VIERA, Fla. — This place essentially is the last outpost of spring training. As A.J. Burnett, who once was a young pitcher of promise here with the Marlins, said yesterday, there used to be nothing but cows surrounding Space Coast Stadium.

This is not the kind of place where you would expect to see some defining characteristics of the 2011 Yankees take shape. That’s especially because the Yankees don’t send many regulars on this 21⁄2-hour journey across the state, but yesterday there was a confidence displayed by two players that should make all the difference for the Yankees this season.

A beefed-up Robinson Cano batted fourth, his rightful spot in the Yankees’ order some day, and knocked in the first run of the Yankees’ 6-5 loss to the Nationals with a single to left and also ripped a shot to center that originally was ruled a triple then changed to an error, while Burnett pitched with the kind of confidence he rarely displayed last season when he was an emotional mess.

It was fitting yesterday that the word the right-hander chose to describe himself was “confident.” Yes, it’s only spring training, but a lot has changed since last season. After striking out the side in the first Burnett surrendered a two-run home run to Michael Morse in the second. Burnett didn’t buckle, he finished strong, going four innings.

His spring ERA is 2.00. He had depth on his curveball, which can be attributed to better mechanics, but none of this is really about mechanics. New pitching coach Larry Rothchild is constantly preaching to Burnett to just let it fly.

This is about playing with confidence and not showing frustration when something doesn’t go your way.

Burnett said he sees that determination in Cano.

“We were talking about that after the [first inning] base hit, he hit a curveball,” Burnett said. “I look at him as straight confidence, too. That’s what makes him Robbie. He comes in every day with a smile and he works hard, but he knows he’s good.

“And when you know you’re good, you’re hard to beat.”

That’s where Burnett wants to be again. He won 18 games for Toronto in 2008 and 13 for the Yankees in the championship season of 2009. Last year he was 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA. He is attacking hitters. In three spring outings Burnett has yet to give up a walk.

Confidence is the magic word of baseball.

Cano, despite all his success at a young age, knows there is so much more success still ahead for him.

“I know I can keep getting better,” Cano said. “But I don’t know how much better. I’m just going to try to be better than I was last year.”

That’s saying a lot.

“He’s gotten better and better every year for three straight years,” hitting coach Kevin Long said. “His goal is to get even better. I don’t know how much better he can get but there’s room to get better.”

Any better and Cano will be the AL MVP in 2011. Cano batted .319 last season with 200 hits, 41 doubles, 29 home runs and 109 RBIs. Cano clearly is bigger across the chest this season. He said he weighs the same 216 pounds, but said he is stronger.

“To be honest, I feel good,” he said. “I’ve worked hard and I’m going to try to have a great season. I really put in the work to get better.”

Cano will be hitting fifth behind Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, giving the Yankees incredible strength in the middle of their batting order. Here is how Cano can get even better.

“He’s improving his strike zone consistency,” Long said. “The better that is, the more the power numbers will go up. Most of the time when he makes an out, it’s because he expanded the strike zone just a little bit.”

Having the confidence to hit his pitch will help Cano. Having the confidence to make his pitch will help Burnett. That’s what this is all about.

kevin.kernan@nypost.com