A.J. Burnett just looked plain scared last night.
He had already allowed a three-run homer to Chase Utley in the first inning and seemed determined not to let the Phillies second baseman beat him again. So he walked him leading off the third, and you just knew Burnett was in trouble. He then threw a 3-2 curve and walked Ryan Howard, and the end was near.
Base hit, Jayson Werth for a run. Then came an RBI single from Raul Ibanez. Burnett’s night was finished. The Yankees lost Game 5 of the World Series and now have a day off to contemplate finishing off the Phillies back in The Bronx.
This was not a clinic on how to pitch in big games. You’ve got to be aggressive and not afraid to fail. That wasn’t Burnett last night.
I really believe that when Utley hit the homer in the first it took Burnett out of his game plan. And, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a fan of putting Jorge Posada on the bench to let Jose Molina catch Burnett.
That is a discussion I had with Kirk Gibson. He was watching the game with me and I told him Posada belonged in the starting lineup.
Kirk was like, “What about the comfort zone Burnett has throwing to Molina?” I was like, “Yeah, but it’s about offense.”
Molina certainly wasn’t a help in the first inning. Posada could have just easily flashed those signals that led to three runs.
The other point I made earlier in this series was I would have started Chad Gaudin in Game 4 and then CC Sabathia last night. You were ahead 2-1 in the series after Saturday’s victory and could afford to take a chance on Gaudin, before reverting to Sabathia, Burnett and Andy Pettitte on full rest for the final three games.
Short rest might work for some guys, but not others. You’ve just got to know if guys are up for the challenge. But when you’ve got a 2-1 lead in the Series, go with full rest for your top three.
Burnett made a comment after Game 4 about how he didn’t plan to treat last night like just another start, because he had a chance to clinch the World Series. But the fact of the matter is you have got to treat it like any other start. He pitched like a No. 5 starter, and that is not his modus operandi.
Phillies fans might want to believe the Series momentum has shifted in their favor, but don’t forget the Yankees still lead and are headed home. When you are down 3-1 or 3-2 in a series, the pressure is still on you.
My prediction of the Yankees winning in five still looks a lot better than Jimmy Rollins picking the Phillies in five. But you know what? Rollins is gutsy for saying that, and I admire that attitude. He is a guy who will shake up things, and I like that.
The Yankees needed Burnett to shake things up last night. Instead, he got all shook up.