Bounce-back season for Burrell is needed

MURDOCK - Andrew Friedman has had a good track record with more hits than misses during his first four years.

The Tampa Bay Rays vice president of baseball operations was not going to stand pat after losing the World Series to Philadelphia in 2008.

Looking for another bat to provide pop in the lineup, Friedman scoured the free agent market.

He landed his No. 1 choice.

Looking for a right-handed hitter to complement the predominantly left-handed Tampa Bay lineup, Friedman landed the Phillies' Pat Burrell, who signed a two-year, $16 million contract.

All Burrell had to do was come close to replicating what he had done during his previous nine years in Philadelphia, averaging 28 home runs, 92 runs batted in and a .257 batting average.

He did not come close.

Burrell hit .221 with 14 home runs and 64 RBI.

"Not a lot of good," he said. "I know that."

There were a number of factors that contributed.

Burrell switched leagues, playing in the American League for the first time.

"It was an adjustment," he said. "But when you get in that batter's box, you have a job to do. Some of the down time in between is an adjustment, but that wasn't as big an issue."

"The first time through the American League was a problem," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "He spent all that time in the National League knowing that pitching and the ballparks."

There was the shift from playing every day in left field to serving as the designated hitter.

"When you're used to being out there and you're not, you need to find things to do to keep you in that playing mode," Burrell said. "I'm going to have changes with the in-season stuff. You can't replace playing."

And there was the neck strain that forced him to miss a month from May 11 to June 11.

"The problem was I didn't address it quick enough," Burrell said of the slight herniations in his C5-6. "By the time we found out what was going on, I let it go too far. That's obviously a mistake on my part."

Burrell did not make excuses, just stated the facts.

"I was doing things wrong," he said. "I couldn't get hot. It's frustrating with everything going on with the team and being new here with a new role. It was a frustrating year all the way around."

With the extended offseason from not making the playoffs to not having to report to spring training early for the World Baseball Classic, Burrell had plenty of time to reflect and get in shape.

"Coming into camp, he's more familiar with us, the American League, the East, the pitching he's going to face," Maddon said. "He's going to be a lot more comfortable, and I expect a lot more out of his this year."

When Burrell reported to camp, he had repositioned his 235 pounds to make him stronger after a stint at Athletes' Performance Institute in Arizona.

"I worked out with Pat all offseason, and he's had more fire than I've ever seen," Rays third baseman Evan Longoria said.

Burrell also put 2008 in the rearview mirror.

"You have to," he said. "Yeah, you want to put it behind you, but you want to build from it. I've had bad seasons before. It is extra motivation for you to give it that much more focus and determination to turn things around."

He has more reasons for the extra motivation.

In the final year of his contract, Burrell knows if he is going to continue his playing career in the majors, it is going to take a bounce-back season. He sees players of his caliber who are without contracts heading into this season.

"Of course, that's the whole deal," said Burrell, batting .158 this spring with one homer and four RBI. "You want to do everything you can to put yourself in the best position. I'm looking forward to that challenge."

Maddon has used Burrell in left and right field this spring, but does not plan to use him in the outfield during the regular season.
All Maddon wants is for Burrell's bat to come around.

That would be another hit for Friedman.



(heraldtribune.com)