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Monday, January 5, 2009
Burrell Close to Rays

Well, at least Pat Burrell already knows the Tampa/Clearwater area.

Burrell is close to a two-year, $16 million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. His career in Philadelphia ended when the Phillies signed Raul Ibanez last month. Burrell reportedly will be Tampa Bay's DH, which should be interesting because Burrell hasn't fared well as a DH. In 85 at-bats in 22 career games as a DH, Burrell has hit .153 with just one homer and seven RBIs.

Burrell made $14 million last season with the Phillies, which was one reason why the Phillies didn't offer him salary arbitration. They figured if they offered Burrell salary arbitration that he would accept because he would have received a raise, possibly making $16 million next season on a one-year contract. The Phillies simply preferred to go in a different direction, so they declined to offer Burrell arbitration and didn't pursue him as a free agent. They believe they're a better team with Ibanez than Burrell.

Of course, time will tell.

*

There's going to be a lot of talk in upcoming weeks about salary arbitration and potential long term contracts for Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels. Keep in mind that Howard can't become a free agent until after the 2011 season and Hamels can't become a free agent until after the 2012 season, so the Phillies don't feel any immediate pressure to get anything done. Instead, I think you'll see the Phillies try to sign players like Jayson Werth and Ryan Madson to contract extensions because they can become free agents sooner. Now, if the Phillies and Howard/Hamels talked about a deal that made sense, I think the Phillies would move on it. But if Howard is looking for A-Rod money, they're not just going to give it to him, either.

Posted by Todd Zolecki @ 4:15 PM  Permalink | 80 comments
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Comments
Posted by KarenA 03:37 PM, 01/05/2009
Still sorry to see Pat the Bat move on, but wish him luck in sunny Florida.
Posted by philsfan in the atx 03:38 PM, 01/05/2009
He will be a good fit..good luck to Pat.
Posted by jeff gross 04:02 PM, 01/05/2009
Sorry to see pat go, happy to be saving all the money while upgrading LF. Any progress reports on Utley and Feliz? Any news on a RHB for the bench?
Posted by FightinPhil 04:16 PM, 01/05/2009
Raul is not an upgrade. Except last year, he was bad against lefties. Old players can get bad real quick. Rather have Burrell for 2 than Ibanez for 3.
Posted by JPK512 04:18 PM, 01/05/2009
I'd gladly take Pat at 2/16 over Raul at 3/31, but life moves on. Best of luck Pat, I'll miss you.
Posted by mdriban 04:19 PM, 01/05/2009
Rocco Baldelli? Seems like the perfect right handed batter off the bench to me.
Posted by Potus415 04:23 PM, 01/05/2009
Ibanez is a career .268 hitter againse lefties. Burrell is .276. Doesn't seem to be much of a difference. Besides, how many pitchers in the league are left-handed? 25% maybe? The whole "too many lefties" argument is a bit overused if you ask me. You never hear anyone say a team has too many right-handed hitters.
Comment removed.
Posted by Gary Varsho 04:32 PM, 01/05/2009
srg12969 - Ibanez is a much more productive hitter overall. And he isn't streaky like Pat, so we won't go through 3 month stretches of watching him bat .200. And all reports are that Ibanez is a great clubhouse guy and teammate, so there is nothing to indicate he "will never" bring that intangible to the team.
Posted by Beef69 04:37 PM, 01/05/2009
He is leaving on a high note. Hate to see him go. He really understood the Philadelphia fans. Feel bad he has to deal with those cow bells now though.
Posted by jimmymack 04:42 PM, 01/05/2009
I'm with Gary on this one for reasons stated. Having a more consistant hitter behind Howard in the lineup won't let other teams pitch around him as much (assuming Howard will swing at strikes...LOL). Best wishes Pat, not sure you'll see a series again with Tampa, but thanks for a truly memorable 2008.
Posted by inquisitor 04:46 PM, 01/05/2009
I would take consistency over streakiness anytime! I also would make that statement comparing Howard to Teixeira.
Posted by lseltzer 04:50 PM, 01/05/2009
The Phils are playing TB this year (6/23-25), but sadly it is in TB. Shame, he would have gotten a big cheer here.
Posted by NickEeee 04:52 PM, 01/05/2009
Good luck Pat! I hope that you hit a 9th inning double to win World Series for the Rays and beat the stinken Mets!!!
Posted by Mark1npt 04:54 PM, 01/05/2009
$8 mil per year? There's no way he would have taken that deal to stay with the Phils....it's a desperation signing by Pat because he doesn't see much else out there for him.....although I love him to death (and I'm not gay), his usefullness on the field and to the team is declining rapidly......Ibanez will replace his clubhouse loss just fine and the lineup and team speed/defense will be improved, no question. This is a win-win for the Phils.....maybe Pat can come back as a bench player/PH in 2 years and play a year then retire as a Phil?
About Andy Martino
Andy Martino is in his first season on the Phillies beat. A former New York City public school teacher and graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, he previously wrote for the New York Daily News, where he covered baseball and worked with the award-winning investigative sports "I-team."
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