We'd like to tell you what A.J. Burnett said about his right elbow.
We'd like to tell you when Burnett thinks he will be back on the bump at the Rogers Centre.
We'd like to tell you what Burnett's opinion of his general manager is after J.P. Ricciardi said that the injury to Burnett's right elbow is "more so in his mind than it is medically."
Burnett, however, didn't think it was necessary to speak to the members of the media, after saying he would at 5:40 last night before the Blue Jays played the Baltimore Orioles.
As for the answers to other questions, your guess is as good as anyone's.
It is a player's right to decline to speak with the media. Where Burnett fouled up was saying he would speak and then declining to do so.
Players don't owe the media anything, but they certainly owe paying customers answers to the question of the day.
And Burnett's wonky elbow is a major-league question.
Executives who shook their heads when the Jays forked out $55 million US in a five-year deal to Burnett at the winter meetings in December in Dallas are now shaking their heads in a different direction.
With one injury-free season out of six heading into free agency, the Jays had a scout at almost every Burnett start in the second half of 2005. They pronounced him fit and worthy of oodles of cash.
The Jays insured Burnett's $7-million contract for 2006, paying less than a $400,000 premium on this season. Paying for paranoia is what some officials call player insurance, yet the Jays insured the contracts of B.J. Ryan, Troy Glaus and Bengie Molina.
The Jays would be reimbursed for half of the monies paid out if Burnett misses 182 consecutive days -- the length of a full season -- which brings us to April 22, 2007. So the Jays are on the hook for the whole tab this season. The insurance company did see Burnett's right elbow and considers it a pre-existing condition.
"I'm not optimistic about when he'll make his next start and I'm not pessimistic," Ricciardi said
(copied from today's Toronto Sun)
We'd like to tell you when Burnett thinks he will be back on the bump at the Rogers Centre.
We'd like to tell you what Burnett's opinion of his general manager is after J.P. Ricciardi said that the injury to Burnett's right elbow is "more so in his mind than it is medically."
Burnett, however, didn't think it was necessary to speak to the members of the media, after saying he would at 5:40 last night before the Blue Jays played the Baltimore Orioles.
As for the answers to other questions, your guess is as good as anyone's.
It is a player's right to decline to speak with the media. Where Burnett fouled up was saying he would speak and then declining to do so.
Players don't owe the media anything, but they certainly owe paying customers answers to the question of the day.
And Burnett's wonky elbow is a major-league question.
Executives who shook their heads when the Jays forked out $55 million US in a five-year deal to Burnett at the winter meetings in December in Dallas are now shaking their heads in a different direction.
With one injury-free season out of six heading into free agency, the Jays had a scout at almost every Burnett start in the second half of 2005. They pronounced him fit and worthy of oodles of cash.
The Jays insured Burnett's $7-million contract for 2006, paying less than a $400,000 premium on this season. Paying for paranoia is what some officials call player insurance, yet the Jays insured the contracts of B.J. Ryan, Troy Glaus and Bengie Molina.
The Jays would be reimbursed for half of the monies paid out if Burnett misses 182 consecutive days -- the length of a full season -- which brings us to April 22, 2007. So the Jays are on the hook for the whole tab this season. The insurance company did see Burnett's right elbow and considers it a pre-existing condition.
"I'm not optimistic about when he'll make his next start and I'm not pessimistic," Ricciardi said
(copied from today's Toronto Sun)
