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The Pirates just announced A.J. Burnett has an orbital fracture of his right eye and will undergo surgery tomorrow.

Now that A.J. Burnett is a Pittsburgh Pie-rate, there is one more opening on the Yankee roster: That of pastry-throwing lunatic at the conclusion of a Yankees walk-off win. Joe Girardi was asked today if the practice, brought to the Yankees by Burnett three years ago, would depart the club with him.

"Well, I prefer banana cream myself,'' the manager said, apropos of nothing. "Someone might adopt it, who knows? The guys enjoyed it. So someone might do it, continue on the tradition.''

Hoch of MLB.com suggested the obvious choice -- Nick Swisher.

"If I was to guess, I think that’s a pretty good guess,'' Girardi said.

Then I chimed in with my own personal favorite -- Rafael Soriano.

"You think outside the box,'' Girardi said. "I like that.''

QUESTION: Who do you like as the official team pie-thrower for this season? Enter your choices below and we'll publish the final tally in a few days.

Ex-Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett says he enjoyed his time in New York, but wished he could’ve had an opportunity this season to prove people wrong.

“I have a championship there,” Burnett, who was traded the Pirates on Saturday in exchange for a pair of prospects -- Pittsburgh will only have to pay $13 million of the $31 million left on his contract, sources told ESPN The Magazine’s Buster Olney -- said during a Tuesday appearance on ESPN NewYork 1050’s “The Michael Kay Show.” “I played with some great teammates in a great city.

“Were [the fans and media] hard on me? Yeah. Did I give them reasons to [be hard on me]? Yeah. So I ain’t running from anything. Yes, I wish I had the opportunity to prove people wrong. But on the other hand, it’s time to move forward.”

Burnett wound up compiling a 4.79 ERA with the Yankees, the second-highest in franchise history among those pitchers pitchers who threw at least 500 innings, according to ESPN Stats & Information. His fastball velocity declined from 94.1 mph in 2009 to 92.6 in 2011.

In 2009, according to ESPN Stats & Information, one out of every five Burnett pitches registered 95 mph or faster on Pitch F/X’s radar-gun readings. In 2011, that rate was one in every 250 pitches.

“I think I just started buying in and listening to the wrong things,” Burnett said when asked why things went south. “I’m not gonna be the guy that’s not coachable and the guy that doesn’t wanna get better and doesn’t wanna learn. So when you’re surrounded by Hall of Famers like that that wanna help you, you’re gonna listen. And I think I got away from a lot. I don’t think my velocity’s dropped down. I think the way I changed my delivery made my velocity drop down. ... I never felt like I did in 2009 as a Yankee.”

Asked who changed him, Burnett replied, “It wasn’t exactly a change. I think maybe reactions here or there from the crowd if I walked a couple guys or got in bad counts early, it’s like it’s over. But it’s not over, I still got six or seven innings left to pitch, so ease up.

“At the same time, I turned a lot [in my delivery in the past]. I had deception in my delivery in 2009 that made me successful. It wasn’t anybody. They didn’t like the turn. They wanted me to be more of a strike thrower and try to get more consistent in the strike zone because I was wild in that delivery -- but then again I was more powerful and dominant in that delivery.”

Burnett holds no animosity toward the Yankees and their organization -- especially manager Joe Girardi.

“I have a great feeling about Joe,” Burnett said. “He texted me the other day, and we were texting back and forth. He was great. I think I was just so caught up in getting back and trying to turn the page and get going right, and a few of those times I felt like I could’ve gotten it done if I was given the chance to stay in there a little longer. On the other hand, skip can’t let it get any worse, but you don’t think about that when you’re out on the mound, but there was never an issue with Joe.”

Ultimately, Burnett considers his time with the Yankees a success.

“I’m not gonna sugarcoat anything. Did I produce as a starter like I should’ve? Heck no. I didn’t,” he said. “Did I have a few good games when we needed [them]? Yes, I did. I just never was consistent.”

