Sep/09/08 01:15 AM Filed in:
Pat Burrell
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)