With a very weak Free Agent Pitching market, Atlanta Braves Picher Jair Jurrjens has made his way into trade talk in recent weeks. With numerous teams to be rumored talking to the Braves about him, here is a recent roundup of the talk:
Jurrjens is under team control for one more year at a very modest $3.25 million and then will be arbitration eligible. I don't foresee him commanding a great deal of money in 2012, and with plenty of years ahead of him, should be able to sign a favorable contract for the team. We have already seen earlier this month the Kansas City Royals turn down an offer that included stud prospect Wil Meyers. Of course the Royals would never bite on this deal, but while looking at numbers, the Braves do have plenty of money to play with come 2012, especially on their outfield. Now enter, Nick Swisher and the New York Yankees.
Today, reports rose that the Yankees may have some interest in Jurrjens. Atlanta sees Eduardo Nunez as a prospect that can spell the Alex Gonzalez problem, or possibly play some OF. The asking price is clearly a problem; I think some people have a higher opinion of Jurrjens than teams outside of Atlanta. Although Kansas City is still in pursuit of Jurrjens according to Jim Bowden of ESPN, the Yankees may be driving the price up according to Jon Heyman. Joel Sherman thinks the Yankees may balk on any deal all together because of their history with ex Braves (Javier Vazquez).
As a New Yorker, I have always been interested in Jair Jurrjens, but certainly not at the price Jon Heyman suggests. Trading an above average leadoff hitter along with an organizational top 5 prospect for Jurrjens would be absurd. Jurrjens ranks 20th amongst NL Pichers in WAR since 2008, his first full season. With a modest 3.88 career FIP, I see that only rising in the AL, especially in Yankee Stadium