Pat Burrell
Encyclopedia
Patrick Brian "Pat" Burrell (born October 10, 1976, in Eureka Springs
, Arkansas
), nicknamed "Pat the Bat," is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
who is currently a free agent
. He stands 6 in 4 in (1.93 m) tall and weighs 235 pounds (106.6 kg). He bats and throws right-handed. Previously, he played for the Philadelphia Phillies
, the Tampa Bay Rays
, and the San Francisco Giants
.
Burrell attended the University of Miami
, where he won the Golden Spikes Award
in 1998. In 1998, he was the first overall draft pick by the Phillies. After two years in the minors, Burrell was called up by the Phillies in 2000, and he finished fourth in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year Award. After hitting 27 home runs in 2001 (the first of eight straight years in which he would hit at least 20), he hit a career-high 37 home runs in 2002 and finished 14th in NL Most Valuable Player Award voting. In 2003, he signed a six-year contract with the Phillies but batted a career-low .209 with 21 home runs. In 2004, he batted .257 with 24 home runs but missed several games with a wrist injury. He hit 32 home runs in 2005 and finished seventh in NL MVP Award voting after he set a career high with 117 RBI. In 2006, he batted .258 with 29 home runs and 95 RBI but was benched for a few games due to a slump after April. He batted .256 with 30 home runs in 2007 as the Phillies reached the playoffs for the first time in his career. Burrell hit a home run in the playoffs as the Phillies were swept in the first round. In 2008, he hit 33 home runs as the Phillies reached the playoffs again, winning the World Series
.
After the 2008 season, Burrell became a free agent. He signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays to be their designated hitter
, and he batted .221 with 14 home runs in 2009. After he batted .202 with two home runs in his first 24 games of the 2010 season, he was designated for assignment
by the Rays. He became a free agent and signed with the San Francisco Giants several days later. He took over as the Giants' left fielder and hit 18 home runs in 96 games for the Giants as they made the playoffs. Burrell did not have a hit in the World Series
, but he got his second World Series ring as the Giants won it. Following the year, he signed a one-year deal to return to the Giants in 2011. He lost his left field job in 2011, and he batted .230 with a career-low 7 home runs in 92 games in addition to suffering a potentially career-ending foot injury.
, as a freshman. After his freshman year, he transferred to Bellarmine College Preparatory
in San Jose
, where he played baseball and football. In the football program, playing quarterback
, Burrell competed against Tom Brady
, who played for rival Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, California
. He decided to concentrate on baseball in his senior year, however, and he was named the California Coaches Association Player of the Year after he batted
.369 with 11 home runs.
in the 43rd round of the 1995 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft
. Instead of signing, he chose to attend the University of Miami
, where he played third base
and was a teammate of Aubrey Huff
. As a freshman, he was selected as a First-Team All-America
n by Baseball America
and the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper
. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player
of the 1996 College World Series
, joining Dave Winfield
and Phil Nevin
as the only players to win the award without winning the series. In his sophomore year, he was again named a First-Team All-American by Baseball America and the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper but also by the Sporting News this year. He was named Baseball America's Summer Player of the year in 1997. In 1998, as a junior, he won the Golden Spikes Award
as the best player in college baseball. That year, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies
with the first overall pick in the 1998 MLB Draft
. Burrell finished his college career with 61 home runs, 187 runs batted in (RBI), and 170 walks
in 162 games
. His .442 batting average was seventh all-time by an NCAA
player, and his slugging percentage of .888 was second only to Pete Incaviglia
. In February 2008, Burrell was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.
, and he was moved to first base because Scott Rolen
, Philadelphia's third baseman
in the major leagues, had just won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award. With Clearwater in 1998, Burrell batted .303 with 7 home runs and 30 RBI in 37 games.
Entering the 1999 season, Burrell was named the top prospect
in the Phillies' organization by Baseball America, and they also named him baseball's 19th best prospect. He spent most of the season with the double-A Reading Phillies
of the Eastern League, batting .333 with 28 home runs and 90 RBI in 117 games. He was named to the Eastern League's post-season All-Star team and won the Eastern League Rookie of the Year Award. He also played 10 games with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
of the triple-A International League
, batting .152 with 1 home run and 4 RBI. In addition to playing first base, he was used as an outfielder
with both teams.
