A.J. Burnett: 5 Teams That Could Use the Yankees' Pitcher

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A fresh start would likely be in the best interests of A.J. Burnett and the New York Yankees.  The Yankees' starting pitcher, who went 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA, struggled all season.

Yankees' faithful have had enough of Burnett's overpriced mediocrity.  

Despite two years and $16.5 million remaining on his deal, many teams around the league desperately need starting pitching.  

Here are a few that could use a seasoned veteran like Burnett.

Houston Astros

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The Astros list of offseason needs probably resembles a large family's grocery list.

Baseball's worst team needs help at a number of positions, but starting pitching wouldn't be a bad place to start.

Wandy Rodriguez was solid for the 'Stros last year, posting a 3.49 ERA over 190 innings.  After Rodriguez, Houston's starting pitching was at a premium.

A.J. Burnett could be an asset for the Astros while they rebuild.

Baltimore Orioles

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One of professional sport’s unwritten rules is that you don’t trade a player within your division.  Violating this rule of thumb almost always comes back to haunt the guilty team.

But in this case, the Yankees probably aren’t too concerned. 

The Orioles posted a 4.92 ERA last year.  Obviously pitching is a necessity for the 69-win ball club. 

Look for the O’s to offer a trade for the righty.

Chicago White Sox

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With the departure of Mark Buehrle, Chicago could look at replacing their former ace.

Burnett is certainly no Mark Buehrle, but his services would help fill the Sox pitching void.

A rotation of Burnett, Philip Humber, John Danks, and Gavin Floyd would have definite playoff potential in year one of the Robin Ventura era. 

New York Mets

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After allowing super-star shortstop Jose Reyes to take his talents to South Beach, the Mets' offense will surely take a hit.

Unfortunately for Mets' fans, starting pitching will not be a particularly strong suit either.  Remember, R.A. Dickey was your team’s most productive starter last year.

Adding A.J. to the Met’s rotation would be a nice upgrade over several current starting pitchers.

Pittsburgh Pirates

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If Pittsburgh can somehow scrape together enough cash to pay A.J. Burnett for the next two years, the hard-throwing righty could be a fit for the playoff-starved Pirates. 

The Pirate’s surprising first half of the season last year fizzled quickly after the All-Star break.  A quality starting pitcher would be welcomed in Pittsburgh. 

It's likely that Burnett’s price tag will probably be too expensive for the Pirates to afford.