A.J. Burnett’s agent is in Toronto, and Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail hints that preliminary extension talks may have begun. Blair says it’ll take at least $15MM a year to sign Burnett, which the Jays will attempt to do before he opts out and hits the open market.
I imagine Burnett requires four years, with five within the realm of possibility. It will undoubtedly be a risky contract, though J.P. Ricciardi gambled on Burnett’s stuff back in ’05 and it worked out pretty well. Pretty much all free agent contracts for top pitchers are risky.
