Is Jared Burton our Rule-5 gift from God?

[TC81190]

i.e. Is he our Bobby Jenks or Derrick Turnbow? A guy plucked from the scrap heap that turns out to help us immensely in a weak area?

[Chip R]

I think it's unfair to say we got Burton from the scrap heap. I'm sure OAK is more than willing to take him back. But I see your point. I can only hope that once he gets his feet wet and proves he can get people out, his role will be more important.

[TC81190]

I think it's unfair to say we got Burton from the scrap heap. I'm sure OAK is more than willing to take him back. But I see your point. I can only hope that once he gets his feet wet and proves he can get people out, his role will be more important.

Well maybe not from the scrap heap, but he was very easily had.

[Chip R]

Well maybe not from the scrap heap, but he was very easily had.

Sure. Anybody could have had him. But since he's a Rule 5 guy, getting him and keeping him are two different things all together. Jenks and Turnbow were low risk guys. Probably signed to minor league deals. If they didn't show anything, they could have gone down to the minors and the Sox and Brewers didn't have to worry about losing him. If we want to send Burton down to the minors for more seasoning, every other team has to take a pass on him and if they do, which is highly unlikely, he has to be offered back to OAK.

It is possible he can move into a role similar to what Turnbow and Jenks did but with all the others ahead of him and Narron's reluctance to count on young players, it probably won't happen.

[TC81190]

That's true. But, hey, if he can bridge the gap (or stave off failure until) the 9th inning man, thats good too.