NEW YORK — The Yankees agreed Friday to trade much maligned pitcher A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh for two minor leaguers, a deal that clears the way for New York to add Raul Ibanez.
Pittsburgh will pay $13 million of the $33 million salary due Burnett for 2012 and 2013, a person familiar with the negotiations said Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcement has been made.
New York will receive 25-year-old right-hander Diego Moreno and 20-year-old outfielder Exicardo Cayones, both low-level prospects.
The agreement is subject to Burnett passing a physical, which is likely to take place Sunday. Commissioner Bud Selig also must approve it because of the money involved.
Burnett planned to be at the Pirates’ spring training complex in Bradenton, Fla., on Sunday.
New York intends to use the money saved to sign a designated hitter. The Yankees already have been negotiating a major league contract with Ibanez, who spent the last three seasons with Philadelphia.
He has been waiting for New York to agree to the deal, a person familiar with those negotiations said, also on condition of anonymity. The contract for the 39-year-old outfielder would have a base salary of about $1 million.
New York also hopes to re-sign backup infielder Eric Chavez.
A 35-year-old right-hander, Burnett has gone 34-35 with a 4.79 ERA during three seasons with New York, including 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA last year. His average of 3.98 walks per nine innings was second in the AL and fifth in the majors during that span among pitchers with 400 or more innings, according to STATS LLC.
Linsanity helps end Knicks blackout on Time Warner
First, he lifted the Knicks back into the playoff hunt. Now Jeremy Lin has put them back on TV.
Madison Square Garden has reached a deal to put Knicks games back on television for some 2 million Time Warner Cable subscribers in the New York area, according to New York state officials who had pressured the companies to settle.
The dispute had left subscribers unable to watch the Knicks since Jan. 1, meaning they couldn’t tune in to watch Lin lead the team to seven straight wins. That led to criticism and calls for a quick resolution.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo heralded both companies for resolving the dispute, saying in a statement, “I thank them for being responsive to the needs of New Yorkers.”
The deal comes just in the nick of time — the next Knicks game is Friday night against the Hornets.
A wave of “Linsanity” surrounding the undrafted point guard from Harvard has helped lift the stock of The Madison Square Garden Co., which owns the Knicks and the MSG network that carries their games. On Friday, shares were up 98 cents, or 3.1 percent, at $32.85.
Shares are up more than 11 percent since Lin stepped off the bench Feb. 4 and posted his first professional 25-point game.
NASCAR nixes Watson’s ‘General Lee’ lap
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR and track officials canceled plans to have pro golfer Bubba Watson drive the car from the television series “The Dukes of Hazzard” at Phoenix International Raceway because of concerns about a negative reaction to an image of the Confederate flag.
Watson was scheduled to drive the 1969 Dodge Charger, known as the “General Lee,” on a parade lap before the March 4 Sprint Cup series race at Phoenix. The car has a large Confederate flag on its roof, just as it did when it appeared on the show.
“The image of the Confederate flag is not something that should play an official role in our sport as we continue to reach out to new fans and make NASCAR more inclusive,” NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said in a statement Friday.
Higdon said it was a joint decision by officials with NASCAR, the racetrack, and track ownership group International Speedway Corp.
While the flag may not be welcome in an official capacity in NASCAR, it often can be seen flying from fans’ vehicles in racetrack infields.
Reached Friday at the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles, Watson said the car only has the flag on it because that’s the way it looked on the show.
“Obviously, I don’t stand for the Confederate flag,” Watson said.
Son of Fox studio host killed in car accident
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The 19-year-old son of NASCAR on Fox studio host Chris Myers has been killed in a car accident.
The network says Myers will not be part of Fox’s coverage of the season-opening Daytona 500. Christopher Myers was killed Thursday in Southern California, where the family resides.
SPEED studio host John Roberts will replace Myers at Daytona International Speedway.
Roberts will assume Myers’ responsibilities as host of Saturday night’s studio show before the Budweiser Shootout, during Sunday’s qualifying, and the pre-race show for the Feb. 26 season-opening Daytona 500.
Fox says Myers will be given as much time off as he needs.
Purdue dismisses Barlow, suspends Byrd
INDIANAPOLIS — Purdue kicked guard Kelsey Barlow off the team Friday and suspended swingman D.J. Byrd for a pivotal late-season game following an early-morning incident at a bar.
Lt. Gary Sparger of the West Lafayette police said officers were called to Where Else bar near the Purdue campus just before 3 a.m. after a disturbance. Both Barlow and Byrd were there when police arrived.
Police are investigating an allegation that Byrd assaulted one of the bar’s bouncers. Sparger said Barlow had been kicked out of the bar earlier that night, then told bar staff he had left his wallet inside but was not allowed back in.
Byrd was arrested by Indiana State Police for public intoxication and spent five hours in jail. He will miss Sunday’s home game against No. 7 Michigan State as the Boilermakers (17-9, 7-6 Big Ten) try to improve their record and RPI in hopes of an NCAA tournament berth.
In a statement, Purdue said the players were punished for violating unspecified team rules.
“This is an unfortunate situation, but we will move forward as a program,” coach Matt Painter said. “We expect our student-athletes to live up to a high standard, and when their actions become detrimental to the program, there are consequences.”
The school said it would have no further comment.