By Michael Rushton
Phanatic Magazine
Something happened to Pat Burrell over the All-Star break: he learned how to hit again.
The Phillies again starting left fielder is in the midst of a 10-game hitting streak that has lifted his average from .202 to .239, and has five multi-hit games during the run, including a 3-for-3 day against the Cardinals on July14.
Burrell has also homered three times during his run in addition to driving in11 runs. More importantly, perhaps for potential suitors, the former first overall pick has played in all seven games since the All-Star game, with all seven games coming on consecutive days.
"Whenever you're hitting the ball good, they drop in," Burrell told the Phillies official Web site after a win over the Cardinals on July 14. "That's huge for me, and that's what I'm here for, to drive in runs."
This interesting turn of events can be looked at two ways.
One is that Burrell is coming out of his slump and could be returning to the form that earned him his huge deal that has since made him impossible to deal. A potent Burrell would make a dangerous lineup featuring Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Aaron Rowand even more deadly.
Or perhaps, this hot streak could finally make Burrell seem interesting to other teams.
Long time Burrell fans and even some in the front office would love to hang on to the Miami-Florida product to show that grabbing him first overall in the1998 draft was no mistake, nor was giving him a huge deal after his breakout 2002 season.
But in reality, it is time to cut the cord with Pat the Bat, and this recent, and hopefully continuing burst, may just make that possible.
If you believe everything you read, you would know that the Phillies couldn't give Burrell away last offseason. However, throw out his name with an attached batting average of .485 over his last 10 games, and he becomes more attractive.
Sadly, most general managers aren't as dumb as their fans think, meaning most will know that this performance could just be a flash in the pan. Burrell won't net any immediate help, but could land a solid prospect or two from a team that needs a solid bat to get them over the hump.
It never hurts to build for the future, even if the Phils think they are still in it.
After all, the club has played a good portion of this season without Burrell in the lineup, so would he really be missed that much? There is little doubt that trading the left fielder will mess with the team chemistry.
It's time to cut ties with Burrell, and he might just be hot enough now to do that.
Michael Rushton can be reached at mrushton@phanaticmag.com
2 comments:
Three words: No...Trade...Clause...
So you think the Phils can trade Burrell yet you don't mention any teams that would want him. Does that tell you something?
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