Miami Marlins career retrospective: A.J. Burnett

The then Florida Marlins won the World Series in the 2003 season. This was a great season, and one of the starting pitchers that was on the team was A.J. Burnett. I wrote about other stars from that team previously and now it's time to cover Burnett. How did the former top prospect do on The Fish?

A.J. Burnett never really reached his ceiling with the Miami Marlins.

A.J. Burnett was not a highly touted draft pick, being an eighth round pick of the New York Mets back in 1995. He was traded to the then Florida Marlins on February 6, 1998. He rose through the ranks by that point, becoming a top prospect. Burnett debuted the following season, producing an impressive 3.48 ERA/4.30 FIP, with 7.2 K/9 and a less impressive 5.4 B/9, in 7 games and 41.1 innings pitched.

Burnett received more innings (82.2) and starts (13) in 2000. This time he delivered a worse 4.79 ERA/4.68 FIP, with 6.2 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9. Was he a bust? Would he ever be better? In 2001, Burnett delivered a 4.05 ERA/4.63 FIP, with 6.6 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9, in 27 games and 173.1 innings pitched.

2002 saw A.J. Burnett finally break out, as he produced a 3.30 ERA/3.19 FIP, with 8.9 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 31 games and 204.1 innings pitched. He was now a legit ace and an important cog of the team going into the 20023 season. That's why it's so shocking, that he ended up only pitching in 4 games that season (4.70 ERA/4.94 FIP with 8.2 K/9 and 7.0 BB/9). He required Tommy John Surgery and missed the rest of the season, as well as half of the 2004 season.

Burnett was back in 2004, but an elbow surgery hurt him later on as well. As a result, in his final two seasons with The Fish in 2004 and 2005, he produced a 3.53 ERA/3.14 FIP, with 8.5 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 52 games and 329.0 innings pitched. Overall, A.J. Burnett finished his Miami Marlins career with a 12.2 WAR, along with a 3.73 ERA/3.71 FIP, with 7.9 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9, in 134 games and 853.2 innings pitched. He left as a free agent after the 2005 season and signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.

A.J. Burnett pitched for the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates after. He never did become the ace that he seemed to be at one point, but had some brief time as one with the then Florida Marlins.