Burnett never did live up to the five-year, $82.5 million contract he signed prior to the 2009 season, but he did have his moments. The Yankees wouldn’t have won the 2009 World Series had he not pitched seven innings of one-run ball to earn the victory in Game 2 over Philadelphia. And he went out on top after hurling 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in Game 4 of the 2011 ALDS against Detroit.

“I did end with a victory, a tough victory,” Burnett said. “The world was pretty much against me, but the guys in that locker room and that organization, they never gave up on me.”

Burnett said he’s likely not going to be throwing 97 or 98 like he used to in Pittsburgh, “but I got more than 92 left in the tank, that’s for sure.”

Burnett said he never turned down a trade to the Angels, but it was basically understood that he wouldn’t pitch on the West Coast. It wasn’t that his wife was fearful of flying he said, but because he has two young children that live in Maryland, and it’s too far away.

Burnett doesn’t know if his pie-throwing tradition after walk-off victories will continue, but hopes it does.

“I’m just glad I got the chance to bring it to New York, because honestly it was like somebody landed on the moon,” Burnett said.

Burnett laughed when asked about not getting captain Derek Jeter with a pie.

Burnett was quick to point out that he took the ball every five days as a Yankee, and never made any excuses. In each of his three seasons with the Yankees, he made 33 starts.

He said he was prepared to win the fifth starter job over Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia.

“I busted my butt [in the offseason] harder than I have in a long time,” Burnett said. “I was ready to prove people wrong.”

He won’t get that chance now.

Brian Cashman joins "The Michael Kay Show" about the A.J. Burnett trade, the Raul Ibanez deal and about Mo Rivera's retirement talk.

 

These stats, courtesy of ace researcher Katie Sharp, pretty much tell the story.

A.J. Burnett leaves New York as one of the worst pitchers ever to wear pinstripes. He is the only Yankee pitcher to qualify for the ERA title and post an ERA above 5.00 in two separate seasons, which he did in 2010 and 2011.

Among Yankee pitchers that threw at least 500 innings for the team, Burnett has the:

* 2nd-highest ERA (4.79)
* 2nd-highest HR per 9 innings (1.25)
* 2nd-most wild pitches (58)
* 5th-worst OPS allowed (.783)
* 8th-worst WHIP (1.45)

With the A.J. Burnett trade agreed upon by the Yankees and Pirates, the Yankees expect to sign left-handed designated Raul Ibanez and backup infielder Eric Chavez in the coming days, an official with direct knowledge of the team's thinking said.

Here is the full story.

WHAT IT MEANS: Yankees fans won't have to watch A.J. Burnett give up three-run homers after looking great for much of the day. More importantly, for the front office, they will save a little -- $13M -- on what was a bad contract (five years and $82.5M). Burnett had his moments in the World Series and pitched pretty well in Game 4 of the ALDS, but there were too many black eyes in his three years in pinstripes.

WHAT DID THEY GET: The Yankees got two players from the Pirates who more than likely will never see the Bronx and, if they do, it will be as bit players. We went into detail about who Diego Moreno is here and Exicardo Cayones is here. These aren't top prospects, but, in the case of Marino, the Yankees are hoping they can straighten out his attitude and maximize his talent. But the guy is already 25 and has barely pitched at Double-A. Cayones is young, just 20, so he has time to develop. In other words, don't hold your breath waiting for these guys.

WHO WON THE DEAL: It is a good trade for both clubs, I think. Burnett, even with a reduced fastball, could do well in the NL Central after pitching in the AL East. "Well" is a relative term. He just became the first starter in Yankee history to have two seasons of 150 innings-plus and pick up a five-plus ERA.

The Yankees get $13 million back, which is not bad considering Burnett was their seventh starter. Now, the fight for the fifth spot is a two-man battle.

WHAT IS NEXT: The Yankees next move is expected to be signing Raul Ibanez as their lefty DH. He appears to be the first choice, though, Johnny Damon, among others, is still out there. The Yankees could also sign Eric Chavez to serve as Alex Rodriguez' caddy.

