"According to general manager J.P. Ricciardi, A.J. Burnett "isn't going anywhere." In the short term that means for the rest of this season the right-hander will remain in the Blue Jays' fold. At the end of the season, Burnett has the right to opt out of the final two years of his contract, waive goodbye to the Jays and $24 million US they owe him, and go on the free agency market to receive riches beyond his wildest dreams. That will be his first choice. Burnett, who never has looked better in his 21/2 seasons with the Jays, is in a motivated frame of mind as he is on a pace that can have him end the season with 16 to 17 victories, which would signal a career year.

With each mounting victory, with each dominating performance, you can hear the cha-ching meter in every seat in the house. "That makes me take a deep breath," said Burnett of Ricciardi's comments following last night's 3-1 victory over the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. "I've really not been trying to pay attention to it a lot. "I realize my name has been thrown out there for a while but I've been focused on this team. It's a good group and for him to make that statement, I can take a deep breath and really take a look at my next start as opposed to wondering what's going on." Last night against the Rays and perhaps their best starter in James Shields, Burnett was free and easy on the mound, in full possession of his wicked curve that nicely augments his 95-plus m.p.h. heater. Burnett has been particularly sharp in each of his last four outings, as he has managed to go 3-1 over that stretch. Two starts back in Tampa, Burnett allowed but two runs over seven innings against the Rays but lost that one 2-1. It was payback time for Burnett last night as backed by a 10 strikeout performance -- Burnett and the Jays emerged triumphant. With the win, the Jays move to within 71/2 games of the first-place Rays with the chance of moving closer before the series ends. "If we're not (thinking that way) then we're in trouble," Burnett said. "I think we have to come in and use the last two games against them and even the ones on the road in Texas (on the weekend) and come back home and play the guys in our division again. So we've got to play like we want it." It wasn't easy sailing for Burnett and in his seventh and final inning he kept his cool as with runners on the corners and one out he induced Evan Longoria to hit into a 6-4-3 double play. Burnett allowed six hits to the Rays and had just two 1-2-3 innings as he upped his record to 12-9, the 12 wins equalling his career high. He had base runners all but two of his innings but managed to keep his focus and poise. "One pitch at a time, when I come in the dugout I probably tell myself that 300 times every inning," Burnett said. "It's what it comes down to. I'm not letting things affect me, balls or strikes or hits. You've just got to make the next pitch." Trailing 1-0, the Jays jumped into a 2-1 lead in the fifth on a two-run home run by DH