tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Enough!!! Get This Guy Out of Here!!!

A week or so ago Yankee GM Brian Cashman told members of the media and Yankee fans that they needed to "smoke the objective pipe" when looking at AJ Burnett. Well, last night I wished I had something else in that pipe to take me away from one of the worst pitching performances I have seen from an $82 million pitcher. With the Royals knocking off the Red Sox, the Yanks had an opportunity to extend their lead to 1 1/2 games in the AL East. But before they batted in the third inning they were already down 7-0 thanks to Burnett.

Burnett is a mess and his antics when he is taken out of a game due to his own poor performances is really becoming a worn out act. But what is more disturbing is the defense put up by Cashman and now just as vehemently by Joe Girardi. Girardi had to know that he was going to be questioned by the media as a result of Burnett's mutterings as he was walking off the mound. It was also picked up on camera that Girardi followed Burnett into the clubhouse. When questioned about all of this Girardi blew up. The Yankee manager is tired of having to deal with this and tired of the media wanting to make something out of his relationship with Burnett. The organization seems to be tired of the fans and the media questioning Burnett's ability. Well, there's one way to stop all the questions and scrutiny: PITCH WELL!!

As fans we are all tired of hearing about what great stuff Burnett has. How nasty his curve ball is and the incredible God-given ability he possesses. Well, if all of this is true then why is he 9-10 with a 4.96 ERA on a team with the second best record in all of major league baseball. If all of this is true why has he had only one season where he has won more than 13 games and is 32-34 as a Yankee with a 4.71 ERA. And please don't tell me, as that jerk Michael Kay did last night, that this is the number 2 starter on the 2009 World Series team. Closer examination of Burnett's post season performance in 2009 reflects a pitcher who started 5 games and was 1-1 with a 5.26 ERA. He may have followed CC in the rotation but the guy who was the legitimate number 2 in 2009 was Andy Pettitte.

The Yankees need to "smoke the objective pipe" and realize that this guy is shot. He's a head case in the long line of free agent pitching head cases ( Ed Whitson, Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano...to name a few) that the Yankees have spent millions of dollars on and have received nothing in return except excuses and nonsense behavior. If Burnett is on the playoff roster its a damn joke. Time will tell but if the Yanks were smart they would eat salary and send Burnett off to the National League for a bucket of balls and some objective pipes.