From Bob Klapisch (The Record):
Of course, there’ll be moments when Sabathia will be tempted to body-surf the adrenaline rush, especially when he gets to two strikes. Burnett discovered for himself what happens to a Stadium crowd when it senses a strikeout coming — and what the noise in the ballpark can do to a pitcher’s concentration.
“I heard everyone, they were up and roaring and I tried to soak it in,” Burnett said. “I looked around and said, ‘Wow, this is what it’s all about.’ But I got caught up in it. I was like, ‘OK, you want me to throw it harder, I will.’ A couple of 0-2 pitches, I wasn’t even close.”
A.J. walked 5 in 6 innings during his ALDS start. Perhaps those 5 walks were the products of adrenaline and overthrowing rather than general wildness. Hopefully, with one postseason start now under his belt, the home crowd won’t continue to effect him in the way described above.
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5 Responses to Don't cheer too loud for A.J.
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It makes sense, Burnett is a guy who seems to really want to come through and doesn’t want to disappoint and to experience your first playoff start in New York with this years expectations must be a rush. Now that he has a game under his belt he should only get better each start he has!
Agreed. Looking at this comment, it was probably a dumb thing for Burnett — a 33-year old veteran — to admit to overthrowing based on the crowd’s reactions. It’s understandable for him to be impacted by those things, especially in the playoffs, but to openly admit to it seems inappropriate. It’s a sign of weakness, really.
No way Burnett is like a big kid, he isn’t fake and he isn’t so caught up in his own image that he can’t take som digs… I think it’s a good thing he admitted it he can get it off his chest and focus in next time instead of trying to act like nothing is wrong.
I hope that’s the case. I think he’ll be okay, it’s just slightly unnerving that he would overthrow based on the crowd’s desires. I get it, though. We’re all human.
I can’t pretend to know that feeling but think about having an 0-2 count and then hearing the entirety of Yankee stadium cheering and clapping and yelling and then realize they are all standing in anticipation of you striking the guy out… That has to pump you up like no other!! He has never been a star like this before… Flordia and Toronto aren’t the same media market that New York is and there fans don’t demand and expect nearly as much out of them.