Good-Bye Jared Burton (maybe)

[JB_Iowa]

LaVelle E. Neal III ‏@LaVelleNeal  · 3m3 minutes ago 
Twins have declined the 2015 option for RHP Jared Burton

 

 

I suppose they could still bring him back on a new contract.

[Major League Ready]

Time to start the new wave.

[Danchat]

As much as I like Jared Burton, it's time for him to go. We need to give one of the younger guys his roster spot.

[JB_Iowa]

As much as I like Jared Burton, it's time for him to go. We need to give one of the younger guys his roster spot.

 

I agree but stranger things have happened than the Twins re-signing him.

 

 

 

Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino  · 4m4 minutes ago 

Jared Burton made 203 appearances (192 IP, 10 saves) for #MNTwins over past 3 seasons. Went 8-16, 3.47 ERA w/7.6 K/9, 3.0 BB/9.

 

Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino  · 10m10 minutes ago 

As expected, #MNTwins have announced they declined $3.6 million option on RHP Jared Burton. Paid $200,000 buyout instead, making him a FA.

[James Richter]

Good decision. Good signing back in 2012, too. I hope they'll bring some new folks in along those lines for Spring Training.

[jokin]

I agree but stranger things have happened than the Twuns re-signing him.

 

 

 

Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino  · 4m4 minutes ago 

Jared Burton made 203 appearances (192 IP, 10 saves) for #MNTwins over past 3 seasons. Went 8-16, 3.47 ERA w/7.6 K/9, 3.0 BB/9.

 

Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino  · 10m10 minutes ago 

As expected, #MNTwins have announced they declined $3.6 million option on RHP Jared Burton. Paid $200,000 buyout instead, making him a FA.

 

Burton's numbers fell in 2013 and collapsed across his entire pitching line in 2014.  His velocity and pitch-by-pitch effectiveness dipped, as well.  He finished off the season with a WAR of 0.0.  He'll be fortunate to get a few around-the-minimum major league offers going into 2015.  As when the Twins and Ryan strike gold with a FA mining from the gravel pile, the Twins need to look more thoughtfully to the option of trading those types, not extending them.

 

(As in 2012, when they signed Burton, if they REALLY want a crafty veteran to bolster the pen, they can wait for the FA season to develop or the waiver wire to develop, to give them plenty of minimum or near-minimum options that offer potentially better results than sticking with Burton.  As I've mentioned before, the Twins had two shots at claiming Todd Redmond in the spring of 2013.  He's still only 29, making the minimum, and isn't even eligible for Arb until 2017.  He pitched 75 solid innings of middle relief, with a WAR of 0.6, for the Jays in 2014, with overall numbers far superior to Burton.  I'm sure there are probably at least a dozen guys who will be in Redmond's identical 2013 situation in this offseason, and probably a dozen more FA that could be signed for just a little more.  Plus you have a bevy of Twins AA and AAA guys that need to get serious consideration for Burton's spot...  

 

Let's move on.) 

[Mike Sixel]

Good to move on, imo.

[Kwak]

I thought the Twins have umpteen relief pitchers in the pipeline.  Have a cattle call starting in mid-February and see who sticks.

[twinsnorth49]

I liked Burton, he did a serviceable job for the Twins in very tough circumstances.Having said that, I'm excited for the Twins to move on and find some fresh blood.

[Seth Stohs]

Absolutely it was an easy decision to decline the option (I would think). Plenty of other, less expensive, better options. 

 

That said, Burton (and Fien and Thielbar and others) are a good example of why signing minor league free agents can be so terrific. Burton signed a minor league deal, though I'm pretty sure he was pretty much guaranteed an Opening Day spot because of his history (similar to the Kubel thing)... 

 

Signing the extension was certainly questionable, though I don't have any issue with it either. 

[Rosterman]

Burton will find another job. He had a few bad outings with the Twins but was servicable. But he won't get $3 million.

[Paul Pleiss]

If the Twins resign Just Bombs Burton, I'm going to quit the internet.

[jorgenswest]

The difference between signing Burton and Fien as opposed to Kubel/Bartlett/Guerrier was their status and some age. Burton and Fien both had multiple years of team control left. They had pitched in the minors the previous year. Even if Burton had spent a chunk of the season in the minors, they still had the chance to reap benefits in the second year.

 

Burton came in and threw great in spring training. He earned a job. If he pitched poorly, he would have started in the minors. The Twins had time with him controlling his contract through 2012.

 

I don't think his signing can be compared to the signing of Kubel and Bartlett who were going to get a job regardless of how poorly they played in spring training.

 

The mistake was extending him after 2012 when they had him under team control for the 2013 season. There was no need to purchase the 2014 season.

 

I am for signing minor league free agents when they have some team control and need to perform well to earn a spot. It was clear that wasn't the case for last winter's signings.

[twinscowboysbulls]

Burton was a great scrap heap find that we tried to drag out too long. Best of luck to Burton.