Update: A.J. Burnett declines $12.75 million option for 2015

While we all waited for a beat reporter to break it, our friends at Whiz Whit dug up what appears to be indisputable confirmation that A.J. Burnett has declined his $12.75 million option for 2015.

As you can see, the transaction went up on November 3rd (yesterday). Both Burnett and the Phillies declined their mutual $15 million option on Saturday (November 1st), so it’s hard to imagine that this is referring to that. Also, Burnett had until 11:59 this evening to either pick up or decline his $12.75 million option for 2015, so they wouldn’t have put that he ‘elected free-agency’, based off of the two sides declining the original option. At least, you wouldn’t think.

Let me say this clearly: SECTION 215 IS NOT REPORTING THAT BURNETT DECLINED HIS OPTION FOR 2015. Rather, I am responding to someone else’s solid job of picking up on something under the radar, that appears to be confirmation that Burnett isn’t coming back for 2015. If this turns out not to refer to the $12.75  million option that we have all been held hostage waiting for, well, that’s on the Phillies. So is the fact that they gave him such an achievable option in the first place.

Update 5:30 PM EST-…….And it’s gone!

Somehwere, Ruben Amaro and Pat Gillick are screaming this.

Final Update: Burnett has declined his option and won’t return next year. I’ve decided it’s better off just to accept things and not ask questions.