Comments on: A.J. Burnett is confident: “Guys don’t want to face me” http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/ Baseball. Baseball. And then a bit more baseball. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:09:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: yiterp http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112576 Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:00:42 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112576 The Red Sox didn’t learn a thing from it. They are i the same boat now with Lackey & Beckett.

]]> By: bigharold http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112237 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:31:20 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112237 You’re right. And, that ain’t much of a limb.

]]> By: cur68 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112183 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:38:07 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112183 That’s how I saw it, too and I’m a Jays fan. Burnett needs a catcher, plain and simple. When he was pitching to Blue Jays catching (Zaun) he was lights out (unless he was injured or rusty, which he often was for a couple of seasons). A healthy, motivated, well practiced A.J. is bad news to a batter but he’s gotta be able to throw that nasty breaking stuff he’s got. The other thing about him, which I’m prepared to admit is my personal theory and not backed by ANYONE but me, is that he stares down his pitches. He’s excellent when he glances at the catcher, looks away, winds and throws. BUT if he doesn’t quite trust his catching…longer look, more deliberate, eyes back on the catcher WAY sooner aaand tips the pitch location. He’s real hittable when he does that and if he’s then is forced to throw his heater a lot (that pitch is no muffin either; 96, 97 mph. The real deal) he gets taken deep. AJB has everything needed to be great. He’s a pleasant guy, funny in interviews, wants to win, and my girlfriend will watch baseball if he’s pitching. She says he’s cute. I should hate him, but I feel sorry for all that talent going to waste, and he seems like a genuinely decent person. I wish more people got on board with showing him some love. He’d probably be grateful for it and might even perform a little better.

]]> By: henryd3rd http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112144 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:54:36 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112144 Let’s hope you got plenty of wipes and rubber gloves; because Yankees’ new pitching coach Larry Rothchild has done wonders with another head case named Zambrano and I feel he’s the right guy for AJ.

]]> By: psousa1 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112140 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:52:43 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112140 He’s not much different than former Cubs and Red Sox Pitcher Matt Clement – plus fastball, plus slider, good split but just doesn’t put it all together. Have a string of about 4 or 5 good games in a row but then back to .500 or below.

]]> By: Jonny 5 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112125 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:30:05 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112125 Man, look at his #’s for the last 3 seasons he’s gotten worse and worse in almost every category. If he keeps going at the pace he’s been on he’s in real trouble. He’s never had great control, and the fact that it’s getting worse doesn’t equal “mental”. I know many Yankee fans would love to think it’s all in his head, but I tend to disagree. He’s on that steady decline as far as I can see.

]]> By: uyf1950 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112103 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:30:28 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112103 To beantownsports247 – “My friend” why so hostile? I hesitate to state the obvious but could it be envy of the Yankees success and their historical dominance of the Sox. Your crass comment(s) on this board do a disservice to your fellow Red Sox fans.

]]> By: yankeesfanlen http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112082 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:50:16 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112082 UYF is a gracious poster. Talk to me again at the end of September when you can prove that the Universe isn’t 3 games ahead of the Wild Card Sox.

]]> By: yiterp http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112080 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:46:29 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112080 The only guys who don’t want to face Burnet are built like a door.

]]> By: beantownsports247 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112075 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:27:30 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112075 Uyf the ” my friend ” gesture is getting old on here . Yankees are going to suck along with that rotation . Yes the yankees will be back im sure of it , but they won’t be winning anymore rings in the next few years.

]]> By: randomdigits http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112072 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:19:34 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112072 I would feel more confident about him if he had gone 3rd person with the quote.
“Guys don’t want to face A.J..” just has a better ring to it.

]]> By: nyyankeefanforever http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112069 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:15:31 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112069 @banksatdixie Using that logic, you must think Soriano is due for injury too. Frankly, I have to agree with uyf1950 that AJ has gone healthy long enough and pitched enough innings to shed the ‘walking injury” tag. And speaking of injuries, I also believe we dodged a major bullet by not signing Lee, who has a permanent reservation on the DL in recent seasons. Can’t wait to see how long his chalk body holds up now that he has to hit and run instead of resting up on the bench all game.

]]> By: xmatt0926x http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112063 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:06:49 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112063 The ironic part is that he’s right on. Why would anyone want to face him? If he’s on you cant hit him. If he’s off you’re scared to death that your going to get it between the eyes.

]]> By: xmatt0926x http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112059 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:04:00 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112059 Agree. He’s been this way since he was a kid with the marlins. Why is everyone acting like last year was something new. This is exactly what Burnett has always been. 1 game he has hall of fame stuff and is unhittable. The next game he’s Ollie Perez. Even in the 2009 world series against the Phils he had 1 ace type game and then was horrible the next game. The stuff is there. He’s just never been able to consistently control it.

