TwitterWould You Make This Trade?
27 Jun 2010
Burnett for Zambrano
Zambrano makes about $1.5 million more a year, but his contract terminates after 2012 unless he is 1st or 2nd in the Cy Young in 2011 or finishes in the top-4 in the 2012. (So, he wouldn’t be around in 2013 unless he pitched very well in one of the next two seasons) AJ’s deal runs through 2013.
On the downside, Zambrano might be nuts and not in the good way like AJ.
So, one problem for another? Any takers?
Jun 27, 2010 @ 20:52:16
No, for 2 reasons…
1) AJ is better when right
2) Zambrano plus NY media equals a circus.
Jun 28, 2010 @ 08:48:23
Wow…thats a no brainer.
Zambrano is a train wreck and a jerk with little chance of regaining his power stuff. AJ is a good teammate who still has his power stuff.
Zambrano is a sunk cost, Burnett is in the middle of what is likely a temporary slump.
Jun 28, 2010 @ 09:31:30
I would pass on that trade. Spark and Ian are right in each of their points. My words are: consistency is easier to teach than are all the things that would need to be taught to Zambrano.
Random thought: can you imagine what would happen if AJ could 1) control his power stuff and 2) he developed a changeup he could throw for strikes? Or even a splitter?
Jun 28, 2010 @ 10:15:27
A.J. has the best pure stuff in the American League. Yes, he’s got problems with his control, with his head, and maybe right now he’s got problems with his arm. But when he is on, there is nobody in the league with better stuff.
If you want to do something radical, why don’t you move this guy to the bullpen and straighten him out the way Hughes was straightened out last year?
Jun 28, 2010 @ 22:27:22
Corey
I would be all for it, but who do you start in his place and do you think he would accept that move?