Yankees Fans' Worst Nightmare: A.J. Burnett Starting an Elimination Game

Of course A.J. Burnett will get the start in Game 4 of the ALDS for the Yankees. There is no other way this could go for New York. It's a dream scenario for baseball writers. It's a nightmare scenario for Yankees fans.

On the front page of the Yankees website early Tuesday morning there was a link with the headline "Burnett confident heading into crucial start." In that story, Burnett—somewhat expectedly—said all the right things: 

"

I've been proving people wrong my whole career, it seems like. People are entitled to their opinion. Obviously, I give them reasons here and there to doubt. The bottom line is I have confidence in myself. I'm not going to go out to try and prove anything. I'm going out to try and win a ball game.

"

Just below that quote came this line from MLB.com's Anthony DiComo:

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Once a polarizing figure, Burnett has since become loathed amongst a fan base that almost unanimously considers him a wasted investment. In the third season of his five-year, $82.5 million contract, Burnett posted a 5.15 ERA this summer, losing 11 games and submitting a 7.50 ERA over his final eight outings of the season. Had rain not suspended Game 1 of the ALDS in New York, Burnett would have worked exclusively out of the bullpen this week.

"

Is it baseball karma?  

Yankee fans can't help but wonder if there is a greater force at play, washing out much of Game 1 to throw off the schedule, forcing Burnett into a starting role for a decisive game. 

Remember, the Yankees definitely took their foot off the pedal against the Rays in the final game of the regular season, playing mostly minor leaguers in the last few innings while the Rays climbed back from a seven-run deficit. The Yankees certainly weren't trying to lose, but it sure didn't seem like they were trying to win. When the game got close and late, Yankees manager Joe Girardi chose to protect Mariano Rivera for the playoffs instead of closing out the Rays and potentially giving the final playoff spot to Boston.

We know how things turned out.

Evan Longoria was a hero for Tampa Bay just minutes after Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon choked away a lead over Baltimore, and the Rays, not the Red Sox, got into the playoffs. You can't exactly blame the Yankees for that whole scenario, but it's not lost on people that Girardi was pulling players to give them rest before the (potentially) long postseason grind got underway.

It's also not lost on people that Mariano Rivera has pitched to one batter so far this postseason.

The Yankees were all set to throw CC Sabathia against Detroit's Justin Verlander in Game 1 before coming back with Ivan Nova in Game 2. Freddy Garcia—yes, Freddy Garcia—would have pitched Game 3, but the skies opened up early in Game 1, forcing Nova to finish Game 1 and Garcia to throw in Game 2, washing away any chance of Sabathia coming back to pitch a potential elimination game and certainly ruining any opportunity for him to pitch a "must-win" Game 4. 

Sabathia was able to come back after his rain-shortened Game 1 outing to start Game 3, but only lasted five and one-third innings and wasn't anything close to dominant. Despite clawing back to tie the game on Verlander in the eighth, the Yankees bullpen gave up the lead again, putting them in this nightmare situation in Game 4. 

The season is on the line, and A.J. Burnett is on the rubber.

How did the Yankees even get into this situation? Sure, they never expected Phil Hughes to suffer through back problems like he has, but Hughes' issues didn't just happen yesterday. How in the world did the best team in the American League win 97 games with Burnett, Garcia and Bartolo Colon combining for 84 starts?

This isn't a nightmare for the Yankees; it's their 2011 reality.

If the Yankees somehow manage to get through Game 4 and survive to a Game 5, they still have to win that ­without Sabathia on the mound. If they come back to win this Division Series over Detroit, can they reasonably expect to pitch Sabathia three times in a seven-game ALCS and do the same thing again in the World Series?

There was really no situation where the Yankees wouldn't need Burnett to pitch in a big spot. This isn't a nightmare for the Yankees, it's an inevitability. Yankee fans waking up today in a cold sweat had to know this was coming, eventually. Burnett had to know it was coming too. In fact, he seems eager to "bring everything I've got and just let A.J. loose out there."

One reporter asked him if he's ever gone back to look at the tape of the 2009 World Series:

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Reporter: Have you watched that World Series game that you pitched in 2009? Is that something you have used to motivate yourself?

Burnett: I haven't watched it in a while, but I will be playing it, yeah. Yeah. More than likely, I do have it on the computer. I haven't watched it in a while, probably not since last year…but that would definitely be a good one to watch, for sure. 

"

And here, folks, is why baseball writers love A.J. Burnett so much and Yankees fans have grown to hate him. Which World Series game is he talking about?

Burnett started Game 2 of the 2009 World Series and pitched seven innings of four-hit, one-run baseball with nine strikeouts and only two walks. He threw 108 pitches, 68 for strikes. He got the win. 

Burnett also started Game 5 of the 2009 World Series, lasting just two innings (though pitching into the third), surrendering six runs on four hits and four walks, while striking out just two. He threw just 53 pitches, 28 for strikes. He got the loss.

In his six career playoff starts, Burnett has either been lights out or a flame-out. He has three games in which he's gone at least six innings and given up two or fewer runs, all Yankee wins. He has three games where he's fallen apart, giving up at least five runs, all Yankee losses.

So, which World Series game was the reporter asking about? Which Burnett will show up in Game 4? Don't close your eyes, Yankees fans. This nightmare is happening.