Results tagged ‘ A.J. Burnett ’
Mariano gets back on the mound
The last time we saw Mariano Rivera on a mound, it was Game 6 of the World Series and Shane Victorino was tapping a soft roller to second base.
Rivera said that he soft-tosses a little bit on flat ground in Panama during the offseason and once he gets to Tampa – he corralled Edwar Ramirez to play catch in the rain in what might have been Ramirez’s last official action in a Yankees uniform – but this was the first time he’d worked his way up the bump, throwing 21 breezy pitches.
“I think at this age, I definitely have an idea of what I have to do
and what I need,” Rivera said. “It’s Spring Training. Come and get
ready. I don’t think that, in my case, I have to come in and impress
anybody. I just have to make sure that I’m ready for the season, and
that’s what I try to do.”
Remember Camp Quiet? There could be trouble in paradise for Alex Rodriguez, who may be summoned to speak to the FBI regarding their case against a Canadian doctor under investigation for alleged drug violations.
A-Rod was brief in his comments – they totaled 61 seconds – but said he would cooperate and noted, “This is about someone else.” The Yankees have been mostly silent, except for a statement put out in the afternoon through the club.
On the field, A.J. Burnett threw 30 pitches of live batting practice to an audience of empty blue seats at George M. Steinbrenner Field and said that his changeup could be a big pitch for him.
“All winter, I really harped on it,” Burnett said. “Watching CC [Sabathia] throw last year, being a power guy and how much he uses it, it just kind of opened my eyes a little bit. Why not work on something, you know?
Why can’t we be friends?
“The more we get to work with each other, the more we’re going to learn from each other,” Burnett said. “I hope he catches me every start. We were talking about the good games we threw together last year.
“I’m really excited. I hope he catches every bullpen and every game.”
More pictures from today over at Twitpic. A few shots of CC Sabathia’s second bullpen session, as well as Alfredo Aceves, Chad Gaudin and Dave Robertson. Position players report tomorrow and hopefully we’ll begin seeing a few of them on the field Wednesday. Andy Pettitte is throwing a bullpen session tomorrow so expect some shots of him to surface.
- It should be interesting once Chan Ho Park arrives. It’s rare that a player announces his own signing before the team does, but that’s the situation the Yankees are in. Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi tiptoed around semantics but it seems apparent that Park will be in camp sooner or later. Could be bad news for Alfredo Aceves, who has options to Triple-A whereas Chad Gaudin or Sergio Mitre do not.
- Jesus Montero can hit. I didn’t see it first-hand, but several witnesses are saying that he belted a batting practice shot today that drilled the top of the ‘M’ on the George M. Steinbrenner Field scoreboard. I’d only be guessing, but that could be about a 450-foot shot. We asked him about it and he shrugged, saying that he hit a much farther one as a 16-year-old at a tryout camp in Venezuela.
- Johnny Damon is officially a Detroit Tiger and the Yankees are officially moving on.
- Mike Bauman dropped by camp today and thinks this place is quiet — a little too quiet. I tend to agree with him, but things will liven up when the position players get here tomorrow. Nick Swisher can’t help himself from stopping by every day and Curtis Granderson also dropped in to stow some stuff in his locker. Besides, as Pettitte said last week, just wait. Sooner or later, something’s going to come up.
A.J. would like to see the Doc
The blog has been a little quiet of late. Let’s spruce it up with this morning’s pop off the MLB.com Hot Stove report…
A.J. Burnett and Roy Halladay struck up a sincere friendship during
their time together with the Blue Jays, and not surprisingly, Burnett
would enjoy seeing it continue in Yankees pinstripes.
Burnett
told the New York Daily News in Tuesday’s editions that he would like
to see Halladay be traded to a contending team, preferably the Yankees,
with whom Burnett won his first World Series title this year after
signing a five-year, $82.5 million deal.
“I think it’s time for
him to get a fresh start,” Burnett told the newspaper. “He’s paid his
dues there, been the face of the organization, done everything they’ve
asked him to do and more. At this point in his career, I think he just
wants to win.”
Burnett added that he believes Halladay would be able to handle the increased attention New York brings.
“I
don’t think he would let anything distract him,” Burnett said. “He’s
not really the type of person that gets intimidated easily. It doesn’t
matter where he pitches; he’s going to be the same. None of the stuff
that goes on here would faze him at all.”
