Cardinals not in on Burnett

Hours after a report characterized his team as a "serious bidder" for A.J. Burnett, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak shot down any notion of his team signing the free-agent right-hander.

"I don't know where that started," Mozeliak told reporters at his daily press briefing during baseball's annual Winter Meetings. "We've just never engaged with them."

Mozeliak said it is extremely unlikely, and all but impossible, that the Cardinals will commit more than two years to any newly-acquired starting pitcher. The team already has long-term commitments to Chris Carpenter (through 2011, with an option for 2012), Kyle Lohse (through 2012) and Adam Wainwright (through 2011 with options for 2012-13).

St. Louis pursued Burnett the last time he was a free agent, in the winter of 2005-06, when he signed with Toronto. It was the Cards' unwillingness to go beyond four guaranteed years that caused them to fall short with Burnett last time around. That deal included an opt-out clause that is the reason Burnett is a free agent once again.

--Matthew Leach