What happens with Burnett?

[teknetic]

CC
Pineda
Nova
Kuroda

That leaves one spot for three guys. Garcia should get the nod, but I'm assuming if Burnett isn't dealt that he'll take a backseat (Hughes is assuredly going to the pen).

[hellonewman]

He's the No. 5 starter unless Cashman can hypnotize someone.

[NelsonMuntz]

He's the No. 5 starter unless Cashman can hypnotize someone.

^ This. We're stuck with him.

[longtimeyankeefan]

CC
Pineda
Nova
Kuroda

That leaves one spot for three guys. Garcia should get the nod, but I'm assuming if Burnett isn't dealt that he'll take a backseat (Hughes is assuredly going to the pen).

AJ Burnett plus $26M for a bag of balls as far as I am concerned. With the starting depth options this team now has, deal him for whatever you can get.

[pleasepassthesoup]

If the Cubs can remove Zambrano from their roster and the Giants can remove Zito from their rotation, I see no reason why the Yankees can't do one of those two things with AJ Burnett.

[justinvarnes]

Spring Training is gonna be interesting. All of a sudden the Yanks have more pitchers than they know what to do with. Which is a good thing.

[dabomb2045]

CC
Pineda
Nova
Kuroda

Garcia should be the #5, Hughes should go to the pen and Burnett should be dealt. Most likely, it will be a 3-way battle for that last spot.

[Yankee Tripper]

couple of good maple bats?

[StatenIslandYankee]

Someone might want 'em

[dont_ya_know24]

id love to see hughes build off of 2010, garcia replacing noesi. seeing a young rotation with hughes nova and pineda would be interesting

[hellonewman]

If the Cubs can remove Zambrano from their roster and the Giants can remove Zito from their rotation, I see no reason why the Yankees can't do one of those two things with AJ Burnett.

Realistically, Zambrano only has $18 million due to him as opposed to Burnett's $33M, so he really isn't a good comp for a trade. The Giants bullpenning Zito is a much more realistic comp but here it becomes more a matter of will than of wherewithal, do the Yankees WANT to do it? I haven't seen any indication yet that they do but I hope you're right.

[False1]

I'm just hoping that his contact doesn't give him ANY edge for '12. Go into ST with Burnett, Hughes and Garcia fighting for the #5 spot, and unless he blows both those guys away he becomes the swing man.

That said, he'll be the #5 starter unfortunately.

[dabomb2045]

I'm just hoping that his contact doesn't give him ANY edge for '12. Go into ST with Burnett, Hughes and Garcia fighting for the #5 spot, and unless he blows both those guys away he becomes the swing man.

That said, he'll be the #5 starter unfortunately.

If you have a 3-way battle for that last spot....is their even enough room to keep the other two on the team? I mean the bullpen is pretty set...I guess one of them could be a long-man/starter insurance but we only really need one guy for that role.

[False1]

If you have a 3-way battle for that last spot....is their even enough room to keep the other two on the team? I mean the bullpen is pretty set...I guess one of them could be a long-man/starter insurance but we only really need one guy for that role.

I'm having this nightmare vision of Nova in SWB because he has options. If that happens I'll be pissed.

[dabomb2045]

I'm having this nightmare vision of Nova in SWB because he has options. If that happens I'll be pissed.

There's just no way that can happen....if you think about it, there really isnt any open rotation spots in SWB. Banuelos/Betances/Warren/Phelps/Mitchell.

[Jax Teller]

My guess is that Burnett stays in the rotation, Hughes goes to the pen, & Garcia gets traded.

[grizy]

My guess is Nova, AJ, Garcia and Hughes will fight for rotation spots.

AJ and Nova are probably favorites for different reasons.

And Hughes and Garcia are good long-man spot starter candidates also for different reasons.

My hope? Hughes and Nova show up in ST in tip top shape and firing gas all the way to their 100th pitches and force AJ to the long-man role.

[b_joseph]

I'd guess he has the #5 spot locked.

Unless the Yanks are willing to pay him his money to sit at the back end of the bullpen. Just being the mop up guy in blow outs would make him somewhat useful...not for his salary but thats a lost cause at this point.

[Battingly]

Hopefully we can find someone to take him if we pickup a big chunk of his salary as its been reported Cashman is willing to do.

The sooner we get him out of here, the better.

WE DON'T NEED AJ

CC
Pineda
Nova
Hughes
Kuroda
Garcia

... and Benuelos & Betances are close.

[longtimeyankeefan]

Is it possible to actually pay a team more dollars than remain on a contract to take AJ?

Just asking

[Sam18]

[ArodEra]

I sincerely think that the Yanks are going to make every effort possible to get rid of him, even if they have to eat a majority of his contract. They probably knew the direction they were headed with AJ when they made these two moves. More than likely, Girardi has been pleading with Cashman to do something. I think the last straw was when he showed Joe up on the mound after he was pulled in a game late in the season.

They can ship him, his excuses and finger-pointing off to Siberia for all I care.

[unfamous loser]

reports were that the Yankees were willing to eat about $8M of Burnett's deal, which isn't anywhere near enough for him to be remotely considered tradeable.

he's going to likely be the 5th starter this season. Garcia will be kept for depth that they'll inevitably need (really, Burnett's caddy and/or back-up plan) and Hughes either will be the shutdown 5th/6th inning guy or he'll be packaged with someone else and traded.

[hellonewman]

If you have a 3-way battle for that last spot....is their even enough room to keep the other two on the team?

Theoretically, sure, especially in the pre-Joba part of the season:

Rivera
Robertson
Soriano
Logan
Wade or kid like Kontos or second lefty
2 more spots

Am I missing anyone? Of course, when Joba comes back, something has to give ... but they should have a few months early on to think it over or have it work itself out, as these things often do.

My guess is that Burnett stays in the rotation, Hughes goes to the pen, & Garcia gets traded.

Rules question ... can Garcia be traded before June? I'm pretty sure if he signed here as a free agent from elsewhere, he can't be ... is it different if he signed as a FA but was here last year?

[Kentucky Bomber]

Put AJ in a storage unit in LA, don't pay for the unit, then have the guys on Storage Wars bid on him and take him away.