Burrell was named the Phillies' top prospect and the second-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America in 2000. He began the season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Playing first base and the outfield, he batted .294 with 4 home runs and 25 RBI in 40 games.
. The next day, he replaced Kevin Jordan
(who had been filling in for injured Opening Day
first baseman Rico Brogna
) as the Phillies' first baseman. Making his major league debut that day, he had two hits
(his first coming against Octavio Dotel
) and two RBI in a 9–7 victory over the Houston Astros
. The next day, he hit his first career home run in a 10–6 loss to Houston. On June 20, with the Phillies trailing 2–1 against the New York Mets
, he tied the game at two with a home run against Mets' closer
Armando Benítez
in an eventual 3–2 victory for the Phillies. The next day, Burrell had five RBI, two home runs, and his first career grand slam
in a 10–5 victory for Philadelphia. On July 2, he had four hits and two RBI in a 9–1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates
. He remained the Phillies' first baseman when Brogna returned in July. He had five RBI, two home runs, and a grand slam on August 8 in a 10–4 victory over the San Diego Padres
. The next day, newly acquired outfielder Travis Lee
was moved to first base, and Burrell was moved to left field for the rest of the year. On September 21, he had a game-winning walkoff single
against Rick White in a 6–5 victory against the Mets. He finished the season with 18 home runs, 79 RBI, and a .260 batting average in 111 games, and he was fourth-place in voting for the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
in the ninth inning as the Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs
6–3 on April 17. From May 19 to June 2, he had a career-high 14-game hitting streak
. During the streak, on May 28, he hit a game-winning two-run home run against Benítez in the tenth inning of a 5–3 victory over the Mets. He hit a home run and had four RBI the next day in a 7–3 victory over the Mets. He hit a game-winning three-run home run on July 4 in a 4–1 victory over the Atlanta Braves
. On July 20, he had a home run and five RBI (including the game-winner) in a 10–1 victory over the Mets. He hit home runs in three straight games from July 31 to August 2. On August 10, he hit his third career grand slam in a 10–5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers
. He had a home run and three RBI in the final game of the season in a 4–1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds
. Burrell finished the season with 27 home runs, 70 RBI, and a .258 batting average in 155 games. His 18 assists
led NL outfielders and tied with Raúl Mondesí
for most in the major leagues. However, his 162 strikeouts were the ninth-highest total in Phillies' history.
Burrell hit a leadoff walkoff home run on April 7, 2002, in the 11th inning of a 3–2 victory over the Florida Marlins
. Three days later, on April 10, Burrell hit a two-run walkoff home run in the 11th inning to give the Phillies a 7–5 victory over the Braves. He was the first player in the major leagues to hit two such home runs in a four-day period since Albert Belle
did it in 1995, and he was the first Phillie to hit two such in a season since Von Hayes
hit two in 1989. In May, he hit eight home runs, the most by a Phillie in May since teammate Mike Lieberthal
hit eight in 1999. From June 2 through June 16, he had an 11-game hitting streak, his longest of the season. During the streak, on June 2, he tied a career-high with five RBI in an 18–3 victory over the Montreal Expos
. Burrell had 22 home runs by the All-Star Break, the most by a Phillie since Mike Schmidt
had 31 by the 1979 All-Star break. On July 15, he hit a game-winning three-run home run against Herges in an 11–8 victory over Montreal. He had two home runs, five RBI, and a grand slam in a 7–6 loss to the Dodgers on August 9. On August 30, Burrell had three RBI (including the game-winner) in a 7–5 victory over the Mets. He got his 100th RBI that day, becoming the first Phillie with 100 RBI by August 31 since Greg Luzinski did it in 1977. Burrell finished the season with career highs in almost every offensive category, including runs (96), batting average (.286), and games (157). Also, he was the 12th Phillie with 30 home runs and 100 RBI in a season. His 37 home runs were seventh in the NL, and his 116 RBI were third, behind only Lance Berkman
(128) and Albert Pujols
(127). He was 14th in NL Most Valuable Player Award voting.
