Flaherty: (dronishly) “Early on, Michael, it looks like A.J. has his good stuff.”
Michael the K: (parmingly) “HE HAS ELECTRIC STUF...great stop by Martin on a ball in the dirt!”
As much as the Yankees’ brass was hoping their large investment could bounce back last night against the woeful Orioles at Camden Yards, even the decision makers have to agree with a talent evaluator who witnessed Burnett’s second straight brutal outing.
“There is nothing there to work with,” the scout said in the middle of Burnett’s disastrous five-inning outing that resulted in a 12-5 loss that was witnessed by 32,762. “Nothing. No location. He won’t pitch inside. No command.”
...Burnett agreed with the scout about not using his fastball.
“In the third inning I got mad and started pitching in and got aggressive,” said Burnett, who gave up six runs in the second inning and nine overall. “I need to pitch in more. I know guys are sitting and waiting. In the past I got away with it because I threw 97-98 [mph]. I have good stuff but I don’t throw that hard.”
...“I am frustrated for him,” Girardi said of Burnett. “Part of my job is remembering he is a person and not just some employee of the New York Yankees.”
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1. Don Lock Posted: August 27, 2011 at 02:05 PM (#3910222)Loved this comment from the booth:
After Granderson was hit, there were a couple of Burnett curveballs that "slipped" and came near the heads of Orioles batters, although nobody was actually hit. Following one of these, Jim Palmer opined, "If you wanna throw at our guys, that's fine, but you've got way more to lose."
We'll get you bastards one day, a quivering voice from the desolation of the basement of the AL East.
"Of course, I should be paying attention to the game. Maybe that's part of my problem. Anyway, save my seat and get me some nachos, scout."
And that Nova's no better.
I don't have numbers to support this but based on pure observation it seems like Burnett and Vazquez just have more bad innings than most pitchers (and , of course, more good innings than a lot of guys)..they don't pitch out of trouble. They pitch into deeper trouble..
But given the Hughes and Burnett struggles have to wonder about the Yanks in postseason, speaking as somebody without a pro or anti Yankee bias (maybe the only one.)
Well said.
I wish I could afford the house next to Palmer's.
I think the metaphor works better if your neighbor is Jose Canseco. IE, you shouldn't be picking fights with losers who would be more than happy to throw down.
Of course this metaphor doesn't work if you are a bigger loser than Canseco.
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