Let's try and stretch our memories back to this time last year. Everybody had a different plan for the Yankees to improve the team. However, the general consensus was that the Yankees would sign two of the trio of star free agent starters available, Sabathia, Burnett, and Lowe.
I don't think their was a single Yankees fan who didn't want Sabathia on the team. So, up until the point at which the Yankees inked Burnett, the debate in Yankeeland raged around whether Lowe or Burnett would be a better fit.
To rehash the arguments, Lowe was coming off three years in LA where he had been the model of consistency, he was seen as a reliable innings eater that wouldn't get more than a two or three year deal. The risks were that the NL West is a different world offensively from the AL East, he's getting to be pretty old, and he got hammered in his last years with Boston in the AL East. Burnett was the flashy strikeout pitcher coming off a career year. His high 90's fastball and excellent record against the Red Sox were both impressive to fans. On the other hand, his injury record is incredibly spotty, he was looking for a five year deal, and he really isn't the regular season ace that he is reputed to be.
After a furious bidding war between the Braves and the Yankees, the Yanks ended up with Burnett on a five year, 80 million dollar deal with the fifth year sealing the deal. Atlanta settled for Lowe a few weeks later, giving him a four year, 60 million dollar deal. At the time, opinion on the Burnett deal was mixed and fans, myself included, criticized both its length and amount.
Burnett had a solid regular season. He went through stretches of both complete futility and complete dominance. We saw the guy with the high 90's heater and the nasty hook and we also saw the guy with no control to speak of. Most notably, he stayed healthy and it was an overall productive year for Burnett. He fit in with the rest of the team seemlessly with his pie throwing antics and contributed to the lightening of the mood in the Yankee clubhouse that has been so key to their success so far this year.
A.J. didn't get brought in to win regular season games though. He's here to be the second ace behind C.C. who can win games in October. So, far Burnett's been loving October aside from one bad start. His numbers are good across the board; his ERA is 3.55, his FIP 3.25, and 3.10.
All of that will be forgotten at 7:57 PM tonight.
Its unfair how it works, its bizarre in nature, but everything A.J. has ever done on the baseball field comes down to one last start in Philly. He got a five year contract this winter and will probably make countless starts for New York that will get picked apart and over-analyzed by people like me. In this one start though he can cement his reputation as a true Yankee or just another overpriced choker.
Its going to take an incredible performance by Burnett to beat Cliff Lee. The pitcher on the other side is as good as they get and has been better than ever this year in the postseason. The Yankees also will still probably win this series, even if they lose tonight. However, with one win, A.J. Burnett can prove to everyone what he's made of and end any sort of A-Rod style criticism about his contract. With one win, the Yankees will take their 27th World Championship and their first of the century. With one win a new era will dawn in Yankeeland. This is it.
