I may jinx what's happened so far, but I can't resist...

This is A.J. Burnett. The New York Yankees paid him $82.5 million over five seasons to be a horse behind their prized pitching signing, CC Sabathia, at the top of the Yankee rotation.

Well, $82.5 million apparently doesn't get you out of the third inning at Fenway Park. At least it didn't on Tuesday night when Burnett was pulled 2 2/3 innings in after allowing five runs, three earned, on five hits and five walks while recording just one strikeout. So far this season, Burnett sports a Chien-Ming Wang-like 12.91 ERA versus New York's hated rivals and a very mediocre 4.89 ERA overall. You know how many pitchers in the league have a lower ERA and lower salaries than AJ? Me neither, but I guarantee it's a lot.

However, it would be unfair to Burnett to place all the blame for the Bronx Bombers' struggles versus the Sox on him. After all, he's just responsible for two of New York's six losses in six games to Boston on the season. And this one wasn't wholly his fault. Check out the box score from tonight's game to see what the anti-Burnett, Josh Beckett, did to the vaunted Yankee lineup:

Jeter 0-3, BB
Damon 0-4, K
Teixeira 0-2, 2 BB, K
Roidriguez 0-4, K
Cano 1-4, K
Posada 0-2, BB, 2 K
Swisher 0-3, K
Cabrera 0-3, 2 K
Gardner 1-3

For the record, Nick Green had as many hits as New York tonight.

Anyway, six of 19 games between the teams have been played in 2009 and Boston has (knock on wood) yet to lose to their bitter rivals. They're hitting better, they're pitching better and they're fielding better. Thanks to Baltimore and Minnesota, though, the Yankees are still tied for first in the AL East at 34-24.

But whatever. This isn't about the race for the playoffs - it's still June, by the way. This is about how bad New York is against Boston. The only players on the roster who have played decently against the Sox this season are the long relief pitchers and that's only because they've seen Boston hitters more often than A-Rod has seen Angel Presinal and Yuri Sucart since 2000. The hitters do just enough to lose games. The starting pitching has been atrocious and the Sox haven't even had the chance to knock CC out of a game before the all-you-can-eat-buffets close at 8 p.m. Joba has been beaten. Pettitte has been beaten. Burnett has been torched. Rivera blew a game that Marte took the loss for. Some guy named Jonathan Albaladejo has been beaten. And Phil Hughes also chalked up an 'L' for the Yanks.

Yeah, four of the six games have been played in Beantown, but the Sox have beaten New York with hitting (16-11) and pitching (7-0, 4-1, 7-3). They have beaten Yankee starters (thanks, AJ) and relievers (same to you, Mariano). They've won blowouts (7-0) and nailbiters (5-4, again, thanks Mariano). But most importantly, they've won. It doesn't matter how it gets done, 6-0 speaks for itself.

Tomorrow, Wang (who started the game in which the Yanks lost to Cleveland 22-4) faces Tim Wakefield (always a mystery, but more trustworthy pitching at Fenway Park than at the Yankee Silo) in a game the Yankees might want to win to avoid playing with the pressure of a third consecutive Sox sweep looming.

New York isn't winning, though. I don't care if they knock Wake out in the first. Boston has their number this year. They'll find a way. I'm not saying the Red Sox will go 19-0 versus the Yanks in 2009, but they aren't going 6-13 either. Win number seven on the season comes tomorrow at Fenway.

New York might as well warm up the long relief now. Wang, like AJ Burnett tonight, won't see the fourth inning. And the Yankees won't see their first win of the year versus Boston either.

I could get used to saying that a few more times...