FanPost

Bannister Dealt to Royals


LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The New York Mets and Kansas City Royals got together to help each other fill a void.

Brian Bannister
Bannister
Ambiorix Burgos
Burgos

The Mets on Wednesday traded righthanded starter Brian Bannister to the Royals for reliever Ambiorix Burgos.

Bannister, who began the 2006 season in the Mets' starting rotation, was 2-1 with a 4.26 ERA in eight games -- six starts. The 25-year-old missed nearly four months of the season after injuring his hamstring running the bases April 26 in San Francisco.

"Acquiring Brian Bannister fits in with our plan for long term success," Kansas City general manager Dayton Moore said. "We're excited to be acquiring such a young talented pitcher with such exceptional makeup. Bannister has a great upside, a very gritty competitor. Goes right after the batters."

The Royals have a desperate need in the starting rotation. Only left-hander Mark Redman, who is a free agent, posted double-digit wins (11) last season and no pitcher on the club who started more than two games had an ERA under 5.00.

Burgos was 4-5 with 18 saves and a 5.52 ERA in a team-high 68 games -- one start -- for the Royals. He tied a club record with 12 blown saves.

Just 22 years old, the hard-throwing right-hander will help fill a middle-relief void for New York, which already has lost relievers Chad Bradford and Roberto Hernandez. Guillermo Mota is a free agent and already has been suspended the first 50 games of the season for violating baseball's substance abuse policy.

Burgos was 3-5 with a 3.98 ERA with two saves in 59 games during his rookie season in 2005. His 137 strikeouts over the last two seasons is the most by a Kansas City reliever.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2687857

I like this move. Burgos is 22 and was closing for the worse team in the league. His K/9 is a stout 8.84. He did have 37 walks, which is something professor Rick will help him with. Bannister was about th 8 option to start this year anyway.

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