Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
What's next, C.J. Nitkowski signed to a $100M contract? Or D.J. Carrasco? Maybe J.J. Putz? T.J. Tucker?
Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi has apparently become so enamored of his new motif based on J-named players, that he is willing to invest Yankee-type dollars in any player who has the highly desirable initial in his name. It's no wonder A.J. Hinch declined a minor-league assigned with the Phils to become a free agent.
After the highly dubious B.J. Ryan signing, next comes the A.J. Burnett acquisition. Five years, $55M. Jay-sus!
Yes, Burnett is a good pitcher. But affectionately labeled A.J. Burnout, he is unfortunately not a hale and hearty pitcher. He has eclipsed the 200-inning mark just twice in his seven-year career. He's never won more than 12 games in a year (yeah, I know), had an ERA under 3.30 or an adjusted ERA better than 23 percent above the league average.
He's been good but not great. And in the five years since he broke into the Marlins rotation—remember he just signed a five-year deal—he has started 30 or more games just once and started fewer than 20 games twice. And this was when he was between 24 and 28 (inclusive) years old. I can't imagine he'll improve from age 29 to 33.
Consider as well that the Jays have devoted $12.7 M to Roy Halladay (who at least agreed to change his name to R.J.). And Halladay does pitch well enough to deserve the money. Give Ricciardi a break—it was before he landed on the J motif.
Perhaps the worst Jay (or is it J?) signing was re-signing Ricciardi to a three-year contract. Why can't these saber-GMs actually employ sabermetrics on some level nowadays?
Anyway, the J.'s now become the fifth team in baseball history to pay that much for three pitchers ($12 M, $11 M, and $9 M, if we assume that the two new deals are spread evenly among the length of the contract). And—surprise! —at least one of those teams was NOT the Yankees:
| Yr | Tm | Player1 | Salary1 | Player2 | Salary2 | Player3 | Salary3 |
| 2003 | ATL | Greg Maddux | $14,750,000 | Mike Hampton | $13,625,000 | John Smoltz | $10,666,667 |
| 2003 | NYA | Mike Mussina | $12,000,000 | Andy Pettitte | $11,500,000 | Mariano Rivera | $10,500,000 |
| 2003 | NYA | Mike Mussina | $12,000,000 | Andy Pettitte | $11,500,000 | Roger Clemens | $10,100,000 |
| 2004 | NYA | Mike Mussina | $16,000,000 | Kevin Brown | $15,714,286 | Javier Vazquez | $9,000,000 |
| 2004 | NYA | Mike Mussina | $16,000,000 | Kevin Brown | $15,714,286 | Mariano Rivera | $10,890,000 |
| 2005 | NYA | Mike Mussina | $19,000,000 | Randy Johnson | $16,000,000 | Kevin Brown | $15,714,287 |
| 2005 | NYA | Mariano Rivera | $10,500,000 | ||||
| 2005 | NYA | Carl Pavano | $9,000,000 |
It must be A.J. Pierzynski envy after his Herculean effort in the playoffs for the Chisox. The new plan must be to win via controversial play.
Some '03 pitching salaries:
Brown 15.7
Drief 12.4
Ashby 8.5
Nomo 7.8
Ishii 3
Team ERA was 3.16, half of a run below #2 Oakland. Relief ERA was 2.46, wow.
Kevin Brown $ 15,714,286
Darren Dreifort $ 12,400,000
Andy Ashby $ 8,500,000
(By the way, Eric Gagne made just $ 550,000 that year).
Though 2004 was close too:
Darren Dreifort $ 12,400,000
Hideo Nomo $ 9,000,000
Jeff Weaver $ 6,250,000
Eric Gagne $ 5,000,000
Odalis Perez $ 5,000,000
As was 2005:
Darren Dreifort $13,400,000 (did not pitch)
Jeff Weaver $ 9,350,000
Eric Gagne $ 8,000,000 (just 14 G, 8 Svs)
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