ANAHEIM, Calif. — If the Yankees need bullpen help today against the Angels, it won’t come from A.J. Burnett.
In preparation for a start Tuesday in Seattle, Burnett went through a full in-between start bullpen yesterday afternoon, so he isn’t available for relief work today.
That means Phil Hughes could get the call.
Like most pitchers, Burnett isn’t a big fan of working in a six-man rotation, which adds an extra day of rest in between starts. Nevertheless, he isn’t about to rail against the setup manager Joe Girardi is using, and may use until the end of the regular season.
“I am doing the best I can. They’re staying with it, but I know if I was pitching better, we aren’t to this point,” said Burnett, who is 9-11 with a 5.27 ERA in 29 starts. “I’m not pointing fingers at Joe, Larry [Rothschild, pitching coach] or Cash [general manager Brian Cashman]. If I was pitching like I did in the first month, we aren’t in this predicament. I’m trying my best not to press and the changes we’ve made [setting up higher] are feeling better each time out. It’s been tough with the extra day but it’s their decision.”
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Andruw Jones will have surgery on the left knee when the season ends.
“Right after the World Series,” Jones said of the knee, which he originally injured working out last December but has been able to play on all year. “I’ll get it done and then get ready for next year.”
Since Jones had played in six of the previous eight games, Girardi didn’t play him last night against right-hander Dan Haren, who Jones was 3-for-10 (.300) against.
Girardi, who also pointed to the Mariners throwing lefties Tuesday and Wednesday with three games on turf in Toronto to follow, went with Eduardo Nunez in right. Nunez played one inning in right field this year. That’s the scope of his outfield experience.
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Nick Swisher was relieved that Friday night’s MRI exam on his left elbow didn’t reveal structural damage, but he missed his second straight game.
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With Boone Logan nursing a “dead arm,” Girardi turned to another lefty, Aaron Laffey, to face switch-hitter Alberto Callaspo to start the ninth Friday night with the score tied, 1-1.
Laffey got a ground ball, but it went through the hole for a single that started the game-winning rally.
Following the loss, Girardi said Logan wouldn’t be available last night, either.
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To Girardi, it didn’t matter Weaver was a tough right-hander who might make Jesus Montero look over-matched.
Girardi gave the right-handed hitting Montero his first start against a righty on Friday and Montero crushed a 1-2 fastball for a homer in the third inning for a 1-0 lead. He didn’t fare as well last night vs. Dan Haren, going 1-for-3.
“It feels good,” Montero said of his third homer. “I know he’s a good pitcher and he knows every part of the plate.”
Because Montero doesn’t have a lot of knowledge about opposing pitchers, he is relying on scouting reports and the tutelage of hitting coach Kevin Long.
“I’m trying to get the information from Kevin and try to hit [the ball] hard,” said Montero, who was hitting .350 (7-for-20) with three homers and six RBIs in six big league games.
“He isn’t afraid to be here,” Mark Teixeira said. “He’s not afraid to let it fly. If he’s going to be as good as everybody says he is going to be, he has to face these guys. If he has a hot streak, he’ll really help us out.”
And eat further into the playing time of Jorge Posada, who has started one game this month, but caught for the first time last night when he replaced Russell Martin in the third inning after Martin took a foul ball off his hand.