Jorge Posada will not catch A.J. Burnett
Jorge Posada has been told that he will not be catching when A.J. Burnett starts for the Yankees in either Game 2 or Game 3 of the American League Division Series. Posada said he was pulled aside by manager Joe Girardi on Sunday with the decision.
“It’s not like I didn’t see it coming,” Posada said.
Molina has caught Burnett’s last six starts, and he has fared 3-1 with a 2.92 ERA over that span. Posada last received Burnett on Sept. 1 at Baltimore, when the right-hander allowed six runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings, taking a no-decision in New York’s 9-6 victory.
Asked what pitchers like Burnett like about throwing to him, Molina quipped, “Big target?”
“I really have no idea,” Molina said. “I just call the game the way the reports say, what hitters like to do. Plus I like to talk to the pitchers a lot. Maybe that’s what they like.”
Opponents are hitting .221 off Burnett with Molina behind the plate, compared to .270 with Posada back there. Posada said that he does not know if he’ll play in that game at all, saying, “[Hideki] Matsui’s our DH,” and he did not seem pleased with the decision.
“I just hope we win that game,” Posada said. “That’s all I have to say.”
Yankees feeling better about A.J.
After a rough August when he went 0-4 with a 6.03 ERA, A.J. Burnett has now cobbled together three consecutive solid outings to give the Yankees some peace of mind as far as the postseason arrives.
Before Juan Miranda played the hero in the ninth inning and Kyle Farnsworth assumed the role of goat, Burnett gave the Yankees 6 1/3 innings of three-hit ball in mowing down the Royals, striking out eight but walking three and needing 108 pitches to get that far.
Joe Girardi lifted Burnett in the seventh, as much because of the pitch count as a precaution for the American League Division Series.
Burnett is definitely going to be one of the starters in the ALDS, no matter if they play the Tigers or Twins, though it will be interesting to see how they will decide to arrange him after a long meeting Tuesday to discuss the roster. This weekend could provide a hint, as the Yankees have lined up CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte and Burnett to pitch against the Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.
With Games 1 and 2 in the Bronx, the home-road splits — which Girardi said they would consider — seem to lean toward the idea of pitching Burnett in Game 2. Burnett is 5-3 with a 3.65 ERA at Yankee Stadium and 7-6 with a 4.73 ERA on the road. Pettitte is 6-4 with a 4.59 ERA at Yankee Stadium and 8-3 with a 3.59 ERA on the road.
Then consider that in, three career starts at Comerica Park, Burnett is 2-1 with a very disturbing 9.42 ERA. At the Metrodome, he is 2-1 with a much more palatable 3.91 ERA. Pettitte is 2-3 with a 4.65 ERA at Comerica Park, and 5-4 with a 3.62 ERA at the Metrodome.
9/29 – Yankees vs. Royals
Hey folks, Anthony DiComo back at the Stadium, where Joe Girardi announced that CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte and A.J. Burnett will pitch this weekend in Tampa Bay — in that order. Which means, well, nothing.
The Yankees still have the option to pitch Pettitte in either Game 2 or Game 3, and Girardi made it sound today like he’ll wait until the last possible moment before deciding. There are pros and cons to both scenarios, to be sure.
As for this week, the Yankees put together a far more normal-looking lineup Tuesday against the Royals. Only Robinson Cano, Jorge Posada and Melky Cabrera are missing. Girardi said he will continue to give his position players regular rest until Sunday, when the entire crew of regulars will play one last game together.
ROYALS (64-93)
Maier LF
Betancourt SS
Butler 1B
Jacobs DH
Callaspo 2B
Teahen RF
Buck C
Gordon 3B
Anderson CF
| Pitching: RHP Anthony Lerew (0-1, 3.86). |
YANKEES (101-56)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Swisher RF
Gardner CF
Molina C
Pena 2B
| Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett (12-9, 4.19). |
***FOLLOW ALONG ON TWITTER @ANTHONYDICOMO.
–Anthony DiComo
Back home after the big trip
10 games in 11 days, to Seattle, Oakland and Boston. If the Yankees knew coming into that excursion that they would be flying home with seven victories in their back pocket – and especially two out of three in the Red Sox series – they would have signed right up for that.
