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If the Blue Jays fail to re-sign free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett, it is not a foregone conclusion that they will spend the money earmarked for Burnett's salary elsewhere.
Before he opted out of his contract, Burnett was due to receive $24 million (all figures U.S.) over the next two seasons. Speaking yesterday to the annual meeting of the Toronto chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, interim Jays president Paul Beeston said the team may hold on to that money, effectively reducing next season's salary budget by $12 million.
"It may make sense for our future," Beeston said.
Last season, the Jays spent about $97 million on player salaries. Even if Burnett doesn't return, the club already has roughly $70 million committed to 11 players for next year.
The team continues to hold out hope that Burnett will re-sign, though it's widely believed Toronto will eventually be priced out of the market. Beeston doesn't expect Burnett to sign anywhere before baseball's winter meetings, to take place Dec. 8-11 in Las Vegas. Citing "Negotiations 101," Beeston said the Jays will wait until Burnett has fielded other offers before tabling their own bid.
It would make sense for Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker, to hold out until the elite pitching free agent available, CC Sabathia, has set the market before he commits Burnett to a deal. Despite a $140 million offer from the Yankees, Sabathia has been in no hurry to sign.
According to Beeston, the Jays continue to hold internal discussions about their future direction, with or without Burnett. If he elects to sign elsewhere, the team may decide to fill all their holes internally, Beeston suggested. That would mean taking a pass on the free-agent market altogether.
"We could (forgo all free agents). We might be forced into it," Beeston said, citing the downward turn of the economy. He said the club's season ticket sales have been "consistent" with last year, though sponsorships are down.
However, Beeston ruled out the possibility of treating 2009 as a rebuilding year.
"We're not going down to (a payroll of) 40 or 50 million dollars. It's either status quo or you're going to add to it," he said. "If we don't get (Burnett), we're not pulling back. We're not going to be selling players."
Asked how he would define a "successful" upcoming season, Beeston replied, "I think success for next year or the year after is playing the last week of the season and it meaning something."
By that definition, the Jays haven't been successful in 15 years.
Aside from leading the team's internal soul-searching, Beeston continues to work on filling his own job.
He said yesterday the club is continuing the process of creating a list of candidates to take over as Jays president and CEO. Beeston said he now has 35 to 40 candidates from the worlds of baseball, business and sports generally. He described half of them as "household names."
At this point, the Jays are "not even close" to an interview process, Beeston said. But he did wager with one local writer that he would be out of a job by the beginning of spring training.
Once again, Beeston ruled himself out of the running for the position, though he would admit that the idea of doing his old job again full-time is a "seductive" one.