, making Burrell the sixth player to hit two home runs in a game against Maddux (and the first since Rolen did it in 2001). On May 20, he hit two home runs and had four RBI in an 11–7 victory over the Mets. On August 9, Burrell hit a game-tying solo home run and a game-winning two-run home run in the 8th and 10th innings of an 8–6 victory over the San Francisco Giants
. He hit two home runs (including his 100th) on August 22 in a 9–4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals
. On September 28, he had the final hit in Veterans Stadium
(a single against Jason Marquis
) in a 5–2 loss to Atlanta. Burrell endured a season-long slump
, and he was occasionally benched for a few games (often in favor of Ricky Ledée
) by Phillies' manager Larry Bowa
. In 146 games, he batted .209 with 21 home runs and 64 RBI. However, his 21 home runs were still the second-highest total on the Phillies (teammate Jim Thome
led the NL with 47).
. On May 2, Burrell hit his first career pinch-hit home run: a two-run game-tying home run in the ninth inning against Matt Mantei
of the Arizona Diamondbacks
. The Phillies won the game 6–5 in extra innings. On May 14, Burrell had four RBI (including the game-winner) in a 6–4 victory over the Colorado Rockies
. He had four RBI again on May 18 (including two home runs) in an 8–7 victory over the Dodgers. On July 30, he hit two home runs in a 10–7 loss to the Cubs. On August 3, Burrell strained his left wrist during batting practice, and he was placed on the disabled list
for the first time in his career the next day. He was originally scheduled to have season-ending surgery on August 13, but after getting a second opinion from Dr. Tom Graham, he decided to postpone the surgery and attempt to come back before the season ended. On September 3, he was activated from the disabled list. In 127 games, Burrell batted .257 with 24 home runs and 84 RBI.
. He won another Player of the Week Award that day after he batted .500 with two home runs and eight RBI during the week, becoming the first Phillies' player to win the award twice in a season since Hayes won it twice in 1986. On June 5, his solo home run against Mike Koplove
was the game-winner in a 7–6 victory over Arizona. Four days later, on June 9, he hit two home runs and had four RBI in a 10–8 victory over the Texas Rangers
. On June 11, he hit a game-winning three-run home run in a 7–5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers
. He hit two home runs and had five RBI in a 13–7 victory over Florida on July 14. On July 30, he had four hits and two RBI in an 8–7 victory over Colorado. On August 9, he had four RBI, including a go-ahead three-run home run against Steve Schmoll
in an 8–4 victory over the Dodgers. His three-run home run against Jake Peavy
on August 12 provided all of the Phillies' runs in a 3–2 victory over San Diego. He had four RBI on September 9 in a 12–5 victory over the Marlins. Two days later, he had four RBI again (including a three-run home run against Ismael Valdez
) in an 11–1 victory over Florida.
Burrell finished the season batting .281 with 32 home runs in 154 games, and he set career highs in walks (99) and RBI (117). His 32 home runs led the Phillies, and his 117 RBI were second only to Andruw Jones
' 128 (Pujols also had 117). On defense, however, he tied for the lead among all major league left fielders in errors, with 7, and the lowest fielding percentage among them, at .972. Burrell finished seventh in voting for the NL MVP award, and he was the co-winner of the Mike Schmidt MVP Award (along with Chase Utley
).
began benching him occasionally (often in favor of David Dellucci
). On May 1, Burrell hit a game-winning solo home run in an 8–5 victory over Florida. On June 10, he hit a game-winning two-run home run in a 6–2 victory over the Washington Nationals
. He had four hits and four RBI in a 14–6 victory over the Giants on July 15. On August 22, his RBI double in the sixth inning was the game-winning RBI in a 6–3 victory over the Cubs. His first inning grand slam against Roger Clemens
on September 15 provided all of the Phillies' runs in a 4–3 victory over Houston. On September 20, his fielder's choice
was the game-winning RBI in a 6–2 victory over the Cubs. He hit two home runs, had four RBI, and set a career high with four runs scored on September 29 in a 14–2 victory over Florida. In 144 games, Burrell finished the season batting .258 with 29 home runs and 95 RBI.
