Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Yankees are still trying to trade A.J. Burnett. The purpose -- apart from the totally understandable and desirable deburnettification effects such a move would create -- is to shake free some payroll to sign a DH or Eric Chavez or someone:
... the Yankees are quietly — but diligently — still working to trade A.J. Burnett. They know no team will take all of Burnett’s remaining two years at $33 million. But if they could save, say, $4 million this year and next year, it would provide some wiggle room to finish off their roster heading into spring training.
At present, Sherman says, the Yankees aren’t willing to eat too much payroll, so don’t expect anyone to bite. I mean, sure, if you could get Burnett for what the Marlins are paying Carlos Zambrano this year (i.e. close to nothing) you make a deal because he could be useful. But short of that? Why bother?
