C'mon, A.J., really?

New York Yankees pitcher, A.J. Burnett, was forced out of yesterday's 10-5 loss to Tampa Bay. It wasn't because he'd given up four runs over two innings though, but because he'd cut both of his palms after slamming a set of double doors in frustration, after a consecutive second bad inning. Burnett started the third inning, and was lifted after facing only two Rays; who's at-bat's included a hit batter, a wild pitch, and an R.B.I. single charged to Burnett.

The early exit required manager Joe Girardi to use two middle relievers over the remaining seven innings, Dustin Moseley and Chad Gaudin, who gave up six runs over nine hits and four walks. The unfortunate, but necessary, use of Moseley and Gaudin might not have been such a big deal, especially with Burnett coming clean and apologizing for losing his temper, if it weren't for Andy Pettitte having to leave today's game just one out later than Burnett the day prior. Pettitte came up lame, stretching his leg and groin area, after delivering a pitch to Kelly Shoppach in the third inning.

Now, with the use of five more relief pitchers in today's game, Girardi has been forced to play all seven of his relievers over the last two games. You have to expect early exits from pitchers over the season, especially unfortunate injury-related ones like today, but this just makes Burnett's idiocy even more unacceptable. If you're a Major League Pitcher, you are going to give up runs, act like an adult (a professional might be asking too much of him). It's not like he gave up these runs to the Pirates or Mariners, it was a team that is fourth in the league in runs scored. When you're sporting an E.R.A. just under five (and you're 1-2 with a 6.89 E.R.A. against the Rays), you really can't be that upset with yourself; it's nothing out of the ordinary.