Carlos Zambrano to Marlins: 5 Teams Yankees Could Convince to Take AJ Burnett

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Carlos Zambrano was not going to be a part of the Chicago Cubs future. He had a very expensive contract, yet the Cubs were able to deal him.

This move could give the Yankees hope that there are teams that would be willing to take A.J. Burnett.

To move Zambrano, the Cubs needed to eat a large chunk of his contract. The Yankees would likely need to do the same and pay at least half of Burnett's remaining salary if they want to get anyone decent in return.

The fact that a team was willing to take a chance on Zambrano bodes well for the Yankees chances to move Burnett.

Pittsburgh Pirates

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According to Ken Rosenthal, the Pittsburgh Pirates have had an interest in A.J. Burnett and they could try to go after him once again.

Burnett seems to be a bit of an odd choice for the Pirates given the fact that they are looking to get younger and better. Additionally, the Yankees would likely need to pay a large portion of his contract to have the Pirates take Burnett of their hands.

However, he could serve as a veteran presence in their rotation.

Atlanta Braves

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The Atlanta Braves are trying to trade Jair Jurrjens right now and if they pull off a deal, Ken Rosenthal thinks that they could turn their attention to bringing in A.J. Burnett.

Burnett would slot in towards the back end of the Braves starting rotation and it would allow them to keep some of their young starters in the minors to give them more time to develop.

Colorado Rockies

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Pitching at Coors Field has never been an easy task, so it is no surprise that the Colorado Rockies are always on the lookout for starting pitching.

To convince the Rockies that A.J. Burnett would be a good fit for their starting rotation, the Yankees would need to sent a large portion of his salary to Colorado as a part of the deal. In return, the Yankees could get a player that could help them in the near future.

St. Louis Cardinals

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The reigning World Series champions are looking to improve their starting rotation and have an interest in Roy Oswalt according to Nick Cafardo.

Should the St. Louis Cardinals miss out on Oswalt, they may look to the trade market for pitchers. The Cardinals have extra cash lying around and they could afford to deal for A.J. Burnett if the Yankees pay some of his salary.

Boston Red Sox

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After watching him get lit up by the Boston Red Sox for the past few years, Yankees fans would not mind seeing A.J. Burnett in a Red Sox jersey and having him get hit hard by the Yankees.

According to Nick Cafardo, the Red Sox are looking for pitching, but many players have been out of their price range. If the Yankees are not confident in Burnett, it is possible that they would be willing to foot a large portion of the bill to ship him up to Boston.