Rothschild calming influence on Burnett

It was one of what seemed an endless string of sunny, 70-degree mornings at Steinbrenner Field during spring training.

A.J. Burnett, the most discussed of the Yankees' starters in the offseason, was on the mound to throw his first live batting-practice session.

A small crowd, including pitching coach Larry Rothschild, gathered behind the mound -- protected by a batting screen -- to watch.

Burnett threw to outfielders Justin Maxwell and Austin Krum and infielder Ramiro Peña, and didn't feel either good or bad about the session afterward. It was just another spring training day of getting his work in.

But something did stand out, something that Burnett, after entering the Steinbrenner Field clubhouse, felt he had to share. Phil Hughes, whose locker was near Burnett's, was the recipient.

"He didn't say anything the whole time," Burnett said of Rothschild. "Not a word."

Rothschild, hired to replace Dave Eiland in November, came to the Yankees with the reputation of being one of the game's top pitching coaches. He has an even-keeled, minimalist approach that has meshed with his new staff, Burnett in particular.

"I'm not sure anyone can solve Burnett," one scout said during spring training. "But if anyone has a chance, it's probably Rothschild. He has a perfect demeanor."

Rothschild, Joba Chamberlain said, lives in front of the computer and is super-prepared, but doesn't bog down his pitchers with thoughts of arm angles, release points or other mechanics. At least, not while they're throwing.

"Sometimes it's important that they're not listening to me but listening to their body, understanding their rhythm and what their feel is for pitching," Rothschild said Tuesday as the Yankees took batting practice. "If I'm constantly telling them [things], then they're not understanding what they need to do. So there's a time and a place for everything."

He said later: "Most of the time I think that's what it takes, because they're in the middle of a battle so they need a calmer presence, at least somebody with a quietness and calmness about them."

This philosophy has worked with Burnett who, by his own admission, has been undone too many times in his career by what takes place above the shoulders.

"I think Larry has gotten to know me and believes that the more you think, the worse off you are," Burnett said Monday after taking the first April defeat of his Yankees career, 2-0, against the White Sox. "Even in my bullpens and pregames and everything, there's nothing said unless I ask him something or the session's over."

It would be simplistic to solely credit Burnett's good start -- 3-1 with a 3.52 ERA -- to a good working relationship with Rothschild. April has generally been Burnett's best month throughout his career. Even in 2010, which was awful across the board for the righthander, he went 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA in the season's first month.

But there is some evidence to suggest that when the rough waters inevitably come -- as they have almost every season in his career -- Burnett might be better equipped to handle them.

Burnett called Rothschild a "confidence" pitching coach, with variations of the same message. For example, after a 27-pitch second inning Monday in which Burnett had command problems, Rothschild approached him. He recognized that Burnett didn't have his best that night, but Rothschild didn't go to him with a slew of corrective measures.

"He basically was telling me, you have to will yourself through this," Burnett said. "It's always positive thoughts with him. Any time we're questioning something or have questions about a pitch, he always says, don't worry about that, your stuff's good enough . . . He just pounds it into our heads that we're good enough, that we don't have to be perfect, that I'm here [in the majors] for a reason, I know what I'm doing. Go out and do it."