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With Burrell, Rays Did What They Set Out To

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 5, 2009

In signing Pat Burrell, the Rays have acquired just about the best available right-handed bat, which is what we all said they needed.

"Pat The Bat" slips right into the middle of the lineup on a 2-year, $16 million deal – a good contract by today's standards, one that doesn't tie the Rays' hands long-term. He had 33 home runs last year for the Phillies, and hasn't had less than 29 in the last four years. He is durable and remarkably consistent.

He does strike out a lot but also has a lifetime on base percentage of .367. He walked more than 100 times in each of the last two seasons.

What's not to like?

Burrell adds pop from the right side and he won't be in the field much.

Adjusting to basically being a full-time DH may take some doing. It has proven to be an adjustment for other players in Burrell's situation.

Assuming he can handle it though, Burrell's signing addresses one of the big off-season questions most everyone had about the Rays. There was a shortage of right-handed power in their lineup, which still didn't stop them from winning 97 games and the American League pennant but it was a problem in the World Series.

Burrell now will fit nicely into a middle of the order with Longoria, B.J. Upton and Carlos Pena. Throw Carl Crawford in there and drop Dioner Navarro at the bottom of that run and you've got a pretty frisky lineup. On paper, it is better than last year.

Games aren't won on paper, of course - the Yankees are proof of that. The Rays do have some questions about the back end of the bullpen. Joe Nelson, signed last week, certainly gives the Rays another reliable arm out there but there's a lot hanging on whether Troy Percival's health will permit him to handle a major load.

I kind of like the quirky look of the bullpen actually.

Nelson has had some health issues but he is a solid changeup pitcher and that's not bad in the American League. Throw in the off-center looks from Chad Bradford and you have a bullpen that can keep people off balance. But we also don't know about Percival, and Grant Balfour started fraying a bit toward the end of the season.

Basically, though, the Rays have done what they needed to.

Heading into spring training, that's all you can ask.

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