Things are flying high right now for the Yankees, who open a three-game series with the Rangers tonight with Joba Chamberlain on the mound. They’re a Major League-best 27-9 since the All-Star break and own the best record in the Majors, heading into tonight tied with their season high of 32 games over .500.
All of that makes the things you actually can fret about, like the possible rift between A.J. Burnett and Jorge Posada, just background noise for the moment.
Mark Teixeira was on the Late Show with David Letterman last night and took a little batting practice outside the Ed Sullivan Theatre, sending a few bombs flying deep down 53rd Street. Here’s a video.
And now, a few other of the off-day discussion stories floating around out there:
Anthony McCarron has a great look in the New York Daily News at June 24, the night the Yankees saved their season with a pregame meeting at Atlanta’s Turner Field.
Andy Pettitte checks in with Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record, addressing the idea that this could really be the lefty’s final year.
Derek Jeter’s “favorite player right now,” Hideki Matsui, tells Jack Curry of The New York Times that he would love to stay put in Yankees pinstripes.
8/12 – Yankees vs. Blue Jays
More Joba talk today at the Stadium, where Joe Girardi revealed that Chamberlain will be making his next start Wednesday in Oakland. From there, who knows? Chamberlain will presumably pitch on regular rest at times this season, and on extended rest at other times. He’s already exceeded his professional career high by nine innings, and will end this season — and, presumably, postseason — in dangerous territory no matter how much the Yankees rest him.
Speaking of rest, Mark Teixeira has an off-day in the finale against the Blue Jays. Expect A-Rod and Derek Jeter to get similar treatment over the next few days.
As we talked about yesterday, you can follow along with me during today’s game on Twitter @AnthonyDiComo. Bryan Hoch will be back Thursday, live from Seattle.
BLUE JAYS (54-58)
Scutaro SS
Hill 2B
Lind LF
Overbay 1B
Wells CF
Ruis DH
Encarnacion 3B
Chavez C
Inglett RF
Pitching: Ricky Romero (10-5, 3.66)
YANKEES (70-43)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Hideki Matsui DH
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher 1B
Eric Hinske RF
Melky Cabrera CF
Pitching: A.J. Burnett (10-5, 3.67)
–Anthony DiComo
Sleep tight and don’t let A.J. bite
I didn’t get a chance to share this in detail last night, but Johnny Damon had the clubhouse rolling as he misspoke and then did a nice job to save it.
Tyler Kepner of The New York Times asked Damon if A.J. Burnett looked like the same pitcher who had given the Yankees problems the last few years as a member of the Blue Jays.
“Absolutely,” Damon said. “He’s one of those guys that you, um, maybe, dream about at night, you know? Not in a good way. In a bad way.”
The reporters around Damon’s locker started laughing, and Nick Swisher turned around and said, “What?” But to Damon’s credit, he cracked a smile and kept going with it, drawing a nice parallel to Pedro Martinez.
“He’s the one that you’re thinking, ‘Is he going to throw me that fastball or that curveball, is he going to brush me off the plate?’ He’s one of those guys that I compare to Pedro. I remember facing Pedro when he was the best in the game. You don’t sleep well that night. You go to the ballpark thinking you have to have your A game.”
Added Swisher later: “Like Johnny said, I don’t dream about him, but he’s one of those guys that you hate facing. And you love him on your team.”
Now there’s a man who likes his movies
A.J. Burnett really likes the movie ’300.’ He has a tattoo in honor of the movie, among his many, which included the Bruce Lee tattoo that John McDonald hit a line drive off in Spring Training.
When the Yankees were in Boston and Burnett was pitching, he commandeered the TV in the cramped visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park and put in ’300′, which worked OK … until Burnett couldn’t hold an eight-run lead that day.
The Fenway entertainment center is OK, but Burnett must have felt like he was slumming it that day.
That’s because his own home theatre is apparently an award-winner, taking home honors in the Electronic House Home of the Year $250,000+ category. That’s a 104-inch screen you’re looking at there, which pales to the Yankee Stadium scoreboard but is still pretty neat.
Click here for more photos and be sure to check out the lobby and concession stand (thanks to Electronic House).
Bryan Hoch
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