Burnett trying to put incident behind him
Yankees starting pitcher A.J. Burnett looks at his hand while pitching in the top of the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium, Saturday. (July 17, 2010) Credit: Christopher Pasatieri
A.J. Burnett knows he cannot redeem himself in just one start. All he can focus on is the future - starting with tonight's start against Kansas City.
The emotional righthander had a clubhouse tantrum that resulted in lacerated palms and his premature exit from a 10-5 loss to Tampa Bay last Saturday, but he already has put the frustrating and rather embarrassing events of that start behind him.
"It's going to take more than one game to get it going again," said Burnett, who cut his hands when he slammed them into a clubhouse door after allowing three runs in the first two innings. He then pitched to two batters in the third and allowed a fourth run before being removed with none out.
Burnett, who initially lied to Joe Girardi and the training staff about the origin of the injury, said his pitching routine has not been affected by the cuts, which look healed.
"I think it is a big start for A.J.," Girardi said. "I think for him personally, because I think he wants to put it behind him and get on that roll that we thought he was getting on."
Burnett, who had allowed two runs in 132/3 innings in his previous two starts after going 0-5 in June, said he's looked at video to help him focus on his mechanics. "You look in the mirror and accept it for what it is," he said. " . . . But [it's all about] confidence out there, believing in myself, how good my stuff is."
Steinbrenner tribute
The Yankees unveiled a 40-by-13½-foot banner of George Steinbrenner at Yankee Stadium, just behind the bleachers in rightfield. It features a photo of the late owner on a Yankees-blue background with the trademark Yankee Stadium frieze across the top, with his name, the years 1930-2010 and the phrase "The Boss."
Extra bases
The Yankees wore black armbands in honor of former manager Ralph Houk - who died at 90 Wednesday - below the Bob Sheppard patch on the left sleeve. A moment of silence was held . . . The Royals traded third baseman Alberto Callaspo to the Angels for righthander Sean O'Sullivan and minor-league lefthander Will Smith.
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