Yankee pitching coach Dave Eiland, who always looks irritated, in an old-school, tough guy way, has been working with AJ Burnett on a change-up.
From John Harper in the Daily News:
Eiland chuckled after the game when asked about needing to sell Burnett on the changeup, and insisted it was more about getting him to throw it with the right mechanics and timing so that it sinks late and hard.
“When he throws it right, like he did tonight,” said Eiland, “it’s almost like a splitter – it’s a great pitch. It all starts with his fastball command, with getting out over the rubber and releasing the ball out in front of him.
“When he doesn’t do that, when his arm drags, he doesn’t have command of the fastball, and when he throws the changeup it’s just a flat fader. Tonight he was out in front and on time with everything. He only threw four changeups, but on three of them he got outs with it.”
Hey, makes sense to me. Meanwhile, Andy Pettitte threw again yesterday with good results. And Alex Rodriguez is coming along too, although he’s cautious not to push-it. Javier Vazquez is back in the rotation for now and he’ll start Saturday. Finally, our man Cliff Corcoran was at the Stadium last night. Dig what he saw and heard.
This line of thinking is why I was never sold on Burnett. If, after all these years of great but inconsistent stuff, he hasn't mastered a change up, I'm left to conclude he has no interest in doing the work to make it happen. The simple fact is when AJ can't locate the curve, he's useless. He's needed the change for years and either he's too lazy or or too stupid to do the work. A circle change or, heck, even a Bob Stanley palmball are very straightforward pitches to learn. Throw it with the same arm speed as the fastball and how could it not be effective off his fastball?
Remember when Moose learned his new change in one Spring Training. That's all the difference to me in a pitcher versus a chucker. AJ Burnett has never been a pitcher, and I fear, he never will be. It sure as hell ain't happening this season.
great stuff from Cliff.