, Jayson Werth
, or Michael Bourn
instead in left field. On May 11, Burrell hit two home runs and had five RBI in a 7–2 victory over the Cubs. Werth was injured at the end of June, however, and Burrell reclaimed his starting job by batting .435 in July, with six home runs and 22 RBI. From July 1 through the end of the season, he batted .300 with 22 home runs and 65 RBI, and he started the final 75 games of the season for the Phillies in left field. On July 14, he had four RBI in a 10–4 victory over St. Louis. Three days later, on July 17, Burrell hit his 200th career home run in a 15–3 victory over the Dodgers. He had a 14-game hitting streak from July 22 to August 5, tying his career high. On August 17, in an 11–8 victory over the Pirates, Burrell got his 1,000th career hit, a two-run home run. At the end of August, the Phillies faced the Mets, whom they trailed in the NL East by six games, for a four game series. In the first game of the series, on August 27, Burrell hit a game-winning two-run home run in a 9–2 victory. Two days later, in the third game of the series, he hit a solo home run and had a sacrifice fly
(the game-winning RBI) against Óliver Pérez
in a 3–2 victory. He hit two home runs in the fourth and final game of the series as the Phillies won 11–10 to sweep the Mets. On September 21, his two-run home run against Shawn Hill
provided the game-winning RBI in a 6–3 victory over Washington. Burrell finished the 2007 regular season batting .256 with 30 home runs, 97 RBI, and 114 walks (a career high) in 155 games. Burrell, Ryan Howard
, and Jimmy Rollins
became the second trio of Phillies with 30 or more home runs (and the first since 1929). On defense, he led major league outfielders in errors, with 10, and his .948 fielding percentage was the lowest among left fielders.
In 2007, the Phillies won the NL East and reached the playoffs for the first time since 1993 and the first time in Burrell's career. Burrell hit a home run in the first game of the NL Division Series
, but he had only one other hit in the series as the Phillies were swept by the Colorado Rockies
.
in a 5–3 victory over Cincinnati. On April 24, his two-run double against David Riske
provided the game-winning RBI in the Phillies' 3–1 victory over Milwaukee. With the double, Burrell got his 23rd and 24th RBI of the month, breaking Hayes's team record for most RBI in April (22). After batting .227 in May (with five home runs), Burrell batted .256 with six home runs in June. His walkoff two-run home run with two outs in the tenth inning gave the Phillies a 6–5 victory over San Francisco on May 2. On May 22, Burrell hit a game-winning pinch-hit home run in a 7–5 victory over Houston. On June 3, he hit a game-winning two-run home run in a 3–2 victory over Cincinnati. He followed up his performance in June by hitting .304 in July with seven home runs, but he slumped over the final two months, batting .191 with seven home runs. He hit a game-winning three-run home run on July 13 in a 6–3 victory over Arizona. On August 15, his home run helped the Phillies defeat the Padres 1–0. Two days later, he hit a game-winning home run in a 2–1 victory over the Padres. He had five RBI (including a game-winning three-run home run against Clayton Kershaw
) in a 9–2 victory over the Dodgers on August 23. Burrell finished the season batting .250 with 33 home runs (tied for ninth in the NL), 86 RBI, and 102 walks (third in the NL) in 157 games, and the Phillies won the NL East for the second straight year.
In Game 4 (the final game) of the NLDS
against the Brewers, Burrell hit two home runs (a three-run game-winning home run against Jeff Suppan
and a solo home run against Guillermo Mota
) in a 6–2 victory that gave the Phillies their first playoff series victory since 1993. Four days later, in the first game of the NL Championship Series
, he hit a game-winning solo home run in a 3–2 victory over the Dodgers. After going hitless in his first 14 at bats in the World Series
, Burrell doubled against J. P. Howell of the Tampa Bay Rays
on October 29 in Game 5 (the final game of the series). Burrell was then replaced by pinch-runner
Eric Bruntlett
, who scored the game's winning run in the 4–3 victory as the Phillies won their first World Series since 1980. After the series, Burrell was chosen to lead the Phillies' World Series parade.
