Blue Jay fans be enjoying the demise of A.J. Burnett

Toronto Blue Jays fans were quick to grow a hate for A.J. Burnett after he declined the contract option following the 2008 season and bolted to the Yankees for a ridiculous amount of money. In fact it could be argued that Burnett was already overpaid by the Blue Jays and only had once good season out of the three seasons spent in Toronto. His prickly personality and tantrums when he pitched poorly did not endear himself to fans,



In 2009 Burnett was part of the Yankees World Series team and played relatively well that season. But since then his game deteriorated. Last season he was a dismal 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA. To be honest that those numbers would not have qualified Burnett to be the #5 starter in Toronto. This season has been worse with Burnett going 9-11 so far with an ERA of 5.31. His win/loss record is deceiving because the Yankees score and lot of runs and can mask a mediocre pitching performance and have a great bullpen. However in the month of August no offense could hide Burnett's performance. Only Moammar Gadhafi had a worse August than A.J. Burnett with an ERA of 11.91 for the month.



Let's face it Burnett is weak on the mental part of the game despite watching Roy Halladay perform for three seasons. He possess only two pitches - a nasty curve and a 92 mph fastball. When he kind find the strikezone with his curve or he is afraid to use it, he becomes one of the most hittable pitchers in baseball. Oh and with that comes a pretty bad attitude. The Yankees may need to pad their clubhouse to mitigate the damage done by Burnett's tantrums.



Despite having one of the best records in baseball, the Yankees do not exactly have stellar starting pitching. After C.C. Sabathia the Yankees starting rotation could be confused with Orioles' staff. So Joe Girardi has no choice but to keep sending Burnett and his $16.5 million per season contract out on the mound. Carl Pavano, who stole $39.5 million with his non-performance as a Yankee from 2005-08 is mild compared to the cleaning the Yankees are taking from Burnett.



With two more years on his contract, Blue Jays fans will have many more opportunities to giggle reading the box scores following each Burnett adventure on the mound.

Blue Jay fans be enjoying the demise of A.J. Burnett

Toronto Blue Jays fans were quick to grow a hate for A.J. Burnett after he declined the contract option following the 2008 season and bolted to the Yankees for a ridiculous amount of money. In fact it could be argued that Burnett was already overpaid by the Blue Jays and only had once good season out of the three seasons spent in Toronto. His prickly personality and tantrums when he pitched poorly did not endear himself to fans,



In 2009 Burnett was part of the Yankees World Series team and played relatively well that season. But since then his game deteriorated. Last season he was a dismal 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA. To be honest that those numbers would not have qualified Burnett to be the #5 starter in Toronto. This season has been worse with Burnett going 9-11 so far with an ERA of 5.31. His win/loss record is deceiving because the Yankees score and lot of runs and can mask a mediocre pitching performance and have a great bullpen. However in the month of August no offense could hide Burnett's performance. Only Moammar Gadhafi had a worse August than A.J. Burnett with an ERA of 11.91 for the month.



Let's face it Burnett is weak on the mental part of the game despite watching Roy Halladay perform for three seasons. He possess only two pitches - a nasty curve and a 92 mph fastball. When he kind find the strikezone with his curve or he is afraid to use it, he becomes one of the most hittable pitchers in baseball. Oh and with that comes a pretty bad attitude. The Yankees may need to pad their clubhouse to mitigate the damage done by Burnett's tantrums.



Despite having one of the best records in baseball, the Yankees do not exactly have stellar starting pitching. After C.C. Sabathia the Yankees starting rotation could be confused with Orioles' staff. So Joe Girardi has no choice but to keep sending Burnett and his $16.5 million per season contract out on the mound. Carl Pavano, who stole $39.5 million with his non-performance as a Yankee from 2005-08 is mild compared to the cleaning the Yankees are taking from Burnett.



With two more years on his contract, Blue Jays fans will have many more opportunities to giggle reading the box scores following each Burnett adventure on the mound.

10 years since 9/11

In 14 days it will be the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. I will continue to highlight those events of 2001.





October 5, 2001

A photographer for the tabloid newspaper The Sun dies of inhalation anthrax in Boca Raton, Florida. Over the next several weeks, along with several false alarms, four other letters containing anthrax are received, by NBC News, the New York Post, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Eleven people are infected; five people die.









October 7, 2001

The U.S. begins bombing Afghanistan. In a televised address, President Bush tells the nation: "On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against al Qaeda terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. These carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations, and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime."







October 26, 2001

President Bush signs the USA Patriot Act [PDF; requires free Adobe Reader] into law.







November 5, 2001

The Justice Department announces that it has put 1,182 people into secret custody since 9/11. Nearly all of them are from the Middle East or South Asia.







December 11, 2001

In the first criminal indictments stemming from the 9/11 attacks, Zacarias Moussaoui, a French citizen of Moroccan descent, is charged with conspiring with Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda to "murder thousands of people" in New York, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania.

10 years since 9/11

In 14 days it will be the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. I will continue to highlight those events of 2001.





October 5, 2001

A photographer for the tabloid newspaper The Sun dies of inhalation anthrax in Boca Raton, Florida. Over the next several weeks, along with several false alarms, four other letters containing anthrax are received, by NBC News, the New York Post, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Eleven people are infected; five people die.









October 7, 2001

The U.S. begins bombing Afghanistan. In a televised address, President Bush tells the nation: "On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against al Qaeda terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. These carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations, and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime."







October 26, 2001

President Bush signs the USA Patriot Act [PDF; requires free Adobe Reader] into law.







November 5, 2001

The Justice Department announces that it has put 1,182 people into secret custody since 9/11. Nearly all of them are from the Middle East or South Asia.







December 11, 2001

In the first criminal indictments stemming from the 9/11 attacks, Zacarias Moussaoui, a French citizen of Moroccan descent, is charged with conspiring with Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda to "murder thousands of people" in New York, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania.

Sign of the day - Hurricane Irene edition

Sign of the day - Hurricane Irene edition

Dogs in suits week