April 22, 200620 yr TORONTO -- A.J. Burnett exited Friday's game against Boston after pitching just four innings due to discomfort in his right elbow. The injury is consistent with the one he suffered during a Spring Training start in Florida, and Burnett will head to Birmingham, Ala., where Dr. James Andrews will further evaluate the extent of the ailment. Burnett winced in discomfort several times in the fourth, beginning with Mike Lowell's at-bat to lead off the inning. Lowell grounded out to second base and Burnett finished the inning. Toronto's right-hander looked to be favoring his right arm after the at-bat against Lowell, though. Burnett, who signed a five-year, $55 million contract with the Blue Jays this past winter, began this season on the 15-day disabled list with a similar injury to his right elbow. On March 18, Burnett cut his Spring Training start against Boston short after having scar tissue break off in his elbow. The scar tissue was left over from the elbow ligament replacement surgery that Burnett underwent in 2003, and having it break away from the joint is a common occurance for players who have that type of operation. On Friday, Burnett (0-1) struck out five and walked one in the four innings he pitched. He allowed three runs on five hits, including consecutive home runs to Boston's David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez in the third inning. Burnett finished with 78 pitches -- 47 for strikes. c/o MLB.com
April 22, 200620 yr Now Im glad we didnt get him.. I figured something like this would have happened eventually!
April 22, 200620 yr I dont like the guy but this is too much I hope he's alright and he'll be able to pitch again this year.
April 22, 200620 yr It's a damn shame really......... :plain ..........that the Jays were stupid enough to give him $55M.
April 22, 200620 yr Yikes. I hope it is nothing too serious. At the rate AJ is going he will never play a full season.
April 22, 200620 yr Yikes. I hope it is nothing too serious. At the rate AJ is going he will never play a full season. Last year?
April 22, 200620 yr Yikes. I hope it is nothing too serious. At the rate AJ is going he will never play a full season. Last year? Except for his "suspension" to end the year due to misconduct.
April 22, 200620 yr Yikes. I hope it is nothing too serious. At the rate AJ is going he will never play a full season. Last year? Except for his "suspension" to end the year due to misconduct. 32 starts is basically a full season. He was healthy through the long stretch of the season, save an early scratch for some inflammation. Last season certainly should count as full.
April 22, 200620 yr Yikes. I hope it is nothing too serious. At the rate AJ is going he will never play a full season. Last year? I mean the future.
April 22, 200620 yr Another Kerry Wood case, how sad, I love AJ, he has the greatest arm in baseball, but I guess it isn't strong enough to keep him off the DL. GOOD LUCK!
April 22, 200620 yr Notes: Burnett lands on DL again Right-hander will have his right elbow examined Monday By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com TORONTO -- Prior to Saturday's game, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons leaned back in his chair inside his office and offered a simple explanation for Toronto's quick roster decision. "The game doesn't wait on you," Gibbons said. The Blue Jays, who are in the midst of a long stretch of games against division rivals and playoff-caliber teams, couldn't afford to go forward short one pitcher on the roster, especially after Friday's 12-inning contest against Boston stretched the bullpen thin. So, after starter A.J. Burnett had his right elbow injury flare up in his start versus the Red Sox, Toronto wasted no time in placing the pitcher back on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this year. Toronto called right-handed reliever Shaun Marcum up from Triple-A Syracuse and scheduled an appointment for Burnett to see Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday. Andrews is the same doctor that performed the Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery on Burnett's right arm in 2003. Burnett said the pain that he experienced on Friday was the same as the pain he felt on March 18, when he had to cut a Spring Training start short and landed on the DL to start the season. The initial indications are that this second episode could be the same problem -- a case of scar tissue breaking off in his elbow. Many pitchers who undergo the Tommy John operation will have similar problems with scar tissue later on. Having two instances where scar tissue breaks off during such a short period of time isn't usually normal, but the team is hoping Andrews can give Burnett some confidence that the pain isn't anything to