A.J. Burnett: "I don't feel like myself" - MLB

A.J. Burnett didn’t have a great night last night: he gave up three first inning homers and was lit up for seven runs and nine hits without striking out a single batter in four innings. In fact, the entire month has been a waste for him, as he has lost all four of his starts and has posted an ERA of 10.35. What’s buggin’ ya, A.J.?

“I don’t feel like myself. I’m not having fun right now. Who
would in a stretch like this? But the game is supposed to be fun. When
you come out and take the air out of your team right away for a handful
of starts it gets quite frustrating. I’m going to keep plugging away.
It’s just a matter of getting on a good roll.”

When Javier Vazquez couldn’t get anyone out the Yankees skipped him in the rotation and let him think about things. Given that the Yankees are already giving Phil Hughes a break, there’s really no way they can make the same accommodation for Burnett, so he’s right: he’s just gonna have to plug.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.