A.J. Burnett Watch: The Final Hours

Somewhere near Baltimore, Maryland A.J. Burnett is packing his belongings.  Burnett is making preparations to begin his final season in the Major Leagues…well, until at least next off season when he could do all of this again.   Could you imagine if Burnett signs a one-year deal and is solid again in 2014?  This could become an annual thing Pittsburgh!!

All of us who have been involved in the A.J. Burnett watch realize that the clock is ticking.  It’s the final hours.  One would have to believe that the last efforts by his agent would be to spur some interest among the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles.  Oh LOOKIE…the Phillies aren’t really out of it!

The offers are probably sitting on the kitchen table.  Or maybe Burnett is a bit more tidy as he collects offers of millions of dollars from MLB East Coast teams.  Perhaps he uses a bulletin board in the garage above all of his quads?  Maybe the housekeeper files them carefully away from sight?  Regardless, time is running out on the A.J. decision.

Burnett will want to be on his new team this week.  Or maybe, just maybe Burnett will be on his old team.  We have always thought that Burnett would move along.  Always thought he would leave us behind,  taking more money to start over in a new locale with cooler, hipper, more wealthy folk.  With an organization that respects its players a bit more.  The Washington Nationals have been my favorite since all of the news began.  The Nationals are loaded.  Absolutely loaded and ready to contend for a title.  That’s what Burnett wants most.

But the Pirates teammates have to own Burnett’s heart.  The city loves Burnett.  Burnett loves tweeting Pirates fans.  Bucco fans love Batman.  Even bloggers love Burnett, I know I do in a way.   Or maybe it’s just all those damn innings he ate up last year that I love?  Love is so confusing.

Seriously, what do you think a four wheeling expedition with Burnett would go for at a Pittsburgh charity auction?  Unreal.    God, where is my mind these days?

Surely Burnett realized that he would have had an opportunity at the most money from the Bucs by making his decision early.  But it was something he couldn’t pull the trigger on, or perhaps his agent wanted him to wait it out for the most money.  But the market for pitching seems to be the oddest in the history of the game.  Some of the deals this offseason are as confusing as that hottie from high school.

But anyway, here’s the bottom line.  We think Burnett doesn’t really love anyone outside of his immediate family.  He has an ego, like we all do.  Feelings, like we all do.  Most of all, he brought an aura with him to Pittsburgh.  We think Pittsburgh needs that Burnett factor.

Pittsburgh the city that is, we don’t think the Bucs need it, but we have to believe there is an offer for Burnett from the Bucs on his table.  We bet it’s not the biggest offer either.

Logic would tell us it’s under the $14 million qualifying offer fiasco, so maybe it’s $12 million, maybe $13 and some incentives.  Maybe the Pirates paid attention and will give him his own parking place on days he starts.  Throw in a luxury box for the wife and her friends too.   The best deal from the Bucs has to pay him considerably more than his media created replacement Edison Volquez.  Well it will if the Bucs want to satisfy the Burnett ego, if the Bucs like their fans, think the team needs Burnett.

We think they probably think they do.  Damn this is so confusing.

It’s like writing that high school love note to an ex that you sorta hate, but know that you need if you want to get through your senior year.  Because, you know things went so damn well in your junior year.  The sex was so good and now you think that you need that old crutch back to get through the biggest year of your life.  She was crazy at times.  But aren’t they all?  Keep talking yourself into it.

The Bucs are different from the other teams in the #AJWatch2014.   The Bucs had a great year last year.  The Bucs are being criticized for blowing this Burnett-last-stand saga.

The sex was good

The games were so good.  The team thinks they need him back, because everyone says they do.  What if Volquez remains the worst pitcher in the National League and Burnett is firing solid start after solid start for the damn Nationals?

This love story between a city and it’s Mr. Right Now needs a good ending.   A happy ending.

Hell, who are we kidding, it just needs an ending.