  Yankees' A.J. Burnett is seen in the dugout. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
|
NEW YORK -- The honeymoon appears to be over for A.J. Burnett in New York.
All season long, Burnett and Nick Swisher have been credited for injecting a bit of fun into the Yankees clubhouse; Burnett for his pie-in-the-face routine after every Yankees walkoff and Swisher for his general carefree personality.
But after he failed not once but twice in Thursday's clinching game, Burnett is taking heat from fans and media.
The New York Daily News ran a poll of 7,000 fans trying to find out who should take the lion's share of blame for the Game 4 defeat and 34% of them said it was on Burnett, edging out manager Joe Girardi.
The Angels scored four runs before Burnett recorded an out in the first inning. He settled down to pitch through the sixth and when the Yankees scored six runs in the seventh, he promptly allowed the first two men on base in the bottom of the inning as the Angels scored three to regain the lead.
SWISHING AND HOPING
Swisher, meanwhile is 3-for-29 (.103) in the post-season and Yankees followers were a bit surprised to see his name in the lineup again last night.
"Swish plays a good right field and it's not always the easiest right field to play and he has had good at-bats against Joe Saunders," Girardi said. "He was 1-for-2 with a walk the other day (Game 2)."
FAIR CALL
Both managers had no bone to pick with for postponing last night's game.
"I know they always put a lot of weight to protect the integrity of the starting pitchers," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
"If you're going to lose a starter, whether he just warms up or throws a half-inning, or two innings, it really affects the outcome."