Burrell filed for free agency on November 6. On December 16, the Phillies signed left fielder Raúl Ibañez
to a three-year contract, ending Burrell's tenure in Philadelphia. Burrell's 104 double plays grounded into were the seventh-most in Phillies history, and his 1,273 strikeouts were second only to Schmidt. However, Burrell was fifth in walks (785), eighth in RBI (827), and fourth in home runs (251) as a Phillie. His eight straight seasons with at least 20 home runs were topped only by Schmidt.
signed Burrell to a two-year, $16 million contract. They planned to use him as their designated hitter
. Burrell got a standing ovation when he returned to Philadelphia for an exhibition series on April 3 and 4. On April 9, Burrell flew to Philadelphia to join the Phillies as they received their World Series rings in a pregame ceremony. After the ceremony, he flew back to Boston for the Rays' game against the Boston Red Sox
. On May 17, Burrell was placed on the disabled list (retroactive to May 12) with a neck strain. He was activated from the DL on June 11. On June 24, he hit a game-winning two-run home run and had three RBI in a 7–1 victory over the Phillies. On July 7, he hit a walkoff two-run home run in the 11th inning of a 3–1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays
. On September 2, he had a game-winning RBI single in an 8–5 victory over Boston. He had four RBI against Jason Berken
(including a three-run home run) on September 15 in a 10–5 loss to Baltimore. Burrell slumped throughout the 2009 season, and he finished the year batting .221 in 122 games. He set or tied career-lows in hits (91), home runs (14), RBI (64), and walks (57).
Burrell hit a game-winning two-run home run in the 12th inning of a 3–1 victory over Boston on April 17. On April 27, he hit a game-winning three-run home run in an 8–6 victory over the Oakland Athletics
. In his first 24 games of the season, Burrell batted .202 with two home runs and 13 RBI. On May 15, he was designated for assignment
and replaced on the Rays' roster by Hank Blalock
. Four days later, he became a free agent after clearing waivers.
signed Burrell to a minor league contract and assigned him to the triple-A Fresno Grizzlies
of the Pacific Coast League
. After batting .313 with one home run and six RBI in five games, he was called up to the Giants on June 4 to replace John Bowker
, who was optioned to Fresno. The next day, he took over from Aubrey Huff
(who moved over to right field) as the Giants' left fielder. On July 31, with the Giants trailing 1–0 to the Dodgers in the eighth inning, Burrell hit a two-run home run to give the Giants a 2–1 victory. On August 6, he hit a game-winning sacrifice fly in the 11th inning of a 3–2 victory over Atlanta. Three days later, the Giants faced the Chicago Cubs for a four-game series. In the first game of the series, Burrell hit a walkoff sacrifice fly in the 11th inning of a 4–3 victory. In the third game, he had three RBI (including a game-winning home run in the eighth inning against Justin Berg
) in a 5–4 victory. In the finale, Burrell hit two home runs (including a grand slam) and had five RBI in an 8–7 victory. On August 17, Burrell returned to Philadelphia for his first regular season game there as a member of the opposing team, and he received a standing ovation. He hit a home run in his first at bat of the game, but the Giants lost 9–3. With the Giants in 2010, Burrell batted .266 with 289 at bats, 18 home runs, and 51 RBI in 96 games as the Giants won the NL West and advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Burrell's 2010 totals were 373 at bats (a career-low), 94 hits (a career-low), 20 home runs, and 64 RBI in 120 games.
In Game 2 of the NLDS
against Atlanta on October 8, Burrell hit a three-run home run in a 5–4 loss. On October 16, in Game 1 of the NLCS
against the Phillies, he had an RBI double against Roy Halladay
. Nate Schierholtz
then pinch-ran for him, and he scored the winning run in the Giants' 4–3 victory. In the World Series
, Burrell struck out nine times in 11 at bats, had no hits, and was benched for Game 4. However, the Giants won the World Series in five games, and Burrell received his second championship ring.
