I always figured that the problem with A.J. Burnett and his inability to pitch effectively while a member of the New York Yankees was due in large part to an overinflation of his abilities—by both Burnett and New York.

Now that Burnett is speaking from his embarrassing exile in Pittsburgh, it’s become clear—at least to me—that delusion played a role during his tenure in pinstripes as well.

A.J. Burnett is speaking out and, in doing so, has actually managed to blame the Yankees for his poor performance while with the team. Burnett claims that Yankees tinkered with him too much and therefore it messed up his delivery, mechanics or his psyche.

Burnett has conveniently managed to avoid blaming himself for anything—hence the delusion.

Personally—as a Yankees fan—I always assumed he was just another headcase that could not handle New York. It happens—just ask Javier Vasquez. One would be hard pressed to blame Burnett if that were the case.

However, Burnett’s problem was not that simple.

To be fair to A.J. Burnett—before I light him up at the end of this article—he is partially correct. The Yankees made a few monumental mistakes when it came to Burnett and his time in New York.

Yes, they signed him to a ridiculous contract, one which Burnett lacked the ability to live up to.

Yes, the Yankees' poor planning forced Burnett—a fourth or fifth starter at best—to attempt to exceed his threshold of talent in order to step up and assume a mantle—that of a number two starter—which his ability would not allow. 

Do the Yankees have this overinflated opinion of their organization in that they believe they have the ability to fix anyone and make them better just because they don the pinstripes?

Yes.

But at the end of the day, Burnett—and Burnett alone—is the one that could not even meet his own mediocre standards of a career .500 pitcher.

Was he tinkered with too much, as he contends?

Yes.

Is that a bad thing? Not when you spend nearly 90 million dollars and have the right to at least expect .500 ball and fail to get it.

Was that the reason for his poor performance?

No.

Burnett’s excuses—aside from being one-sided and laughable—appear to make it sound as if he was some kid fresh out of the minors, still impressionable and one that was taken advantage of by the big, bad Yankees of New York.

The man was a seasoned veteran—an adult.

His argument has some weight—not much, but some—but the real problem with Burnett and his time as a Yankee can be found simply by looking in the nearest mirror.

Someone needs save A.J. Burnett from his own deluded opinion of himself and his abilities in order for him to simply live up to his average standard from this point forward in his career.

A.J. Burnett seems to forget that prior to coming to New York, he was a career .500 pitcher with a slightly overweight ERA.

Burnett is the perfect definition of someone trying to make a stellar career from one spectacular season while ignoring the majority of what is simply an average career at best.

One season of 18 wins is just that...one season. Burnett needs to get over that and stop drinking his own Kool-Aid.

Burnett actually believes he is better than his numbers indicate and that is the real problem with this cat. He’s the kind of pitcher that wants to stay in the game after being spotted 13 runs while giving up seven.

Burnett forgets that he was considered an above-average pitcher with "nasty" stuff that either he could not harness completely or one that was betrayed by an offense that simply failed to support him with runs—each excuse dependent upon whom one asked.

By all accounts, Burnett seemed like a pitcher that could benefit from being on a team with a great offense, a decent rotation and one that had an excellent pitching coach that could bring out his best.

The Yankees—at the time he signed with them—fit that description.

However, over the course of his career in pinstripes, hope and promise gave way—as they often do—to reality.

Burnett was, is and always will be exactly what his career numbers indicate. 

Despite the offense, despite the talents surrounding him on the mound and in the clubhouse, A.J. Burnett was, is and will always be a career .500 pitcher with nasty stuff that he—and he alone—could not consistently harness.

In Pittsburgh, Burnett has the chance to simply pitch without major expectations. 

He has the chance to relax without needing to be a savior. He is pitching for the Pirates, whose fanbase does not expect him to be Cy Young, nor do they expect the team to win the World Series every year. 

None of that will matter if Burnett continues to live in denial about his ability.

He could be a winner in Pittsburgh, but no matter what success he may find there, it will always be tempered with the fact that it’s a smaller market in an easier league. It does not matter what numbers he posts above his career numbers; Burnett’s legacy is already etched in baseball stone.

Burnett needs to come to an understanding that while in New York, the Yankees did indeed make the road he had to travel a little more bumpy than necessary, but the reality of Burnett is that he himself was, is and always will be the problem.

Until Burnett stops living in this fantasy world where he believes he is better than his numbers indicate, his time in Pittsburgh will be just as hard as it was in New York.

Burnett must come to grips with the reality of his skills versus the legend he has created for himself in his mind.

I hope he does well in Pittsburgh, but until he gets over himself and accepts his role for his failures and stops blaming everyone else around him, I expect his poor performance tour to continue.

I understand that Burnett might be currently embarrassed about being traded from the Yankees to the Pirates—the equivalent to trading in a Rolls Royce for a Moped—and that he might be ticked off about being traded for two low-tier prospects.

However, that is no excuse for casting blame on an entire organization—one that continued to give him chances—for his own failings.

Burnett simply does not get it.

I doubt he ever will.