This isn't a post about AJ Burnett and his inexplicable transformation from Good AJ to Bad AJ and back again.
It's about me, and about you.
Because we're fans, there's a constant battle between Jekyll and Hyde going on in our reactions to our team.
Dr. Jekyll recognizes that if an angel of the Almighty had come down from heaven and posted on PA, promising that the Yankees would play Game 6 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium with a 3-2 lead, we all would have grovelled in supplicant grattitude (or made snarky comments about projection metrics, depending on your ideological bent). Either way, Jekyll realizes that this team is in an incredible (and enviable to everyone but the Phillies) position.
Jekyll isn't frustrated with AJ. Good AJ showed up last night, but so did Good Abreu, Good Torii, and Good Vlad. After the leadoff walk, AJ allowed 4 hits on 7 pitches (and 7 good pitches- down in the zone). The Angels didn't get to the ALCS, didn't score 883 runs (second most in the league) by rolling over against every good pitcher in the AL. The same goes for the pen, Joe went to his best bullpen ace (Hughes) at the right time, but it didn't go right.
Mr. Hyde on the other hand, is pissed. Mr. Hyde is wondering what Jorge Posada could have done for the offense yesterday in 2 more ABs, and all his ABs from the 6 spot in the lineup. Jorge could have allowed that wild pitch, just like Jose.
Mr. Hyde thinks that Joe G.'s stink is all over this series now. Joe G. doesn't trust his bullpen, except Rivera. They're all too new. So he sticks with his veterans, his starters, way too long. Sure Burnett's pitch count was low, but the guy has been a walking time bomb, and the bullpen was fully rested. The manager who couldn't let any reliever pitch a full inning 2 games ago now can't allow the starter to only go 6 innings? Where was that quick hook last night?
Joe G. also doesn't trust GGBG in centerfield, even though it was a platoon situation most of the season, but that's a whole different argument. Fire Joe Girardi.
Today I want to be Dr. Jekyll, but I'm fighting down Hyde, and oh he's there. And he's angry.