COMING ATTRACTIONS: Wally is going to have a column that should be wrap everything up.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Well, what do you think? A.J. is traded. Good deal or bad deal? Be heard.

We know that the Yankees are getting $13-15 million of salary relief in their trade with the Pirates. Now, Buster Olney tweets that the Yankees and Bucs hope to take the deal to the Commissioner's Office by later today for him to bless it. Then A.J. Burnett will be a Pirate and the Yankees will receive two marginal prospects.

The Yankees will receive $13 million to $15 million in salary relief when the A.J. Burnett trade to the Pirates is finally completed, according to two baseball officials with knowledge of the talks. This means the Bucs will pay anywhere from 39 to 45 percent of the remainder of Burnett's $33 million contract

Sources on both sides of the negotiations say they are optimistic that a deal will be completed, but one said he tended to think it would happen over the weekend rather than Friday. Many reports have had the Pirates unwilling to budge off of $10 million, but a source said they are already prepared to pay more than that.

An official with knowledge of the Pirates' thinking said the team is willing to take on more money, but give up lesser prospects. The official said he expected to the Pirates to likely give up marginal prospects with some upside.

When the trade is finally done, the commissioner will still need to approve it.

How soon? Well, according to tweets by Jim Bowden, whom ESPN shares with XM-Sirius, it will be within the next 24 hours. Bowden tweets:

"NYY-PGH close to finalizing deal w/ Burnett.should get done in next 24 hours according to source;NYY weighing one last offer from other team."

He later tweeted:

"Pirates still working through the details at their end this hour NYY weighing one last proposal at their end this hour...tick tock tick tock"

An official with direct knowledge of the talks did tell ESPN New York earlier in the week, he thought a deal would be done prior to spring training. That's why Wally and I have been reporting all the "optimistic" stuff. Anyway, Burnett is still expected to be dealt. He is still likely to go to Pittsburgh. And Bowden chimes in it could happen before tomorrow night.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. ....

On Twitter, I put this out there with the hastag: #WhatwouldUtradeAJ4

Either go to Twitter or have some fun down below.

Just spoke to an official with direct knowledge of the A.J. Burnett talks and he said, "Status quo. Nothing happening."

The stare-down continues.

I've written here before that if a deal doesn't happen, I don't think A.J. will be much of a distraction. What do you think?

when you consider the last two years his ERA is 5.20. Of the starters that have pitched at least 300 innings, there is only one guy who has been worse -- John Lackey (5.26 ERA). At least Lackey has an excuse these days as he is out for the year after Tommy John surgery.

In terms of OPS, Burnett has allowed an .813 combination of on-base and slugging percentage, which is the second worst to Nick Blackburn (.835) over the past two seasons.

I know what the Yankees are saying, but at the end of the day I think the Yankees blink and get rid of A.J. even if the Pirates don't come up from their $10 million offer. That is my opinion.

If they don't blink, they are just going to get diminished offers. They have to cut bait now.

And yours?

Two baseball officials with knowledge of the A.J. Burnett trade talks both continued to express optimism that a deal will be struck to trade Burnett to the Pirates. However, that deal has not been agreed to, as of yet.

The exact players and money are still not fully determined, but both sides have a firm understanding of the parameters, which is the reason for optimism.

"Eventually, I think, it will get done," a second official, with knowledge of the talks, said.

When the Yankees and Pirates agree on the players and how much of the $33 million Pittsburgh will pay of the remaining two years on Burnett's contract, the trade will still not be completed.

At that point, the commissioner will have to bless the deal because of the amount of money that will be changing hands. There likely won't be any David Stern-like issues, but Bud Selig will have the final word.

An official said he did not expect any more talks on Monday night so it still seems more a matter of when and not if. Just not yet.

Last month in our 25Q/25D series, we reported that Yankees personnel said that Phil Hughes was in "great shape." Well, now, Kernan from The Post tweets that Hughes is in Tampa already and "buffed up."

Last spring, Hughes had to spend a little time in fat camp. This year, he appears ready to go, which could be a first step toward more of a 2010 Hughes than a 2011 Hughes.