AJ the Stopper 2.0

Following another Chien Ming Wang disaster, the Yankees are once again looking to AJ Burnett to put an end to a 2 game snide. Burnett battled through 5 1/3 innings of two run ball in his first start against the Orioles in his Yankee debut. It was good enough for a win; however Burnett was displeased with his relatively short outing. He will be keen to give more length tonight as the bullpen has been worn out after last night’s debacle. The formula for tonight will be to get 7 innings from Burnett, 1 from Bruney, and 1 from Rivera to close it out.

However, that is easier said than done when Matt Garza is the opposing pitcher. Garza rose to prominence with his brilliant ALCS performances against Boston last year, earning him the ALCS MVP honor. Garza is coming off of another brilliant effort against Boston in his first start, allowing just 1 run over 7 innings of work. The Yankee lineup will their work cut out for them against Garza tonight, which is why this start for Burnett is that much more important. Runs will be at a premium for the Yanks, especially if Mark Teixeira isn’t available once again. Burnett must be the stopper for the second straight start or the Yanks will be looking at their first 3-game losing streak of the season.