Pending the results of a physical exam, free agent OF Pat Burrell has signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Tampa Rays. As one observer points out, Burrell’s shortcomings in left will be forgotten when he’s replaced Cliff Floyd as Tampa’s designated hitter, while DRays Bay‘s R.J. Anderson warns of a potential “quick collapse in skills”. Either way, Burrell will no longer torture New York Mets pitching , and for no other reason I applaud the signing.
The above patch will reportedly be a fixture on Mets home uniforms next season, and MetsBlog’s Matthew Cerrone, veering dangerously close to Paul Lukas territory calls it “one of the most basic, uninspiring designs I have seen in quite some time.” Coming from someone undoubtedly familiar with Chris Cotter’s haircut, that’s pretty harsh.
Mets fans arent 100% off the hook as PtB will be coming to Citi Field with the Rays for a 3 game series in 2009…. It was obvious by the end of the regular season that Burrells tenure as a Phillie was coming to a close and in the end, he really landed on his feet in getting his ring (and being the parade Grand Marshall) and now going to a legit contender. To Rays fans (and opponents), if my suspicions about Burrells bat speed being in decline are wrong and he adapts to the DH role, than this is what you can reasonably expect: For about a 6-8 week period he will go absolutely apeshit and put up AL Player Of The Month #s, for another 6-8 week period he will completely disappear , the rest of the season he will go along at a .230/.350 clip, and in the end it will add up to around .260/.375/.500. Even if he is declining, he will still add power to the lineup and certainly will stretch it out with his ability to draw BBs. Rays
fans should be pleased with Burrells acquistion.