Report: Rays Close to Deal With Burrell

We knew the day would come, but it was going to hurt when we heard the news either way.

The Rays, filling their need for a power hitter, are close to signing free-agent Pat Burrell to a two-year, $16 million contract, according to major-league sources. Burrell, 32, will serve as the team's designated hitter.

At least it wasn't the Mets, or any other NL team. If the numbers are correct, the Rays will sign Pat the Bat to a shorter contract for fewer years than the one the Phillies recently inked with Raul Ibanez. Two years for $16mil is a relative bargain due to a tough market for players fitting Pat's description, and for fewer years than it was originally anticipated that he would require. Unfortunately, the Phillies were not reported to have been in touch with him much (if at all) while pursuing a right fielder in free agency after their World Series win.

If they knew what Burrell would ultimately settle for, would Ibanez have still been their preference?

With the Rays set to visit CBP for the On Deck Series, Pat should get a great hero's welcome.

Comments

[Scott B]

yea, wow. 2 years for 16 mill? that's nothing.

a sign of the economy affecting baseball?

[GreggyD]

I think that the economy is definitely affecting baseball. I am happy to see Pat head to a good team, particularly one that is in the AL. I'll forever be a huge fan of PTB and hopefully we will get to see him do some great things in Tampa as a DH.

[Ben]

Well the Rays are not going to use him in the field. I think that was one reason why the Phils did not try to resign him (his declining fielding skills. I am not to sure how mush better Ibanez is, if any, but time will tell). The Rays have the liberty of signing a bad fielder who can hit and just using him as a DH. Also what is the deal with all of the catcher we have? any rumors of a possible trade? We have Jaramilio, Ruiz, Coste, and the prospect Marson who was called up at the end of the season.

[David F.]

I still think the Phils would have gone for Ibanez...he's a more consistent hitter than PTB (albeit with less power.) Why would we give Burrell a big contract when Cholly would just take him out in the 7th every night for a defensive sub anyway?

[Kale]

Makes me sad for him signing for so little. I guess it mainly came down to the phills not wanting to pay him for only 7 innings a night. I think considering the way this last season worked out that he'd have been worth signing, but it doesn't hurt as much knowing the kind of high he left here on.

[Argive]

The Phils play the Rays five times this year, I think. Man, it's gonna break my heart when he comes up to bat.

[Catchers delight]

@Ben

Jaramilio is long gone. Paulino is the new hotness.

I would be interested to see PtB's average in the new AL East.

[MikeY]

@ Argive:

Only two of those games are at the bank...they are the two exhibition games before the season starts. Definitely getting tickets to at least one of those.

The games during the season are in Tampa this year.

[GreggyD]

Also @ Ben-

With Jaramillo being traded to the Pirates for Ronny Paulino, it probably has spelled the end to Chris Coste's time with the Phillies. He was a great asset to this team for the past couple of years, but his skills are declining. Paulino isn't the best catcher, but then again neither is Ruiz. I expect Marson to have a full year at AAA this year and then be the full time starter come 2010.

[David F.]

According to ESPN it is a done deal:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3811501

[Justin Evans]

Pat Burrell still reaches base more than Raul Ibanez. They're equally shitty fielders. Ibanez is another lefty.

Burrell's average may be lower, but his slugging and OBP were higher. So walks were as good as singles, especially hitting behind Howard.

Don't forget Ibanez will be 37 in June and Burrell will be 33 in October.

[Justin Evans]

Ronnie Paulino will just battle for the back-up catcher. Jaramillo couldn't do it and Marson is probably a year away. Or a half a year away.

They're not going to bring up Marson to be a back-up catcher because of service time.

[David F.]

But Justin you can't deny that Burrell was one most inconsistent players on the Phillies roster. The guy was just as likely to hit .100 as he was to hit .300 in any given month. When he is your DH you can afford to take that chance, but it was time to find a more consistent option. Ibanez is one of the just five outfielders who have driven in 100 runs in each of the past three seasons, and that came playing for a shitty Seattle team in a pitchers' ballpark.

[Justin Evans]

And Ibanez doesn't have hot and cold months?

And don't bring up RBIs. Ibanez will likely bat 6th in the lineup. I find it hard for him to be able to drive in more than 85 runs. In Seattle, Ibanez didn't have people stealing his RBI opportunities.

Except in June, Burrell has reached base at least 35% of the time.

Ibanez hits well with RISP and I don't want to knock Ibanez at all. I think he's developed into a nice cleanup hitter, but I don't know how he'll be out of that role when he needs to try to get on base more than 34-35% of the time for the back end of the order.

He's not exactly fleet of foot either.

I just prefer balance in the lineup. Opposing coaches should have an easy time of setting up their rotation and bullpen to our lineup. Also, is Jayson Werth going to protect Ryan Howard?

I mean I guess they'll flip flop them depending on the starter's arm, but they're going to kill themselves in late innings when teams can just bring in one reliever for Utley, Howard, and Ibanez.

