Yankees Tap Burnett For 5 Years $82 Million

The Yankees continue to defy economic odds as they continually throw money at starting pitching.

The Yankees signed former Florida Marlin and Toronto Blue Jay A. J. Burnett to a five year $82 million contract. The Yankees hope Burnett will be more successful than another Florida Marlin, Carl Pavano, who stole millions of dollars from the Yankees after serving most of his five year contract on the disabled list.

Burnett went 18-10 with a 4.07 ERA last year for Toronto, but what caught the Yankee's eye was Burnett's domination of the Bronx Bombers in 2008. He was 5-0 against the Yankees last season.

The Yankees now have to hope that Andy Pettite signs a one year $10 million contract that would solidify the rotation with C.C. Sabathia and Chien Ming Wang already slotted into the top two slots.