The baseball world flew into shock on Feb. 1 when the Orioles traded for former Brewers ace Corbin Burnes.
At this point, Red Sox fans believed the team was better than last year. This is very much what Tom Werner’s “top speed” comment promised.
If anything, the team was worse than ever. It hurts to see Baltimore improve so quickly after losing three pitchers in James Paxton, Chris Sale and Corey Kluber and only actually replacing one of them.But at least Burns didn’t go to the Yankees.
New York has been interested in pitching, and after signing Juan Soto and Marcus Stroman in the offseason, an ace was the icing on the cake. With Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Marcus Stroman also in the rotation, Burns secured the Yankees’ No. 1 spot. But when the Yankees traded him, the Brewers put a big price on Burns’ head. According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, they wanted the No. 1 prospect. 2, Spencer Jones, as a right-hander, and New York didn’t want to make that deal.
Honestly, it was the right thing to do. Some analysts believe Jones is the best prospect in the Yankees organization. He’s a 6-foot-4 outfielder like Aaron Judge with a powerful bat but also some upside. Some would argue that this risk gives Burns a fair return, but after one year as a right-hander, most fans would disagree.
To make matters worse, the Brewers went back and acquired a disappointing trade package from the Yankees’ main rival in the AL East. funny. It’s nice to know that other teams still hold the Yankees to a higher standard in trade negotiations than other clubs around the league. Some fans consider the Burns trade an act of robbery by the Orioles. Neither of the two pitchers they had in the DL Hall of Fame, Joey Ortiz, rated as well as Jones.
Not even close.Despite Boston’s failure to improve this season, Red Sox Nation can at least take solace in another team keeping the AL East in the balance. Baltimore’s progress isn’t helping the Red Sox, but it’s a positive experience every time the Yankees are humiliated.
Leave a Reply