Sound mechanics for A.J.
September 29, 2009, 2:45 pm by iYankees · Leave a Comment
From Jon Heyman (SI):
A.J. Burnett looks like he might have solved his difficulties after two strong starts on the West Coast. Burnett went to tapes of his games in the second half of last year in Toronto, and he made corrections to some mechanical issues. Generally, he was moving side-to-side too much and needed to go “downhill.” If Burnett is back to himself, that would be a huge lift for the Yankees, whose only issue is their starting pitching.
In his last 2 starts, A.J. has thrown 12 2/3 innings, allowing 3 ER on 14 hits while striking out 17. The Yankees’ final few games are often described as meaningless affairs and, for the most part, that’s true, however, tonight’s outing is an important one for both Burnett and the team. A.J. will have another opportunity to further refine his mechanics in preparation for the postseason and prove that he can be the Yankees’ number 2 against either the Twins or the Tigers. Historically, he has pitched fairly well against the Royals, so this could be a very positive performance for him.
