When September opened, one of the biggest question marks surrounding the Yankees was how much they could trust A.J. Burnett in a big playoff start. He'd just flopped at Fenway Park for the second time, calling into question his fitness under the spotlight and making some Yankee fans worry about their investment in the right-hander. Those fears subsided thanks to Burnett's strong final month, however. He went 3-1 with a 3.83 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings pitched. What was the difference? Jose Molina was wearing the tools of ignorance for all but one of the seven September outings while Jorge Posada sat on the bench, which is why he'll get the start with Burnett on the mound in Game 2 of the ALDS.
The one time Posada did start, Burnett got crushed to the tune of 11 hits and six runs by the Orioles. That added to a theory about their inability to work together borne earlier in the season, so it's no surprise why Joe Girardi chose not to fix something that doesn't need fixing.
The switch will make the Yankee lineup a little less dangerous, but it's a winning trade so long as it pays off in a strong outing for Burnett. Posada can still pinch-hit for Molina or the Yankees could keep Francisco Cervelli as a third catcher and go with Posada at DH for Game 2 and, if necessary, 5.
That decision, Burnett over Andy Pettitte for two starts, is more surprising than the one to go with Molina. It could be that Burnett's earlier struggles on the road swayed the manager's decision-making or it could be that Burnett's strong finish made him the better choice for what could be a win-or-die game. Either way, Girardi bucked conventional wisdom with that call much more than he did by choosing Molina to work with a guy he's helped to success.
