Going, going, gone! Burnett comes with a buyer beware sticker

Sporting News, The, August 5, 2005

Marlins righthander A.J. Burnett, 28, began the week with a 43-44 lifetime record. He has been on the D.L. five times and never has made 30 starts in a season. Yet he is the prize of the trading market and is a potential free agent who likely will command tens of millions of dollars in the offseason.

The frenzy over Burnett speaks to the scarcity of available starting pitching, but the Orioles were concerned enough about Burnett's injuries that they balked at parting with left fielder Larry Bigbie, reliever Jorge Julio and Class AA righthander Hayden Penn in exchange for Burnett and third baseman Mike Lowell.

The Blue Jays and Red Sox have interest in Burnett, but one executive says, "When you start talking about trading (Jays LHP) Gustavo Chacin and (Sox RHP) Bronson Arroyo, well, is Burnett going to get guys out in the A.L. East? It's certainly not a no-brainer. You're not trading for Johan Santana."