On November 1, Burrell filed for free agency. A month later, on December 3, he signed a one-year $1 million contract to return to the Giants in 2011. In his first 20 games of 2011, Burrell batted .270 with five home runs and eight RBI. On April 18, he hit a game-winning three-run home run in an 8–1 victory over Colorado. After batting .172 with one RBI over his next 12 games, he was replaced as the Giants' left fielder by Cody Ross
, who was replaced as the Giants' right fielder by Schierholtz. On May 4, Burrell had a game-winning RBI single in a 2–0 victory over the Mets. In the first game of a doubleheader
against the Cubs on June 28, Burrell had a home run and three RBI in a 13–7 victory. He had a game-winning RBI single on July 7 in a 2–1 victory over San Diego. On July 15, Burrell was placed on the disabled list with a potentially career-ending foot injury. He returned from the DL on August 31, but he was not able to start regularly upon returning. For the final game of the year (a 6–3 loss to Colorado on September 28), Burrell started in left field after asking Giants' manager Bruce Bochy
to put him in the lineup since it was potentially his final game. He finished the year batting .230 with career-lows in games (92), at bats (183), hits (42), home runs (seven), and RBI (21). On October 30, he filed for free agency.
, Burrell nonetheless enjoyed playing in New York, citing the atmosphere and memorable home runs against Mets pitchers, including two in back-to-back games against then-closer Benítez.
, Philadelphia, and Clearwater
. Burrell also owns an English Bulldog named Elvis.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Eureka Springs is a city in Carroll County, Arkansas, United States. Along with Berryville, it is one of the two county seats for the county. It is located in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 2,350...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
), nicknamed "Pat the Bat," is a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He stands 6 in 4 in (1.93 m) tall and weighs 235 pounds (106.6 kg). He bats and throws right-handed. Previously, he played for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, and the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
.
Burrell attended the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, where he won the Golden Spikes Award
Golden Spikes Award
The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
in 1998. In 1998, he was the first overall draft pick by the Phillies. After two years in the minors, Burrell was called up by the Phillies in 2000, and he finished fourth in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year Award. After hitting 27 home runs in 2001 (the first of eight straight years in which he would hit at least 20), he hit a career-high 37 home runs in 2002 and finished 14th in NL Most Valuable Player Award voting. In 2003, he signed a six-year contract with the Phillies but batted a career-low .209 with 21 home runs. In 2004, he batted .257 with 24 home runs but missed several games with a wrist injury. He hit 32 home runs in 2005 and finished seventh in NL MVP Award voting after he set a career high with 117 RBI. In 2006, he batted .258 with 29 home runs and 95 RBI but was benched for a few games due to a slump after April. He batted .256 with 30 home runs in 2007 as the Phillies reached the playoffs for the first time in his career. Burrell hit a home run in the playoffs as the Phillies were swept in the first round. In 2008, he hit 33 home runs as the Phillies reached the playoffs again, winning the World Series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
.
After the 2008 season, Burrell became a free agent. He signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays to be their designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
, and he batted .221 with 14 home runs in 2009. After he batted .202 with two home runs in his first 24 games of the 2010 season, he was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
by the Rays. He became a free agent and signed with the San Francisco Giants several days later. He took over as the Giants' left fielder and hit 18 home runs in 96 games for the Giants as they made the playoffs. Burrell did not have a hit in the World Series
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
, but he got his second World Series ring as the Giants won it. Following the year, he signed a one-year deal to return to the Giants in 2011. He lost his left field job in 2011, and he batted .230 with a career-low 7 home runs in 92 games in addition to suffering a potentially career-ending foot injury.
High school
Burrell attended San Lorenzo Valley High School in Felton, CaliforniaFelton, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Felton had a population of 4,057. The population density was 891.2 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Felton was 3,691 White, 25 African American, 29 Native American, 69 Asian, 11 Pacific Islander, 60 from other races, and 172 from...
