New York Yankees starting pitcher AJ Burnett took the mound against the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday afternoon.
Burnett was pulled in the third inning, marking his shortest outing in pinstripes. This time Burnett's frustrations got the better of him, which certainly did not go well over with his teammates.
In the first inning Burnett gave up a double to Carlos Pena that scored Evan Longoria. In the top of the second inning, the Rays' Reid Brignac hit a two-run homer that put the Rays ahead of the Yankees 3-2.
It was not keen, but against the Rays, it is not the end of the world.
Then to start the third inning, Burnett hit Evan Longoria with a pitch, and gave up a RBI single to Carlos Pena. Burnett's location was a problem and Joe Girardi went out to remove him from the mound.
Concerned fans waited for the verdict that was revealed: lacerations on both his hands. Burnett said the cuts were from a fall the previous evening, which seemed odd.
Later on, Burnett admitted that after the second inning he took out his anger on a clubhouse door. This was the real cause of the cuts on both his hands.
Without a doubt, this was a selfish act because it jeopardized the whole team. Burnett could not get through the third inning because he could not control his frustrations.
It was disappointing from all aspects and it's downright unacceptable behavior. The fact is that it happened, and Burnett apologized to his teammates.
Burnett knows one time can be overlooked, but that is it. The Yankees lost 10-5 on Saturday, and Burnett should be blamed.
Following that incident, the Yankees came out with a win on Sunday afternoon. It sealed up the series for the Yankees, taking two of the three games and pushing away the Rays even further.
Everyone has witnessed Burnett put on a dynamic performance and they know he is capable of winning, but the problem is his lack of consistency because he can be wildly out of control just as easily.
Luckily, Burnett's self-inflicted wounds did not sever his fingers. He is slated to make his next start against the Kansas City Royals next Friday. You can expect all eyes to be watching him.
The Yankees have made it clear to Burnett that enough is enough. If this embarrassment was not enough to hit rock bottom for Burnett, he better start looking for a new job that does not require a team. Yankees' fans would be truly surprised if Burnett didn't get it together quickly.
Without question, losing Pettitte will be devastating, but how much remains in Burnett's hands, bleeding or not?
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