Stand Pat? Gillick needs to talk to Burrell

Jun/17/08 05:33 PM Filed in: Pat Burrell
PatBurrell
It was another night at the office for Phillies’ left fielder Pat Burrell. A 2 for 2 effort with a pair of walks, reaching base all four times and raising his on-base percentage to .433, 4th best in the National League. Alright, maybe that 12th career triple was somewhat out of the ordinary, but the message has been sent. Pat Burrell needs to be re-signed, and it needs to be done as soon as possible.

When people talk about having three consecutive MVPs in Philadelphia, the talk usually heads towards second baseman Chase Utley. But we cannot forget the season that Burrell has had. To date, Burrell is hitting .289 with 18 homeruns and 47 RBI. His 1.047 OPS is good enough for 4th best in the National League, best amongst outfielders. With Alfonso Soriano injured, Burrell could even get his shot at his first All-Star appearance next month. He deserves it.

After the 2002 season, Burrell was given a 6-year contract worth $50 million. It didn’t help his case that 2003 was his worst season in the Majors. But what Burrell has brought to the Phillies day in and day out is a work ethic and a passion to play in Philadelphia. He has stated numerous times in interviews that Citizens Bank Park is the place to be in the summertime. He loves the big crowds, the support from the fans, and the city itself. Ever since that fateful 2003 season, Burrell has been a model of consistency. Now, in the final year of his contract, Burrell has eclipsed his numbers from the past few seasons. His slugging percentage is at .614, up from the numbers (.504, .502, .502) he has posted in his past three seasons. His OPS+ is at 167, after a season in which it was 127. And, possibly most importantly, Charlie Manuel is pulling him out of games for defensive purposes less often. He could easily get 60-70 more at bats than he did last season.

There is a slight problem here, however. Phillies general manager Pat Gillick has stated numerous times in the past months that 2008 is his final season in baseball. Therefore, the future is uncertain, and Gillick rarely negotiates contracts in-season. The Phillies will have two big decisions in the off-season regarding contracts with Burrell and closer Brad Lidge being free agents. Not to mention another possible arbitration situation with Ryan Howard and the prospects of having to pay Cole Hamels. This could get very expensive for the Phillies. But winning franchises find ways to pay their players, and the Phillies need to lock up their talent that they own. They don’t have a better opportunity to do just that than they do with Burrell. A first round pick in 1998, Burrell has lived up to his expectations even though there have been times where we’ve wanted to give up on him.

It may not be easy. As far as we know, there haven’t been any discussions between Burrell and Phillies management. He makes $14 million this season, and strangely, seems to be hitting his prime at age 31. It would appear Burrell has at least two above-average seasons left in him, maybe three. The Phillies should offer a three-year contract to Burrell as soon as possible. Frontload it, and give him the same salary he’s making this year in 2009. Make him comfortable to be a Phillie. After all, they owe it to him. He’s paid his dues, lost fans, regained them, and propelled himself into a stratosphere worthy of another contract. So whether it be Pat Gillick, Ruben Amaro, Jr., or an outsider, the deed must be done. The Phillies need Pat Burrell, and Pat Burrell needs the Phillies.

(mvn.com)