(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
A.J. Burnett wasn’t great — managing to mostly limit the damage in scattering 10 hits and allowing three runs over 5 2/3 innings — but was good enough to pick up his first win since June 29 (though in fairness, in the six Burnett starts prior to this one — save the 18-7 drubbing of the White Sox — the Yankees only averaged 1.83 runs per start during the time A.J. was actually on the mound in those six games. Not saying this absolves him of lousy pitching, but he probably hasn’t been quite as bad as it seems he’s been considering how little the Yankees have scored for him. Of course, on the flip side, one could also make the case that it’s a bit tougher to score runs when your starter digs you a hole. Anyway, food for thought), which also randomly happened to be his first-ever August win as a Yankee as the Bombers beat back the Royals 7-4.
Burnett haters will cite the fact that he couldn’t hold the scant 2-0 lead the Yankees handed him after two, and while that was undoubtedly frustrating, and Burnett didn’t seem to have much on his pitches by the 5th inning despite coming out of the gate throwing 94mph gas, I’d rather look at the plus side and note that he didn’t fold after his offense picked him up and got him back a lead. He didn’t miss many bats — 5 swings-and-misses out of 88 pitches — and his defense picked him up with a few nice plays, but limiting the damage to only three runs despite putting 11 men on base in just shy of his six innings has to be considered a positive.
Speaking of gas, Felipe Paulino was hurling flame out there, averaging 95mph on his fastball and getting it all the way up to 98. He kept the Yankees off balance through the first five, mixing in a hard 88mph slider and 87mph changeup. Before Paulino came apart in the 6th I couldn’t help but wonder how he’d been let go by the Rockies for nothing, and how no one else but the Royals decided to take a flyer on him, but the effectively wild thing doesn’t generally work against a patient team like the Yankees, and Paulino paid for only throwing 58% of his 107 pitches for strikes and walking five in 5.1 innings (and only six swings-and-misses).
The offensive heroes for the Yankees were Derek Jeter, who had a huge 3-4 day (including a triple) with 3 RBI, and Brett Gardner, who picked up two hits and drove in two. Since returning from the DL Jeter’s been nothing short of stellar, with a .313/.372/.433 line over 33 games (and those numbers are prior to last night’s game).
The bullpen once again came up big, throwing 3.1 innings of one-run ball, the lone run yielded by Rafael Soriano — his first since returning from the DL. On the flip side, the Yankees finally seemed to break through the previously impenetrable Royals bullpen, scoring a run on hard-throwing lefty Tim Collins and another on fellow hard-throwing lefty Everett Teaford.
And finally, the Royals, as you know, are an ultra-young and also aggressive team, though their aggressiveness didn’t quite pan out in this one — Johnny Giavotella in particular was caught stealing twice to end innings.
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10 Responses to Burnett wins first August start as a Yankee; Bombers beat Kansas City 7-4
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TIQ IQ
Everett Teaford sounds more like a cricket name than a baseball name.
more the bats and bullpen won this game..he was horrible vs a AAA team..
I’m just wondering if Yankee fans across the country should jump and and down because AJ went 5 2/3 innings giving up 3 ER and 10 hits. And got himself into a couple of jams that he managed to get out of. Because other then the final score I don’t see a lot of encouragement from AJ performance. That’s just my opinion.
Obviously no one is jumping up and down about AJ’s outing, but I see no reason to dwell negatively on it. Unless you truly believe the Yankees will ever yank A.J. from the rotation — and they’ve given no indication that this is in the cards, despite speculation from everyone on the internet — I find it more palatable to try to find the good in his outings, because he’s not going anywhere.
Do I trust him in a high-leverage spot? No. Do I trust him to author a reasonable start in the postseason? No. But ultimately he did limit the damage, and that has to be considered a positive.
Let’s put it this way — would people be freaking out as much about A.J. if the Yankees hadn’t built a 2-0 lead for him to blow? Is the end result more palatable if A.J. gives up those three runs and the Yanks have none? I have a feeling people would be a bit more forgiving of A.J. had he put up the same line but received zero run support. The narrative turns from “Burnett blows Yankee lead” to “Burnett hold Royals to three as Yankee offense sparks dramatic comeback.”
It seems to me like it seems a lot worse because he blew a two-run lead, which, again, isn’t great, but it happens.
Larry, I see your point. But this is just my opinion. AJ is a train wreck waiting to happen. This may be a bit of an exaggeration on my part but every time AJ takes the mound or even gets into a minor jam, as a fan you have to hold your breath hope for the best and realize the worst is more likely to happen. Like I said it may be an exaggeration and more perception than reality but I don’t think so.
The simple truth is that after nearly 2 years of poor performances by AJ for bloggers or posters to say “give him a chance to work out the problems, he has good stuff” is just mind boggling to me. May be it’s what the Yankees are getting for their $16M plus per year with AJ, may be it’s his total lack of consistency may be it’s that he seems to be, being judged differently by the Yankees management because of his salary. AJ seems to me to be able to go about 4 innings for the most part before imploding that in my opinion is by definition a “long relief” pitcher. I certainly possess no expertise in the matter. Just the feeling and view of a very long time Yankee fan.
I don’t disagree with any of what you’re saying. There’s no two ways around it — aside from 2009, A.J.’s been about as bad a signing as one may have feared.
I guess the perspective I’m trying to take is that we’re still stuck with him for two more years, and so I’ll try to glean any positives I can get.
Larry, nothing wrong with that. Have a good day. Here’s hoping for a Nova and Yankee win this evening.
but it is the royals…if it were the rangers or sox..you have a point..anyone can throw a game vs royals.
The issue is whether or not AJ is one of their five best starters, or more specifically given that it’s mid-August, do you want him to start a game in the postseason.
I think the answer is no, especially if Hughes and Nova continue to pitch at a high level. So gathering more information on those two pitchers has now become a far more important inquiry than whatever AJ does.
rich, you are correct..just that cashman made a remark ,AJ is not losing his spot…this guy can not start in the post season. he will burn the pen. sox will abuse him..he does not pair up vs lester or beckett.