TAMPA — A.J. Burnett’s arms didn’t need additional tattoos, but in a show of support to his wife Karen, the Yankees right-hander recently added more ink to the inside of his pitching forearm.
Two months ago Burnett had the Latin phrase “Fortius Quo Fidelius” put on his arm. Translated it means, “Strength Through Loyalty.”
“My wife had gotten it the year before on her stomach,” Burnett told The Post. “I don’t get tattoos during the season, so I waited. It represents me and her and our family. She is big on sayings, and everything comes from strength and kids and life.”
The Burnetts also have matching Pisces signs on the back of their left hands.
At 8:30 yesterday morning, Burnett threw a 35-pitch bullpen session three hours before the other pitchers debuted on the initial spring training workout at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Burnett said he began deleting last year’s nightmare from his head on the plane home from Texas after the Yankees were bounced from the ALCS in six games. He worked with new pitching coach Larry Rothschild on some exercises to keep his landing leg straight instead of drifting. And he vowed to not let too many voices dance in his head this year.
“I listened to people I shouldn’t have,” Burnett said about last year’s 10-15, 5.26 ERA train wreck. “When you listen to a lot of people you get worries in your head. If I could do it all over again, I would have been left alone.”
According to Burnett, his mental alertness also has to improve.
“I have to be mentally strong,” Burnett said. “In the good games I was locked in, and the bad games, mentally I was not there.”