Outfielder/DH Pat Burrell has been released by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Burrell, 33, signed with the Rays in the offseason to a 2 year $16 million contract, after their run at their first World Series Championship.
The Rays thought they were for real in 2009, with key additions such as “Pat the Bat.”
But the Rays finished 3rd in their tough AL East division, and Burrell was not that productive, hitting only .221 with 14 home runs in 122 games, and was injured for a while in the disappointing season.
After a .201 average later this season, Burrell had been designated for assignment, cleared waivers, and now is a free agent.
He can now sign with any team, for a minimum of around $300,000.
That’s pretty cheap for a guy that hit 33 home-runs in 2008. In case you did not notice, Burrell has been struggling with the Rays (an American League team).
We have seen players be dominant in one league, then acquired by a team in a different league and struggle.
We have seen it with Jaiver Vasquez, Melky Cabrera, Chan-Ho Park, and now Pat Burrell.
Pat Burrell will probably sign with a team—a National League team—to help them during a playoff push in August and September.
There seem to be two possible destinations: the San Diego Padres or the San Francisco Giants.
San Diego is currently in 1st place in the National League West, and could use a bat off the bench. But they need to find him room on the roster.
San Francisco seems to be a stronger possibility: not only do they need help on offense, they need help as a team whole, at 22-20. That is not a good enough record as of right now to be in 1st place.
Burrell would be a pinch hitter or even start sometimes, kind of like the situation with Jason Giambi in Colorado.
Who knows where Pat will go, but it seemed like a bad deal for the Rays.
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