided a glimpse into one when Miguel Cabrera was sat down for the game. "Club discipline," McKeon said.

Cabrera is young, strong and, along with Carlos Delgado, still carried the offense. But he needs to work harder, evidently. He still has to learn what being a pro is about.

Less than two weeks ago, the Marlins were 1 games up in the wild-card race. October beckoned. But with less than a week to play the only news was losing news: Benching Cabrera and saying good-bye to Burnett for good.

Jeez. #MarlinsWay
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Btw, I am on the Brandon McCarthy bandwagon:
http://marlinmaniac.com/2014/06/26/m...ndon-mccarthy/

[Bobbob1313]

Didn't Burnett set a franchise record for strikeouts in a start in his last outing before the trade deadline that year and then suck from that point on?
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Nope, remembered that completely wrong.
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Ignore me.

[Namaste]

I'm for signing AJ for the right price. I like AJ.

[Todd]

Who does have the franchise record for K's in a game? Wanting to say Nolasco.

[HUGG]

Yep, 16 vs. Atlanta on 9/30/09

He struck out 9 straight in that game.


http://miami.marlins.mlb.com/mia/his...me_records.jsp