Six years ago, A. J. Burnett stood on the field at Yankee Stadium wearing a sweatshirt and a glum expression. His team was preparing for Game 1 of the World Series, but he would not be pitching.

Burnett’s Marlins went on to win the title, beating the Yankees in six games, but he was a spectator, going through his rehabilitation after undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery that April.

“It’s really hard not to be a part of this,” he said that day.

On Tuesday night, after delivering six and a third strong innings in the Yankees’ 4-3 victory over the Royals, Burnett recalled his mixed feelings that October afternoon.

“I remember that,” he said. “It was a workout day, and I wasn’t doing much. I was really happy for the guys, but it was tough. Now I feel like I’ll really be a part of it.”


Click here to read the full article – By DAVID WALDSTEIN of New York Times

New York Yankees Sports Memorabilia
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If the back-to-back home runs that Brian Bruney served up to Adam Jones and Nick Markakis in the ninth inning on Wednesday meant anything, it was this — the Yankees are not perfect. They are still vulnerable, still shaky at times, still a work in progress.

In the end Wednesday, those two solo shots were far less indicative of what transpired at Yankee Stadium than were A.J. Burnett’s seven gritty innings or Nick Swisher’s redemptive game. By the time Mariano Rivera could relieve Bruney to cap a 6-4 victory and a three-game sweep of the Orioles, the Yankees had again become convinced of their current place in baseball. They have won six straight games for the third time this season and are guaranteed sole possession of first place in the American League East for at least another day.

Click here to read the full article – By Anthony DiComo of MLB.com

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Only a few pitches into Wednesday’s 4-3 win over the Twins, it became apparent to Yankees catcher Jorge Posada that his starting pitcher, A.J. Burnett, had virtually no control over his curveball. Burnett could not drop one into the strike zone at will — and his changeup was not much better. For one night, he had transformed into a one-pitch pitcher.

But Posada knew that Burnett’s curveball still had more than enough movement to induce swings and misses, so he kept calling for it. And after Burnett pumped two strikes across to Michael Cuddyer with the bases loaded in the fifth, Posada called for the curveball yet again. That one was out of the strike zone, too. But it was exactly where Burnett wanted it to be.

Click here to read the full article – By Anthony DiComo of MLB.com

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MIAMI — Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett’s suspension for throwing high and tight to Texas’ Nelson Cruz has been reduced to five games from six.

Manager Joe Girardi said Sunday before New York played the Florida Marlins that the suspension began immediately and will push back the right-hander’s next start to Saturday against the Mets. Burnett sailed a fastball near Cruz’s head during a 12-3 win June 2. Earlier in the game, Texas’ Vicente Padilla twice hit Mark Teixeira with pitches. Burnett said it was the first time he’d been suspended and was surprised by the severity of the action. Both Burnett and Padilla were fined undisclosed amounts by Major League Baseball.

Read the full article by the Associated Press posted on June 22, 2009
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New York Yankees Sports Memorabilia
and other New York Yankees Gifts and Collectibles
Below are links to memorabilia available for A.J. Burnett.