The Pittsburgh Pirates are finally doing something right at MLB spring training. Pittsburgh was surprisingly active this winter, making offers to Kyle Schwarber, Framber Valdez and Eugenio Suarez among others. While the Buccos ended up with (checks notes) Marcell Ozuna, Ryan O'Hearn and Brandon Lowe, that is an improvement! The rotation, headlined by Paul Skenes, needs more run support. They also must learn how to win, and they can't do that without speaking with someone who's been there before. Enter former Pirates and Yankees pitcher AJ Burnett.
Batman, as he's known in Pittsburgh, was a focal point of the Pirates rotation the last time they made the postseason. Burnett came over from the Yankees and brought a winning attitude with him. He's a folk hero of sorts, and Skenes is thrilled to have him around. As Skenes said over the weekend, the Pirates need to surround themselves with winners. That could come with a downside, though.
Why the Pirates invited AJ Burnett to coach at MLB spring training
It's quite normal for teams to invite former players down to spring training. What actually happens while they're in-person depends on the player, but Burnett is as outspoken as they come. Mitch Keller, for one, has already noticed the difference. Burnett's been available to Keller, both through text message and in-person, to help him through one of the roughest stretches of his career. The Pirates can only hope the likes of Skenes and Bubba Chandler get as much out of Burnett as Keller did.
Burnett has spoken on Skenes before, telling the Post-Gazette that it was tough not to pay attention to the now-NL Cy Young winner and his teammate, Jared Jones. The Pirates have one of the best starting rotations in baseball, and it's loaded with young talent. Burnett has expressed interest in helping out at spring training in the past. This year, that interest paid off, as manager Don Kelly made the call.
As for why the Pirates wouldn't have invited Burnett in the past, I am not sure. You'd have to ask Derek Shelton that question, but Burnett's presence is already paying dividends. Don't be surprised if Burnett is coaching somewhere soon, even if it's not in Pittsburgh.
What AJ Burnett and Paul Skenes have in common
Once upon a time, Burnett was a top prospect in the Marlins system and victim of an organization that was unwilling to pay him. Burnett eventually went from Florida to larger markets like Toronto and New York, and saw the difference. He won his only World Series with the Yankees, and despite some struggles in the Bronx, Burnett would be a good person to talk to about such things with Skenes. Burnett knows the good (and the bad) of pitching in such a results-driven market.
Skenes can get away with one bad start in Pittsburgh. That might not be the case in New York, especially if he is deemed the ace and savior for a loaded pitching staff. Burnett learned that the hard way when he upgraded market size from Florida to Toronto and eventually New York. It's not the same environment.
But Burnett has long noted that New York – while a speed bump on the road to the pitcher he would eventually become – was necessary. Burnett wouldn't have been as much help and Pittsburgh (and may not have made it to the Steel City) had he been an elite Yankees ace.
And as it pertains to winning, Burnett knows what it took for Pittsburgh to finally break their postseason drought. He understands this ownership group, headlined by Bob Nutting. And, most importantly, he knows that while he was talented, Skenes has the potential to be the best pitcher of his era. Why let him waste away for a franchise that won't pay his market value? In 2005, Burnett went through a similar predicament when signing with the Blue Jays despite the loyalty he felt to the Marlins.
These are all career parallels Skenes can relate to.
Does Paul Skenes want to be a Yankee?
Skenes hasn't showed his hand just yet. This offseason, one of Skenes former Pirates teammates claimed that the ace was open about his desire to play in New York. Skenes has denied this rumor, and went as far as to say he's not focused on anything besides turning the Pirates into winners. The kid is just 23 years old, after all. It shouldn't surprise us that he's focused on the here and now.
“Trust me, he wants to play for the Yankees,” the Skenes teammate told NJ Advanced Media. “I’ve heard him say it multiple times.”
If we had to guess which former teammate this would be, my money is on Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who did not enjoy his time in Pittsburgh and has ties to the Yankees. Andrew McCutchen may be upset with the organization right now, but he's also a Pittsburgh native and doesn't want the Pirates to lose their greatest asset.
Regardless, Skenes has a path to the Bronx whenever he wants it. Being able to discuss that route with Burnett (and others in his life) will prove valuable to the player, but tough for a small-market team like the Pirates that is combatting Skenes trade rumors each and every deadline.