MLB

Burnett eager to prove value to Yankees

General manager Brian Cashman downplayed the Yankees’ need for rotation help behind CC Sabathia yesterday. And while the team continues to look at Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez and the Dodgers’ Hiroki Kuroda, there’s one member of the staff who still believes a No. 2 starter is already on the team.

“There’s no doubt in my mind,” Burnett said when asked if he could be the answer to help Sabathia down the stretch. “But I also realize I haven’t pitched up to my capabilities this year — but I do know I’m a big reason we can win this thing, too.”

That’s the mindset the Yankees no doubt want Burnett to have, now they just need the results — especially if they don’t get any help by Sunday’s trade deadline.

Burnett will start tonight to open a three-game series against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium after spending yesterday’s off day on Staten Island, raising money for the Special Olympics as part of the team’s HOPE Week.

After a brutal 2010, the righty has been better this season, but still takes an 8-8 record into tonight’s game. He hasn’t won since June 29 and failed to get out of the sixth inning in each of his last three starts.

“I’m not worried about that,” Burnett said. “It’s one pitch. It’s not that I’m struggling; I’m throwing really, really well. It’s just one pitch here or there and that’s easy to correct. I had times when I couldn’t get people out, especially last year when my mechanics were out of whack and this is a big difference. I’m looking forward to getting on a run here.”

The Yankees wouldn’t mind that, even as Cashman again professed his faith in the current rotation.

“I’m not optimistic about getting anything better than [Bartolo] Colon and [Phil] Hughes off the disabled list for our starting rotation,” Cashman said at the HOPE Week event. “But I’m working at it, just to be certain, and we’re prepared for chaos if it comes between now and Sunday’s deadline.”

Burnett admitted he is following the trade talk that traditionally surrounds the Yankees this time of year. But he is confident his fellow starters have enough to compete in the postseason without any moves.

“We have battlers,” Burnett said of the staff’s experience in the postseason. “With the exception of [Ivan] Nova. We do miss Nova, but we’ll see what happens.”

Nova could pitch in The Bronx as soon as tomorrow and after another lackluster start by Hughes on Wednesday, manager Joe Girardi said a competition between the two righties could develop soon. Cashman believes Hughes is up to the challenge.

“It’s there,” Cashman said of Hughes’ ability. “We’re seeing it. He’s gonna help us.”

And in the meantime, the general manager remains hopeful Colon remains healthy — something he has been unable to in recent years.

“Bartolo is a tremendous No. 2 starter,” Cashman said. “I’m very comfortable with that. There’s an unknown because of his last five years, he hasn’t pitched over 100 innings in the big leagues, but what he’s done so far this year is worthy of No. 2 status.”

The Yankees would like to say the same of Burnett, who could make them much more dangerous in October — where Cashman expects to be, regardless of what happens in the next few days.

dan.martin@nypost.com