Yankees GM Brian Cashman Puts Down His Own 'Pipe' and Goes to Reality Rehab

Not long ago, Yankees GM Brian Cashman told the media to "smoke the objective pipe" when criticizing overpaid and underachieving A.J. Burnett.  After a public beat down from every angle and another terrible start by Burnett, Cashman seems to be changing his tone drastically on Burnett's season.  Finally, he's putting down whatever pipe he was smoking and is thinking more clearly.

"He was very bad," Cashman said yesterday when asked about Burnett's previous outing in Baltimore.

The outing Cashman was talking about was Burnett's last start.  He allowed nine runs on nine hits, surprisingly making it through five innings of work.  We've come to expect these kinds of starts from Burnett and although the rest of us have caught on to the fact that Burnett is terrible, Cashman took a little time.  His comments yesterday were very different than what he said just two weeks ago.

"I encourage everybody to just break it down," Cashman said at first, defending Burnett. "Break it down. Compare him to other people. Look at his start-by-start. Look at his run support. If you smoke the objective pipe, I think the coverage on him would be a little smoother, more accurate."

It was puzzling at first when Cash came to the defense of Burnett.  Even if you take it on a start-to-start basis, Burnett's numbers are still horrid.  Clearly Cashman was trying to save his own rear end seeing as how he pulled the trigger on the deal that brought Burnett to New York.  However, anyone thinking logically can see that Burnett hasn't even come close to living up to the contract that he signed.

9-11, 5.31 ERA and collecting over $16 million a year?  That is hardly what the Yankees paid for.  At first you could say, Burnett wasn't pitching like a No. 2 starter.  Now you can say, Burnett is pitching like a minor leaguer.

"It is what it is," Cashman said.  "He's obviously pitching terribly right now."

Right now?!  He's been bad all season and as nice as it is to see Cashman finally opening his eyes and coming around to the fact that Burnett is a bust, he still has a ways to go.  Of course, frustrated Yankees fans will never hear what they want to hear from Cashman because he'll never sit there and bash his own player.  If you're looking for more, don't hold your breath. 

The only thing left for Cashman to do now, is to find a way to unload Burnett.  Even if the opportunity presents itself, Burnett is making so much money, no team in their right mind will want to touch him.  Any way you put it, the Bombers and Cashman will have to swallow that pill if they want to get rid of him.

As for Burnett?  It would be foolish to put him in the bullpen.  No question he is not even close to making the playoff rotation, but putting him in the bullpen would help destroy what has been a good 'pen for the Yankees all year.  Maybe Burnett should start his own hair salon seeing as how he did such a great job on his own.  His hair is the most effort we've seen Burnett put in this year.