Burnett’s Command Not There Yet
Via Andy McCullough -
After throwing 66 pitches and securing only seven Houston outs, A.J. Burnett did not want to leave. He hadn’t faced live batters in 10 days. His arm felt strong. Yet Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland still trotted from the dugout to fetch him. Burnett yielded.
“I’ve got to finish some innings here,” Burnett said midway through an eventual 3-1 victory over the Astros. “I’m tired of seeing Dave coming out there.”
So far this spring, Burnett has thrown 3 2/3 frames. His brief output on the mound is partly due to the weather. It’s partly due to experimentation with a changeup, a third pitch he hopes will compliment his four-seam fastball and hammer curve. And on Tuesday night, it was partly due to being both “strong” and “quick” to the plate, he said.
Burnett’s command wavered. He walked four. The run came in the third, when Astros centerfielder Hunter Pence lashed a 3-2 fastball to left for a double.
“Strike one was big today,” he said. “I didn’t get ahead of anybody, and it shows.”
Then again, last season, A.J.’s “WHIP” was really bad compared to all this other stops:
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | IP | BF | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Seasons | 248 | 1583.1 | 6713 | 1.299 | |||
| 162 Game Avg. | 34 | 219 | 928 | 1.299 | |||
| FLA (7 yrs) | 134 | 853.2 | 3592 | 1.284 | |||
| TOR (3 yrs) | 81 | 522.2 | 2225 | 1.284 | |||
| NYY (1 yr) | 33 | 207.0 | 896 | 1.401 | |||
| NL (7 yrs) | 134 | 853.2 | 3592 | 1.284 | |||
| AL (4 yrs) | 114 | 729.2 | 3121 | 1.317 | |||
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Maybe there’s something here? Maybe Burnett’s going to turn into Mike Moore the Tiger? Hey, it happens some times…
Issue the most walks in the league, and that’ll get you a ridiculous WHIP.
His wild pitches used to anger the hell outta me last year
@ clintfsu813:
Wild pitches are not a big deal to me. Walking north of 4 batters per 9 innings is what angers the hell outta me.
@ Corey Italiano:
True. I much rather a pitcher gets lit up than walk the yard
And maybe if Cervelli catches him all season, his walks and wild pitches will go back down.
That’s what I’d be doing if I were the Yankees’ manager. Cervelli’s got to catch 40-50 games anyway; might as well be Burnett’s starts, and the 5th starter’s starts.
For his career, Burnett walks around 4 a game, so I don’t think his control will ever be “there.”
@ Evan3457:
I’m totally fine with that. Posada did a horrendous job last year behind the plate and, for whatever reason, AJ and Jorge just don’t get on the same page all the time. If Frankie has to catch anyway, it may as well be for AJ.
3 2/3 isnt nearly enough for a pitcher to have his control. you can throw all the bullpens and flat grounds and short boxes you want but its completely different when you go out to the mound and try to throw strikes. the more innings he gets the better control we’ll see. burnett doesnt have the best control but i think sometimes that makes him the pitcher he his. hitters dont really feel comfortable up there against them cause theyre not really sure where the ball is going exactly. although 4 walks per nine is a bit much.
o and cervelli should def catch him. i dont know what it is but theres no chemistry for some reason between aj and jorgie.
I’d bet Posada catches Burnett in spite of last year.