]]> By: nyyankeefanforever http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112055 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:00:34 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112055 I’ve read elsewhere that last season AJ suddenly went from averaging two-seamer fastballs 2 percent of the time to something like 20-plus percent of the time. I don’t disagree with the inconsistent label some here have tagged him with. But it was clear to me during the season Posada — whom he was finally forced to throw to — was calling for a lot more nonbreaking stuff because he couldn’t handle AJ’s nasty breaking stuff anymore. And once there was a baserunner, forget it: the noodle-armed Posada didn’t call for ANY breaking stuff, hoping to make his impotent throws to second slightly less pathetic. I think Posada’s ego-fueled vandalism of AJ’s game and whatever head games Dave Eiland was stirring are being shockingly minimized or overlooked by his detractors. His much-maligned recent comment that he realizes now how important he is to the team might actually be a sharp reference to the fact that Posada and Eiland were not to be questioned, and that it wasn;t until the end of the season last year that they told him to play it like he feels it. Call it a hunch or guess, but it’s no more unfounded or uninformed than the haters and amateur shrinks I’m seeing who are calling him childish names and ascribing various mental illnesses to explain his problems. Nice post Craig.

]]> By: Jonny 5 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112050 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:53:52 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112050 Know who’s in a contract year???

Jimmy Rollins and Cole Hamels…. Yeah

]]> By: uyf1950 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112033 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:09:26 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112033 My friend while the wins and loses don’t take into those “pesky” no decisions as you call them his ERA of 3.84 does. But I agree with those of you that said the Yankees and Yankee fans would be very, very happy with a 15 win season and even a 4.00 ERA. He didn’t miss any time his last season at Toronto either in 2008. I wouldn’t say he’s due for an injury. In fact I would say just the opposite. I think he’s cured of the injury bug.

]]> By: trevorb06 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112031 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:03:02 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112031 You stole my snarky comment :)

]]> By: Mr. Jason "El Bravo" Heyward http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112021 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:36:38 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112021 Is it a contract year for him? No. Then it is settled, he will suck.

]]> By: BC http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112020 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:36:24 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112020 If he can go something like 15-10, I think the Yankees will more than take it.

]]> By: baseballstars http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112014 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:25:04 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112014 I have no confidence in him. His career is rather hit or miss, so hopefully he will hit this year. And by hit, I mean somewhere in the neighborhood of a 3.80 ERA.

]]> By: banksatdixie http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112005 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:51:16 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112005 You do need to factor in those pesky no-decisions though. I’d sh!t down both legs if he won 15 games this year, and I’d jump for joy. Something no one seems to be considering either is his health. The guy was a walking injury before he came to NY, and I don’t think he has missed significant time since signing in NY. He is due for an injury.

]]> By: Kevin S. http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-112000 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:43:35 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-112000 If AJ posts a 3.84, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say the Yanks win significantly more than 54% of his starts.

]]> By: uyf1950 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-111999 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:41:11 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-111999 Prior to the 2010 season AJ Burnett won 54% of the games he started and had a 3.84 ERA over that span. If he could only duplicate those numbers or something close to those numbers come the 2011 things would look a lot better for the Yankees rotation. IF and that’s a very big if over a season of 32 starts he would translate to a record of 17W/15L. That would be an incredible turn around. In order for that to happen he has to have his head screwed on right from opening day and he has to put all the distractions behind him. I’m sure Yankee fans around the world wish him luck because I know I do.

]]> By: heyblueyoustink http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-111996 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:39:07 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-111996 I don’t buy getting old….he’s always had an all star quality arm, and a 10 cent head

]]> By: Jonny 5 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-111995 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:38:40 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-111995 Agreed, he just doesn’t have “it” anymore. And when that happens it’s frustrating. His frustration is being mistaken for “headcase” “ego” “mental”. Sure it appears that way, he’s pissed.

]]> By: Jonny 5 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-111991 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:35:11 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-111991 Maybe he’s just getting old guys? He’s 33 and his numbers appear to be on a pretty steady decline. Almost every single category he’s slipping to the negative, and has been slipping for a few years now. The Yankees made a mistake with this one.

]]> By: BC http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-111989 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:32:51 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-111989 I wouldn’t want to face him, not because I couldn’t hit him, but solely out of the fear of being beaned. Dude doesn’t know where the ball is going.

]]> By: jkay123 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-111988 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:32:47 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-111988 This is all mental. AJ is a hard guy to dislike, he faces the media, he cares about winning, and all you read and hear from the media is that he is one of the nicest guys in baseball. I think he can bounce back. I also believe people are discounting the yankees and it’s really premature. He was under 500 last yr, pettite was out most of the season, they had mosely, mitre, gaudin and co. spot spotting and they still managed close to 100 wins with injuries and guys having down seasons. They will be fine, even if aj is 500 thats an upgrade, although i think he can pull off a 15-18 win season. Not to mention, the yankees bullpen is ridiculous this yr, they can get to the 6th inning and bring in some guys.
ari, what are you basing him being a jerk on? the fact he has tattoos, gets paid a lot and youre a sox fan? ? He is one of baseballs good guys………..with a hot wife. Beckett seems like a nice guy though.

]]> By: Ari Collins http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/16/a-j-burnett-is-confident-guys-dont-want-to-face-me/comment-page-1/#comment-111983 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:27:26 +0000 http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=39708#comment-111983 His stuff and control both declined. The guy SEEMS like kind of an insecure jerk, but I doubt it was entirely mental.

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