Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett may retire at season end

Man, how quickly time can get past you.

I remember it as if it was just yesterday that the then Florida Marlins were calling up a young pitching prospect by the name of A.J. Burnett. He was supposed to have wildly electric stuff – stuff so good he could potentially be a 20 game winner at some point.

He got close in 2008, winning 18 games and not that far off during his first year in Pittsburgh as he won 16 in 2012.

Still, despite those impressive seasons, it’s been a career marred in injuries for Burnett who has spent a lengthy amount of time on the disabled list.

Now 36, Burnett knows the cleats are going to be hanging up soon – it’s just a matter of when:

"AJ Burnett told our Karen Price that he’s 50-50 on returning or retiring after the season, he indicated if he returns it would be as a Pirate, though some team might be willing to make a lucrative, multi-year offer.I can’t seen the Pirates making Burnett a multi-year offer. But I think it makes sense to make a qualifying offer to Burnett, which would be one-year and about $14 million. If Burnett signs elsewhere the Pirates would receive draft pick compensation. If he retires he retires,  and if he signs the one-year offer the Pirates add starting pitching depth which they need with questions hovering over Jeff Locke and Wandy Rodriguez."