We'll see though.

We can go 0-162 next year for all I care. We won a WS.

[kevin]

ibanez is gettin almost twice pat for one more year. hes also 4 years older. is it too early to boo amaro?

[Gaze]

"Walks are as good as singles" is not a very strong argument. Considering how well our 1-3 hitters get on base, and considering how strike out prone our #4 hitter is, I don't want a #5 hitter who looks for a walk. You can toss around SLG and OBP numbers all you want, but my eyes tell me a different story. Burrell was never any good at moving runners ahead of him along the base paths.

I said for 2 years now that what this team really needed was someone who would hit for average at the back end of the lineup to take advantage of the walks that Howard draws, the HBP that Utley draws, and the stolen bases that Victorino/Rollins/Werth are here for. I think the addition of a consistent "hit for average" guy in the 5/6 hole will open up our offense.

[agam22]

walks aren't as good as singles when you're in the middle of the line up and have men in scoring position with pete happy behind you

[Loqiel]

Pat was horrendous in the field. His offensive stats plot out to a steep, steep drop very soon. I love Pat but he's not worth what he was asking, and we can't DH him if we signed him at a discount, so we basically had no choice but to let him go.

Sox fans ripped them when they won it all in 2004 and then let people go in free agency because they no longer fit their plans. That turned out alright for them in 2007, didn't it?

I want Rocco Baldelli as an extra outfielder dammit.

[themajor]

I am happy for pat. its sad not see him in the phils jersey but now he can go to town on the red sox and yanks.

[Tommy]

I will miss you Pat, but I'm happy you are on a team close to your home. A place you will feel comfortable. I'm sad that the Phillies aren't bringing you back. I wish you all the best, and hopefully I can make to a game when you play in Baltimore. I'll wear all my Phillies gear and hold up some huge sign showing my love and appreciation. I'll miss you man, and Thank You for helping this team bring this city a championship.

[David F.]

What really cracks me up is all this goodwill towards Pat when two years ago the guy was one of the most universally despised athletes in Philly. I know he helped bring us a WS, but I guess I just find all this "Pat we looove you" nonsense hilarious.

A perfect summation of PTB's time in Philly? He hit .333 with a homer and 3 RBIs in the NLCS, but in the World Series he hit a dazzling .071 with just 1 RBI. Not a guy to be counted on, for sure.

[Drew]

I hope to be making the trek down to the Baltimore game on Friday, April 10th against Tampa Bay to give Pat the Bat one final farewell. It would be great to have a fair amount of Phillies fans there to cheer him on.

[Mark D]

The Rays, filling their need for a power hitter, are close to signing free-agent Pat Burrell to a two-year, $16 million contract, according to major-league sources.

I found 2 things wrong with that quote...

[Ben]

@ GreggyD and catchers delight:
Yea i meant Paulino. All i could remeber from that deal was jaramilo.

[Justin Evans]

What's wrong with that quote Mark?

Burrell is a power hitter and they lacked a right-handed one outside of Longoria, but Longoria is more of a complete hitter.

Burrell batted behind Werth...the same guy you expect to knock in Howard or Utley if Howard doesn't knock him in.

I agree they need someone to hit for average at the bottom of the lineup, but what does it matter if Pat hit a bunch of singles instead of walks? His average would be higher and Ryan Howard still wouldn't score.

Do you really expect Ryan Howard to see pitches if Werth is protecting him against righties? I'd assume Ibanez would move to the 5 slot, but unless the 3-4-5 produce everytime against the righty starter, that could really hurt them in late innings.

[stevefredericks]

walks may not be as good as singles, but walks are more reliable than singles and less apt to luck.

OBP is more important than batting average, and burrell smokes ibanez in BA. he hits for more power and gets on base a lot more.

remember, ibanez' average will probably dip since CBP is a smaller park than safeco, thus allowing for fewer balls to drop in front of outfielders. they can play shallower in philly.

walks are pretty much as good as singles, considering burrell hits behind howard, who cant go first to third to save his life. and what burrell 'lacks' with singles compared to ibanez, he makes up with power and SLG.

there is no question that the phillies paid twice as much for a poorer player. nice job, ruben.

[stevefredericks]

and loqiel, that 2004-sox-logic would make sense, except for the fact in 2007, the red sox werent paying a 40 year old left fielder more money than adam eaton

[Gaze]

@stevefredericks

I'll give it to you... walks are as good as singles when Ryan Howard is on first and there are no other runners on base with Pat Burrell at the plate. In the long run, however, having a #5 hitter who is all too willing to leave the bat on his shoulder does not help the team in the same way a guy who can hit for average does. What Burrell brings to the table in power and SLG does not create a balanced team.

Even if Ibanez drops off a bit this year, what he brings to the table is a better fit for the Phillies then what Pat Burrell was going to do in 2009.