Struggling Burrell Gets Another Night Off

Long before the fans filed into Citizens Bank Park just as the Phillies were strolling onto the infield grass to begin the pre-batting practice calisthenics, a video edited into a loop to play and re-play over and over again greeted the club from the Phan-a-vision hulking over the field.

And each time the video played, the laughs got harder and louder. Heck, even the guy shown in the replay enjoyed the silliness of watching himself dive in vain for a sinking line drive in left field only to have his glove fall off. Rather than pick up the glove, the outfielder dived from a crouching position like a cheetah on top of the ball as it trickled away. Finally, he calmly rose to his feet after all that hurried motion and chucked the ball back to the infield.

Needless to say, when the play was seen dozens of times over and over again, hilarity ensued.

According to manager Charlie Manuel, that kind of relaxed and fun-time attitude is exactly what Pat Burrell needs right now. At least that’s what he said in explaining why he gave the left fielder the night off on Monday as the team descends deeper into the throes of the pennant race.

“I’m trying to get him going,” Manuel said. “I just want him to sit down and relax. Take it easy – get away from things.”

Lately it appears as if Burrell has had difficulty getting out of his own way. During the 10-game road trip that wrapped up on Sunday night at Shea Stadium, Burrell went 5-for-33with no extra-base hits, just two RBIs, and 12 strikeouts. He hasn’t gotten a hit since Sept. 3 and hasn’t homered since slugging his 30th of the season on Aug. 23.

Obviously, things aren’t going well for Burrell.

Manuel says Burrell is off-balance and “too early” with his swing.

“It’s a timing, rhythm and a feel,” Manuel said about hitting. “[Burrell] needs to get it back.”

Arguably one of the team’s offensive MVP’s during the first half of the season – a start in which Burrell nearly received his first All-Star appearance – the outfielder’s fortunes began to flip in early August. He went six games without a hit from Aug. 6 to 11, snapped out of the funk briefly, but then dived back in with a jag in which he did not get a hit in 14 straight at-bats. Mixed in there was an 0-for-7 performance against the Mets where Burrell whiffed four times.

Burrell is scuffling through a similar patch now, having gone hitless in six straight at-bats with three strikeouts. So after an August in which he hit .181, Manuel decided to sit Burrell down for the third time in the last seven games.

Clearly Burrell wants to finish the 2008 season the way he started it. In April the nine-year vet reached base in 30 straight games and broke the club’s all-time record for RBIs in the month with 24.

But during the second half Burrell has taken his name out of contention for the team’s offensive MVP with a .212 batting average, seven homers and a strikeout rate that grows by the game. Always prone to a higher-than-average whiff rate, Burrell struck out in 20 percent of his plate appearances during the first half. During the second half that figure rose to 24 percent.

“He tries too hard,” Manuel said. “Sometimes when he sits down he comes back better.”

(philadelphia.comcastsportsnet.com)