LAKELAND, Fla. – A.J. Burnett watched 11 exhibition games drift by without getting into one.
“What did I sign for?” joked Burnett, who inked a five-year, $82.5 million deal during the winter. “But (the delay) is good, it gives us extra time. It’s a long season.”
Because of the World Baseball Classic, spring training is five to six games longer than usual. So the Yankees brought CC Sabathia and Burnett along slowly and Andy Pettitte, who hasn’t pitched yet, will go today against the Blue Jays in Tampa.
Burnett impressed yesterday in a two-inning stint in the Yankees’ 12-3 victory over the Tigers. He allowed one hit and reached 98 mph with one pitch on the speed gun.
“I didn’t mean to. I was trying to be easy,” said Burnett, who threw 17 more pitches in the bullpen after the outing because he only required 18 to get six outs.
“We liked what we saw,” manager Joe Girardi said.
With the Blue Jays last year, Burnett dominated the Yankees with a high-octane fastball that dived and darted through the strike zone.
“I have to establish (the fastball), that’s my bread and butter,” Burnett said. “That’s what I do, get ahead with the fastball.”
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On a day when the Yankees raked Tigers pitching for 12 hits and drew 10 walks, Johnny Damon went 0-for-3 and fanned twice.
“I guess they needed somebody to make the outs today,” Damon joked.
The biggest mistake made in spring training is to judge veteran players, so nobody is alarmed at Damon’s .188 (3-for-16) average. Especially, Damon.
“It wasn’t a great day swinging,” he said, “but I do feel locked in.”
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Hideki Matsui proved his surgically repaired knee is getting stronger by going first to third.
“He said he felt good and (trainer) Gino (Monahan) said the knees are great. He iced and we will see how he is (today). He was good and it will be better if he feels good (today),” said Girardi, who doesn’t plan to use Matsui for a third straight day today.
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Mariano Rivera is due back from Puerto Rico today. Rivera served as a flag carrier for the Panamanian team in the WBC, but didn’t pitch. He did throw a bullpen session Saturday that according to Girardi, “Went great.”