Something you Already Knew About A.J. Burnett

From those brilliant fellows at Inside Edge:

• A.J. Burnett of the Blue Jays threw one of the nastiest curveballs in the majors in August. He had the third best average against (.083) and the highest miss percentage of swings (59.5 percent) among starting pitchers. The Twins have the best average in the league against the curveball (.284), but should probably lay off it anyway — Burnett’s curve has only been in the strike zone one third of the time this season, and opposing batters are hitting .312 against his 94 mph fastball.

.312?! How do you throw one of the fastest heaters in the league but give up an average over .300 against it? Or post an ERA of 4.43 in a month where you combine said heat with the best breaking pitch in the league?

Oh, right. Hitters may as well sit fastball because your curve is rarely in the zone and unhittable anyway, and you don’t throw another pitch (like that 2-seamer that racked up as many grounders as Roy Halladay last season or the changeup that is breaking news every spring training, highly effective during the first few months, and then quietly rolled up in a carpet and thrown off a bridge once you get tired of this “finesse” bullshit) to throw batters off. Now I remember.

Oh well, at least he’s a team player…