Pat Burrell happy to get title ring he can wear

Friday's banner-raising was for the fans. Saturday was for the players, when they got their championship rings. They have gotten so elaborate over the years that players rarely haul them on their fingers.

Then again, some of the players are big, too.

"I'll wear it," left fielder Pat Burrell said. "I'm proud of it."

Burrell already has a ring, which he won with the Phillies when they beat Tampa Bay in the 2008 Series. He wanted to wear it the next year. Problem was, he signed with the Rays. His new teammates might not have appreciated the daily recap of the prior October on Burrell's hand.
Burrell keeps the ring at his house in Arizona. Likewise, Aaron Rowand's ring from the 2005 White Sox sits in a safe somewhere.

"I'll pull it out for special occasions," Rowand said. "I don't wear it all the time because I'm afraid to lose it."

The weight of the bauble does not concern Rowand, who said, "It would be the biggest ring ever made and it wouldn't be too big, because it's a World Series ring."

Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson will participate in tonight's ceremony, bringing past Giants World Series rings from the Hall's collection.



(sfgate.com)