, as a freshman. After his freshman year, he transferred to Bellarmine College Preparatory
Bellarmine College Preparatory
Bellarmine College Preparatory is an all-male, private secondary school located in San Jose, California, USA. Founded in 1851, it is the oldest secondary school in California....
in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, where he played baseball and football. In the football program, playing quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, Burrell competed against Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
, who played for rival Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
. He decided to concentrate on baseball in his senior year, however, and he was named the California Coaches Association Player of the Year after he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.369 with 11 home runs.
College
After graduating from high school in 1995, Burrell was drafted by the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in the 43rd round of the 1995 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft
1995 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1995 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign-Background:Outfielder Darin Erstad of the University of Nebraska was the first pick in the 1995 Rule 4 Draft. Erstad compiled a career .356 average in three seasons with the...
. Instead of signing, he chose to attend the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, where he played third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
and was a teammate of Aubrey Huff
Aubrey Huff
Aubrey Lewis Huff III is a Major League Baseball first baseman with the San Francisco Giants. He debuted in 2000 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and later played for the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and Detroit Tigers. He is the starting first baseman for the San Francisco Giants who won the...
. As a freshman, he was selected as a First-Team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
and the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper is a publication based in Arizona that considers itself the "voice of amateur baseball" It is most noted for handing out the following awards: Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year, Collegiate Baseball Coach of the Year, and Collegiate Baseball...
. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player
College World Series Most Outstanding Player
The College World Series Most Outstanding Player is an award for the best individual performance during the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. The recipient of the award is announced at the completion of the College World Series Championship Game...
of the 1996 College World Series
1996 College World Series
The 1996 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from May 31 to June 8. The fiftieth tournament's champion was Louisiana State University, coached by Skip Bertman...
, joining Dave Winfield
Dave Winfield
David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
and Phil Nevin
Phil Nevin
Phillip Joseph Nevin is a retired American professional baseball player who spent twelve seasons in Major League Baseball with the Houston Astros , Detroit Tigers , Anaheim Angels , San Diego Padres , Texas Rangers , Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins...
as the only players to win the award without winning the series. In his sophomore year, he was again named a First-Team All-American by Baseball America and the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper but also by the Sporting News this year. He was named Baseball America's Summer Player of the year in 1997. In 1998, as a junior, he won the Golden Spikes Award
Golden Spikes Award
The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
as the best player in college baseball. That year, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
with the first overall pick in the 1998 MLB Draft
1998 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998...
. Burrell finished his college career with 61 home runs, 187 runs batted in (RBI), and 170 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
in 162 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. His .442 batting average was seventh all-time by an NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
player, and his slugging percentage of .888 was second only to Pete Incaviglia
Pete Incaviglia
Peter "Inky" Joseph Incaviglia is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He was drafted in the 1st round by the Montreal Expos in the 1985 amateur draft out of Oklahoma State University, but was traded later the same year to the Texas Rangers...
. In February 2008, Burrell was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.
Minor leagues
On July 24, Burrell and the Phillies agreed to a five-year contract with a $3.15 million signing bonus. Upon signing, Burrell was assigned to the single-A advanced Clearwater Phillies of the Florida State LeagueFlorida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
, and he was moved to first base because Scott Rolen
Scott Rolen
Scott Bruce Rolen is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. He is an eight-time Gold Glove winner and seven-time All-Star.-Philadelphia Phillies:...
, Philadelphia's third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in the major leagues, had just won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award. With Clearwater in 1998, Burrell batted .303 with 7 home runs and 30 RBI in 37 games.
Entering the 1999 season, Burrell was named the top prospect
Prospect (sports)
In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team, or isn't established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams...
in the Phillies' organization by Baseball America, and they also named him baseball's 19th best prospect. He spent most of the season with the double-A Reading Phillies
Reading Phillies
The Reading Phillies are a minor league baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League. Since the 1967 season, they have been the AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies....
of the Eastern League, batting .333 with 28 home runs and 90 RBI in 117 games. He was named to the Eastern League's post-season All-Star team and won the Eastern League Rookie of the Year Award. He also played 10 games with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are a professional minor league baseball club located based in the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area. They currently play in the International League's Northern Division and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball club...
of the triple-A International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, batting .152 with 1 home run and 4 RBI. In addition to playing first base, he was used as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
with both teams.