get too worked up over. It could just be soreness that Burnett can pitch through, but the team won't know much more until he sees Andrews. "They don't seem to think there's anything structurally wrong," Gibbons said. "So whatever it is -- maybe scar tissue -- it may be something where it comes to the point where he's just got to pitch with it. I don't know. If it's affecting his pitching, that's different." Burnett has had three MRIs that show no damage to the ligament and the tests he had performed on him by a team doctor after his most recent start also indicated no problems in the joint. "We're doing everything we're supposed to do medically," Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "If the guy tells you he's hurt, you have to respect that. You've got to go with it, but we're not alarmed. ... He had an X-ray that didn't show any separation in the joint. The doctor gave him strength tests, and everything was fine." Why Marcum? Burnett's injury, coupled with three extra innings, forced the Blue Jays to use seven pitchers on Friday. Toronto used six relievers -- right-hander Pete Walker was the only pitcher not to see any work out of the bullpen. Those factors all helped the Jays' decision to call Marcum up from Syracuse. "He's ready," Ricciardi said. "He can give us a couple innings. Our bullpen needs a little help." Marcum has the ability to pitch multiple innings if needed, considering he has been used as a starter in the Minors in the past. This year, Marcum has been used as a reliever and he went 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in four games at Triple-A. In nine innings of work, Marcum struck out 13 and walked two. "He's got four pitches and he throws them all for strikes," Gibbons said. "He can pitch. He came through the system fast and we liked him when we drafted him. He's very similar to Pete Walker's style of pitching." Last year, Marcum made five appearances for the Blue Jays and gave up no runs in eight innings. Another move coming: Marcum may just be a temporary solution to help out the bullpen. Gibbons and Ricciardi both said that they don't want to move left-handed reliever Scott Downs back into the rotation. Downs began the year as a starter during Burnett's first stint on the DL, but Toronto doesn't want to deplete its bullpen by doing the same thing twice in such a short period of time. Toronto will probably call up a starter from Triple-A to fill in on either Thursday or Friday. Burnett was originally scheduled to pitch on Thursday, but the Jays could bring Halladay back after his usual four days of rest to start that game. The team was considering giving Halladay an extra day off, but the Burnett situation might force the issue. The most likely candidates from Triple-A to join the rotation would be right-handers Casey Janssen and Josh Banks -- the two pitchers mentioned when starter Ted Lilly was dealing with a minor back injury earlier this year.
April 23, 200620 yr Seriously, I don't see why any team would take more than a 2 year risk with Burnett. i know but the blue jays shelled out 5 yr. 55 mill.
April 23, 200620 yr Sucks for him and the Jays Hopefully he isn't done for the year Agreed. Some of you guys are really pathetic for hating him so much. He has amazing talent and I hope he reaches it.
April 23, 200620 yr I don't like AJ at all, but I would much prefer to see him get shelled than injured.
April 25, 200620 yr While there is reportedly no structural damage in A.J. Burnett's injured elbow, the Blue Jays said Monday that he may be out over a month. "Maybe it's a case where it's a month, six weeks, I don't know," general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "We don't want to put a number on it, then you're held to a time table. But this guy will definitely be pitching for us." Apr. 25 - 10:36 am et Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...Story/TPSports/
April 25, 200620 yr AJ has the worst luck. I hope he has a speedy recovery. Not sure if its luck or just not taking care of his arm more. Perhaps its time for him to look into pitching more then throwing super hard. He is turning into Mark Prior. AJ has such a nasty curveball that can make his fastball look even faster. Dial it down a bit and master that curve more.
April 25, 200620 yr AJ has the worst luck. I hope he has a speedy recovery. Not sure if its luck or just not taking care of his arm more. Perhaps its time for him to look into pitching more then throwing super hard. He is turning into Mark Prior. AJ has such a nasty curveball that can make his fastball look even faster. Dial it down a bit and master that curve more. I'm no pitching coach but his mechanics must be screwy. That's likely the reason why he keeps hurting himself.
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