A.J. Burnett Hates Toronto

Can Toronto please move on from the whole A.J. Burnett is an asshole thing? Yes, his comments to the Chicago Sun-Tribune weren't the most pragmatic or well-thought-out, but it's hardly a swipe at the city.

In fact, it's pretty close to a matter of fact that baseball is not breakfast, lunch and dinner in Toronto. And if A.J. Burnett would rather be playing baseball in a town where baseball is number one, who are Torontonians, the majority of whom are unlikely aware of who A.J. Burnett is, to take offense?

Can you honestly imagine Burnett's mental makeup in a major baseball market? If we're to believe in the Nuke LaLoosh comparisons, what's the over/under on media criticisms before A.J. would snap?

All of this is moot anyway considering that a Burnett deal is rather unlikely. As Jeff Blair points out today, the Blue Jays will not let a potential trade partner renegotiate Burnett's out clause before making a deal, making him nothing more than a "hired gun" for a contender.

The most likely scenario sees A.J. opting out at the end of this year and the Jays happy to collect two draft picks that would be better compensation than anything they'd be able to get for A.J. in a trade anyway.