Burrell starting to get hot just as All-Star break arrives

ST. PETERSBURG — Manager Joe Maddon has said that when DH Pat Burrell gets hot at the plate, he can stay that way for long stretches.

"That's his M.O.," Maddon said.

Burrell, 32, admits he has been feeling better the past couple of weeks and hopes that the better results from the recent home-stand — when he hit .304 with a homer, five doubles and five RBIs — are signs of things to come in the season's second half.

Burrell had two doubles Sunday, one of which knocked in two runs, giving him two games with multiple extra-base hits in the past three days after not having one since April 13.

"I had a year like this before where right at the break I started feeling pretty good and then, of course, we went to break," Burrell said.

"I feel good. Obviously there's lot of ground to make up here. But from two weeks ago, I've felt a lot better, and hopefully over the break you can somehow find a way to keep that feeling and have a good second half."

Burrell, the Rays' biggest offseason acquisition with a two-year, $16 million free agent deal, has struggled to find his way in the first half while having to adjust to a new position (DH) and a new league, and dealing with a neck strain that forced him to miss 29 games. He's hitting .232 with four homers and 28 RBIs.

Maddon has pointed to Burrell's track record — he averaged 31 homers and 99 RBIs the previous four seasons with the Phillies — and work ethic as reasons to believe the best is yet to come.

"Pat's looking better; much better at-bats," Maddon said. "I really believe he's on task, he's on track right now, and he's going to have a very good second half."



(tampabay.com)