Girardi blew it.

Girardi tanked September and home field advantage so he could rest his bullpen. The first six games of the playoffs justified his decision. Even the decision to start Burnett was rewarded for 5 2/3 innings. Then, when it was time for Logan to come in, Girardi inexplicably stuck with the unreliable Burnett:

“ 'I thought A.J. was throwing well at that point,' Girardi said. 'It was hard to argue with the way he was throwing the ball.'

That was the rationale for plowing through the inning, which soon reached its crossroads with a runner on second and two out. With an open base, Girardi again refused to listen to his inner voice, ignoring common sense to intentionally put the go-ahead run on base.

Why? Because of his maddening attachment to numbers. Girardi was uncomfortable with David Murphy’s career 5-for-18 against Burnett, so he called for an intentional walk. Never once did Girardi consider what an extra base runner would do to Burnett’s fragile psyche.

Why? Because time and again, Girardi has proven he has no feel for his players, no sense of the flow of the game. The stats are his haven; they act as an after-the-fact defense when it’s time to be accountable.

Anyone who’s watched Burnett’s acts of sabotage all summer knew what was coming. It didn’t matter that the right-hander had a brilliant fastball, charged by 11 days’ rest. In the first inning, Burnett’s four-seamer didn’t come in under 95-mph. He kept the heat through the fifth inning, and even into the sixth, Girardi said, 'he was still throwing great.' "

I don't really know if Girardi's problem is his unwillingness to play hunches or if he is deaf to the beats of his players' hearts.

This particular decision was contrary to most of his decisions -- i.e., his quick hook -- and completely indefensible. It was like Girardi was trying to build Burnett's confidence for a World Series appearance that will never occur.