NEW YORK — While his New York Yankees teammates presumably danced the night away after clinching the American League East on Sunday and some probably didn't roll into bed until this very morning - A.J. Burnett (North Little Rock, Central Arkansas Christian) was on a flight to Little Rock.
Burnett's father,Bill, is scheduled to undergo triple bypass heart surgery today. A.J. was originally supposed to miss Sunday's game to be with his dad, but a voice on the other end of the phone told him to take care of something else first.
"I was going to fly home - I'm going to actually fly home in a couple of hours - but he told me to stay and celebrate because he figured a good thing was going to happen today," Burnett said. "It was fun. I'm glad I did."
Burnett played no role in the Yankees' 4-2 division-clinching victory over the Red Sox. That will change in his first postseason, when he will either be their No. 2 or 3 starter. Pretty large role.
The talented right-hander will begin to answer an important question: Can he be counted on when it matters? At least Bill Burnett knows the answer to that in a far more important arena than the playoffs.
We have more than a week before we have to debate A.J.'s postseason readiness, and we also have plenty of time before we first- or second-guess Joe Girardi about his choice to pitch either Burnett or Andy Pettitte in Game 2. (Instant opinion: Start Pettitte in Game 2 because he's more reliable and would also get Game 5.)
Sunday, Burnett literally soaked in the joy around him. For the most part, he was one of the few relatively subdued players as a champagne and beer-fueled celebration turned the team's pristine and high-tech clubhouse into something closer to what a locker room is supposed to smell like.
Burnett stood near his locker sipping a light beer as players doused each other, doused Yankees support staff, doused some female media members far too enthusiastically and generally acted like idiots.
In this case, most of that was normal and OK, although it wouldn't have been funny if the cork that Nick Swisher accidentally launched into CC Sabathia's back had instead struck his left shoulder blade.
Burnett is no stranger to Yankees celebrations. He started the new tradition of hitting the star of a walk-off victory in the face with a pie. Burnett got to do it 14 times this season. That's two more victories than he has in what for him has been an uneven season.
But Burnett held up physically to make 31 starts. He will pitchagain Tuesday against the Royals, assuming everything goes all right at home with his father.
"It's been on my mind about a week now," Burnett said. "He's a strong man, so I'm more concerned about my mom. The fact that I get to go home and be with him means a lot to me."
Burnett got a little beer poured on his back during an interview, but otherwise he seemed content to stand to the side in his gray "AL East Champion" T-shirt. Pettitte actually joined him for the interview, his left arm around Burnett's shoulder.
Nothing brings a team together like winning. The Yankees hope to have three more of these celebrations by the time the first week of November rolls around.
"It's awesome, man," Burnett said as he watched. "It's my first one, and it's the reason I came here. It means a lot."
It does mean a lot. Just not as much as what will be going on in Little Rock today.
Sports, Pages 14 on 09/28/2009