Sean Burnett Has a Kid, Gets Cut

There's not many people that can manage to feel bad for professional athletes. Getting paid huge sums of money to entertain and play a kids game isn't exactly a profession that many people find worthy of sympathy. Still, it's not all smooth sailing for every athlete. Some guys spend most of their lives playing baseball and still manage to get a raw deal. Pirates' pitcher Sean Burnett is definitely one of those guys.

The Pirates made Burnett a first round pick out of high school in 2000 and he mostly cruised through the minors towards his major league debut in 2004. After a good beginning with the Pirates (he won five starts in a row at one point), he had some elbow pain and needed Tommy John surgery, resulting in him missing all of 2005. Since he's come back, he's struggled with arm strength and control and turned in two subpar years in AAA, finally resulting in
him being dropped off the 40-man roster this winter in favor of Ray Olmedo.

This spring, new Pirates' GM Neal Huntington asked Burnett to move into the bullpen and he responded beautifully. In ten innings he only allowed one run and three hits, striking out eight. Given his history, that might not be enough to make the pen on most teams, but the Pirates only had three bullpen spots filled when camp opened this year and Burnett far out-performed most of the other candidates for a spot. Still Burnett found himself on the outside yet again this year because he can be demoted to AAA while Evan Meek has to make the team as a Rule 5 pick and Phil Dumatrait is out of options. Unfortunately, he had to receive the news over the phone because he was out of camp. He was out of camp because he was celebrating the birth of his first child.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Huntington said Burnett was "angry, frustrated, and disappointed," over being cut. Indeed.

Latest Baseball Photos

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, right, and catcher Russell Martin wait for the arrival relief pitcher Ramon Troncoso from the bullpen after yanking Joe Beimel during the fifth inning of the exhibition baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, March 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

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Boston Red Sox's Manny Ramirez is hit by a pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Joe Beimel during the fifth inning of their exhibition baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, March 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

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Boston Red Sox David Ortiz, right, and Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Russell Martin follow Ortiz's foul ball to the right field pole during the fourth inning of their exhibition baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Friday, March 28, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

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San Diego Padres third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff makes a catch on a hit by Los Angeles Angels' Jeff Mathis in the fifth inning of their spring training baseball game Friday March 28, 2008, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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Chicago Cubs' Kosuke Fukudome, of Japan, get safely to second base after hitting a double as Seattle Mariners' Willie Bloomquist, right, reaches for the throw in the seventh inning of their exhibition baseball game in Las Vegas on Friday, March 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Chicago Cubs' Kosuke Fukudome, of Japan, runs to the first base as he watches his line drive in the fourth inning of their exhibition baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Las Vegas on Friday, March 28, 2008. Fukudome was out on first. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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San Diego Padres' Tadahito Iguchi reacts after striking out in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels in their spring training baseball game Friday, March 28, 2008, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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San Diego Padres' Brian Giles slides safely into third with a run-producing triple as Los Angeles Angels' Brandon Wood awaits the late throw in the sixth inning of their spring training baseball game on Friday, March 28, 2008, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki, of Japan, hits a single against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning of their exhibition spring baseball game in Las Vegas on Friday, March 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Boston Red Sox Dustin Pedroia, left, is late in tagging Los Angeles Dodgers James Loney as he steals second base during the second inning of their exhibition baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Friday, March 28, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

3-29-2008 @ 6:20AM

soturnorpay@aol.com said...

Well if he's not allow to play the game because of the birth of his child. That's wrong. They he can always look at the postive side well I have more time to spend with my family. Children our God's gift. Do you know who Jesus is? Feel free to check out online readings at www.chick.com (they're in cartoon formate.

3-29-2008 @ 6:43AM

T Strong said...

I am 59 and I still remember being cut from the Pony League team when I was 14. It still hurts to think about it. I can only imagine what it must feel like to get cut when your child is being born. I only hope another team will pick him up.

3-29-2008 @ 7:02AM

Joe said...

Thats why the Pirates haven't been a winner in 15 yrs.

