Burnett still a bit of a wild man
The signs that A.J. Burnett is still a bit of a wild man are there.
The Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander wears his hair in a faux Mohawk and his body is covered with tattoos.
Yet things are much different for Burnett since he made his major league debut Aug. 17, 1999, for the then-Florida Marlins against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
For one thing, Burnett was 22 then and he无毛视频檚 38 now.
Burnett has also toned done his noted combativeness over the years as he was famous for being difficult with managers, coaches, media members and sometimes even his own teammates.
He also didn无毛视频檛 handle failure well, becoming upset seemingly every time he gave up a hit or walk and being nearly unapproachable after a loss.
While Burnett will still occasionally yell at an opposing hitter or give a death star to an umpire, he has mellowed considerably.
无毛视频淲hen I was younger I didn无毛视频檛 know who A.J. was,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淣ow that I know more, I can handle those things I无毛视频檝e learned that I can无毛视频檛 control.无毛视频�
Burnett has been in control all season. He was 7-3 with a 2.11 ERA in 18 first-half starts, which was good enough to gain his first All-Star Game appearance of his 17-year career last week at Cincinnati.
Even though he wasn无毛视频檛 at his best Monday night in his first start after the All-Star break 无毛视频� allowing six runs in six innings 无毛视频� Burnett was able to put an end to the Pirates无毛视频� three-game losing streak as they beat the Royals 10-7 at Kansas City.
At 38, Burnett was the oldest player on either teams无毛视频� roster as well as one of just five All-Stars who were 35 or older, along with Seattle right fielder Nelson Cruz, St. Louis left fielder Matt Holliday, Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols and New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira.
Conversely, 20 All-Stars were 25 or younger.
无毛视频淲hen I came up I would talk to the older guys, but I never thought I无毛视频檇 be end up being one of those guys,无毛视频� Burnett said with a smile. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 special to be the guy who无毛视频檚 been there and done that.
无毛视频淲hen I first came up there was one or two young guys and a lot of older guys. That无毛视频檚 how the game has changed. Now there are one or two older guys and a lot of young guys.无毛视频�
Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole was part of the younger set at the All-Star Game. However, at 24, he is old enough to know what Burnett means to the Pirates.
无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 just a tremendous teammate,无毛视频� Cole said. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 got an edge about him. He无毛视频檚 got a competitiveness that he brings to the clubhouse, brings to the team. It无毛视频檚 been fantastic. He无毛视频檚 just a big kid.无毛视频