A.J. earns a start -- but not for a while
A.J. Burnett pitched so well Sunday that manager Joe Girardi definitely should hand him the ball for a postseason start.
In the American League Championship Series. If the Yankees get that far.
Game 3 of the Division Series on the road against Texas or Detroit? Give the ball to Steady Freddy Garcia.
All right, Freddy hadn't been too steady before he tossed six shutout innings against the Red Sox on Saturday. But if you want to have the best chance to get to the ALCS, choose Garcia's moxie over Burnett's seductive stuff.
Burnett, the ultimate pitching tease, was everything the Yankees could have hoped for in Sunday's 6-2 win over the Red Sox in the first game of a day-night doubleheader. He was crisp, efficient, focused.
Challenged to step up for a chance to start in the playoffs, he did just that. As did Garcia the day before. "We're going to continue to look at it and talk about it," Girardi said. "Our opponent has something to do with who we're going to pitch and how we go about this."
Burnett gave up two runs -- a pair of home runs by Jacoby Ellsbury -- and received a standing ovation when he walked off the mound after striking out Mike Aviles for the second out of the eighth inning.
That Girardi removed Burnett rather than letting him face Ellsbury again was a decision that had Psychology 101 written all over it. Burnett had thrown only 105 pitches and had struck out the previous two. Even if Ellsbury took him deep again, the Yankees still would have had a two-run lead with four outs to go. But Girardi had to figure Burnett would benefit from walking off to cheers. Heck, it was like a support-group meeting on the center of the diamond.
Yankees fans got on their feet and cheered the same guy they had booed six days earlier. Alex Rodriguez slapped Burnett on the rump. Derek Jeter and Russell Martin gave him encouraging words. If Ramiro Peña weighed more than 120 pounds, maybe he would have lifted Burnett on his shoulders.
"That's what it's all about," Burnett said. "Goose bumps ran all the way up and down my body when I walked off that field. It was special."
The last time Girardi took Burnett out of a game was last Monday against the Twins. The vibe was very different.
There were boos. There was a difference of opinion between the manager and pitcher -- and not for the first time.
People around the Yankees say, "That's A.J." when the subject is his inconsistency. It's like saying "That's the stock market" or "That's the weather" -- you can try to predict what's going to happen, but you're really just guessing.
The Yankees don't need to guess for Game 3 next Monday. They need a sure thing. But they don't have one, so they have to go with their guts.
Or better yet, Garcia's guts.
Garcia is 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA. His postseason mark is 6-2, 3.11. He has had more success than Burnett (11-11, 5.16) this year with half the stuff. Garcia seems as if he's ready for Social Security, but at 35, he's only three months older than Burnett, whose postseason record is 1-2, 5.67.
Forget about the other candidates. Bartolo Colon is shot. Phil Hughes is not 100 percent. It's CC Sabathia in Game 1 and Ivan Nova in Game 2. It should be Garcia in Game 3, Sabathia on three days' rest in Game 4 and Nova again on regular rest if needed in Game 5.
Burnett? In the bullpen for the ALDS or off the roster and getting pies ready, it doesn't matter. He earned something Sunday: The chance to be in the rotation. But not until Round 2.