3-29-2008 @ 7:51AM

james said...

stay in school and if you can manage athletically after academics so be it. i had a minor league opportunity and chose medical school, and don't regret it one bit. i suspect i manage league minimum at least, and i get to watch my kid's play a kid's game. though i would trade places with any major leaguer for a day, i don't have any regrets.

3-29-2008 @ 8:12AM

PJ Lim said...

Sean Burnett wasn't cut! He was sent back down to the Pirates Minor league franchise until his arm/shoulder heals completely. When it does, he will be called back up! If he had been put on waivers so the team could make their player limit, another team could have snatched him up. This way, the Pirates have protected him until he is ready. Someone needs to do their research...........

3-29-2008 @ 8:17AM

Bob Woods said...

Probably the rule thing
However under current ownership,
Pirates destined to lose.
Owner is there for the t.v. rights
and ownership perks.
Not a baseball man,
Should be stripped of depriciated value
of team.
Pirate baseball is a joke, Fans should boycott

3-29-2008 @ 8:44AM

Paul Plumeri said...

Thats life in the big time.

3-29-2008 @ 8:25AM

moly said...

I am so dumb, I thought that the doctor delivering the baby must have slipped with the scalpel and cut him!

3-29-2008 @ 8:26AM

laiconna said...

4. stay in school and if you can manage athletically after academics so be it. i had a minor league opportunity and chose medical school, and don't regret it one bit. i suspect i manage league minimum at least, and i get to watch my kid's play a kid's game. though i would trade places with any major leaguer for a day, i don't have any regrets.
*************************************************************
Good for you James. Most of the major league pro ball players have graduated college. They were chosen for major or minor league play out of college. you might want to capitalize those i's. But then we all know that doctors have bad penmanship. Just joking.

3-29-2008 @ 8:27AM

purpleheart said...

What can you do for me today, or next week. They could care less what a player has done in the past.They have hope he will help the team down the road, and he will, if he stays healthy.

3-29-2008 @ 8:47AM

Barry said...

Pittsburgh still has a team?

3-29-2008 @ 8:54AM

Simzeee said...

That's what happens when you have kids........Nobody want you.

3-29-2008 @ 9:15AM

Ron Sarson said...

What a misleading Headline & story gist. He was sent to the minors to continue his rehab. He was not "cut".

3-29-2008 @ 9:46AM

Dawn said...

And why exactly are we suppose to feel bad? Since 2004 he has banked major paychecks, did he not learn in school to budget? This story is nothing but crap. Everyone has their own hardluck story. He was making good money he should have banked it. Surely he didn't expect to still be playing when he was 65. I can't find anything here to sypathize with. Go back to school and learn something that will now support your family and forget about the trappings of the rich, you don't need fancy cars, jewelry and toys to raise a happy child.

3-29-2008 @ 9:59AM

Patrick said...

if he can show that being away from the team for the birth of his child led to this decision, he could probably sue under the Family Medical Leave Act.

3-31-2008 @ 9:54PM

angie said...

I can rember being cut from the basketball team in high school basketball was my life back then i slept thought everything was all about playing ball for me but the couch didn't like my daddy they worked toghter and never got along or liked each other and iwas good i could even out play most boys no one could understand why i was cut but all i know is after that my life changed i went from good kid to trouble maker and never tryed out to play anything again and i loved all sports one person just changed my hole life she took away from me the one thing that was most inportent to me in life that i enjoyed

3-29-2008 @ 10:21AM

LeeAnn said...

Although I feel for him having been cut on such a joyous event as the birth of his first child, the facts are: Sports have becomea proft making business with no regard for the love of the game. I think it is outrageous that these sports people are getting millions a year. No wonder prices to see a game, buy a hot dog, coke and/or beer are almost prohibited for many.
As for Burnett, the BIGGEST mistake he did was to go from High School to the Baseball Diamond. In this day and age a College Degree is a must to get a job unless you want to work a fast food restaurant. I am sure that when someone dangles dollar bills in front of your eyes, the appeal is tantalizing, but he should have made a better choice and stayed in school. I am sure if he was that great, he would have been given a scholarship. Then when baseball or whatever no longer worked out due to injury etc......he would atleast have had somehting to fall back on. I can only hope he is able to provide for his family.