Report: Yanks, Burnett agree on five-year, $82.5 million deal

Dec 12, 2008 - 10:59 PM BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- A.J. Burnett apparently is set to join CC Sabathia as a high-priced pitcher in pinstripes.

Burnett and the New York Yankees agreed in principle to a five-year, $82.5 million contract Friday, according to multiple reports.

The deal, which was initially reported by FOXSports.com, is pending Burnett's physical. The Yankees have not commented on the reports.

The Yankees made the biggest splash of the offseason two days ago by luring Sabathia, the top available starter, to a seven-year contract worth $161 million - the richest deal ever given to a pitcher.

But New York's spending spree evidently did not end at this week's Las Vegas winter meetings.

Burnett, an injury-prone veteran coming off the best season of his career, would join an overhauled Yankees rotation that already includes Sabathia, Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain.

New York also reportedly has offered longtime Yankee lefthander Andy Pettitte, currently a free agent, a one-year deal worth $10 million.

Although they still are attempting to complete their rotation, the Yankees hope to receive a pitching boost from Burnett, who went 18-10 with a 4.07 ERA in 35 starts last season with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Last month, the 31-year-old Burnett opted out of the final two seasons of the five-year, $55 million deal he signed with Toronto prior to the 2006 campaign.

Despite walking away from $24 million in guaranteed money, Burnett is set to receive an even bigger payday from the Yankees, who clearly are desperate to return to the playoffs after missing the postseason for the first time since 1993.

The hefty investment in Burnett could be a risky one; the righthander has endured myriad injuries over his 10-year career.

Burnett, who led the American League with 231 strikeouts last season, has made more than 30 starts just twice in his career and has eclipsed the 200-inning mark only three times (2002, 2005, 2008).

However, the hard-throwing Burnett appeared to make strides last season, when he set career highs in wins, strikeouts, starts (34) and innings (221 1/3). In 215 career games with Toronto and Florida, Burnett is 87-76 with a 3.81 ERA.