Burrell was named the Phillies' top prospect and the second-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America in 2000. He began the season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Playing first base and the outfield, he batted .294 with 4 home runs and 25 RBI in 40 games.
2000
On May 23, 2000 Burrell was called up by the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. The next day, he replaced Kevin Jordan
Kevin Jordan (baseball)
Kevin Wayne Jordan , is a retired American Australian Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1995 to 2001...
(who had been filling in for injured Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
first baseman Rico Brogna
Rico Brogna
Rico Joseph Brogna is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves in his career starting in 1992, and from 1994 to 2001...
) as the Phillies' first baseman. Making his major league debut that day, he had two hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(his first coming against Octavio Dotel
Octavio Dotel
Octavio Eduardo Dotel is a Domincan professional baseball pitcher who is currently a Free Agent....
) and two RBI in a 9–7 victory over the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. The next day, he hit his first career home run in a 10–6 loss to Houston. On June 20, with the Phillies trailing 2–1 against the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, he tied the game at two with a home run against Mets' closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
Armando Benítez
Armando Benítez
Armando Germán Benítez is a relief pitcher who is currently a free agent.-Baltimore Orioles:...
in an eventual 3–2 victory for the Phillies. The next day, Burrell had five RBI, two home runs, and his first career grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
in a 10–5 victory for Philadelphia. On July 2, he had four hits and two RBI in a 9–1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. He remained the Phillies' first baseman when Brogna returned in July. He had five RBI, two home runs, and a grand slam on August 8 in a 10–4 victory over the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
. The next day, newly acquired outfielder Travis Lee
Travis Lee
Travis Lee is a former Major League Baseball first baseman.Lee graduated from Capital High School in Olympia, Washington in 1993, where he also played football. Being ambidextrous Lee played as a lefty in baseball and as a QB for the Capital High football team threw with his right...
was moved to first base, and Burrell was moved to left field for the rest of the year. On September 21, he had a game-winning walkoff single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
against Rick White in a 6–5 victory against the Mets. He finished the season with 18 home runs, 79 RBI, and a .260 batting average in 111 games, and he was fourth-place in voting for the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
2001
On April 14, 2001, Burrell hit a game-winning home run in the sixth inning of a 2–1 victory over the Atlanta Braves. He had a game-winning two-RBI doubleDouble (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in the ninth inning as the Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
6–3 on April 17. From May 19 to June 2, he had a career-high 14-game hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
. During the streak, on May 28, he hit a game-winning two-run home run against Benítez in the tenth inning of a 5–3 victory over the Mets. He hit a home run and had four RBI the next day in a 7–3 victory over the Mets. He hit a game-winning three-run home run on July 4 in a 4–1 victory over the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. On July 20, he had a home run and five RBI (including the game-winner) in a 10–1 victory over the Mets. He hit home runs in three straight games from July 31 to August 2. On August 10, he hit his third career grand slam in a 10–5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. He had a home run and three RBI in the final game of the season in a 4–1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. Burrell finished the season with 27 home runs, 70 RBI, and a .258 batting average in 155 games. His 18 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
led NL outfielders and tied with Raúl Mondesí
Raúl Mondesí
Raúl Ramón Mondesí Avelino is a former Major League Baseball player and the current mayor of San Cristóbal Province in the Dominican Republic. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1994 as a right fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers...
for most in the major leagues. However, his 162 strikeouts were the ninth-highest total in Phillies' history.
2002
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
. Three days later, on April 10, Burrell hit a two-run walkoff home run in the 11th inning to give the Phillies a 7–5 victory over the Braves. He was the first player in the major leagues to hit two such home runs in a four-day period since Albert Belle
Albert Belle
Albert Jojuan Belle is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Baltimore Orioles...
did it in 1995, and he was the first Phillie to hit two such in a season since Von Hayes
Von Hayes
Von Francis Hayes , was a Major League Baseball player from 1981 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, and California Angels...
hit two in 1989. In May, he hit eight home runs, the most by a Phillie in May since teammate Mike Lieberthal
Mike Lieberthal
Michael Scott "Mike" Lieberthal , nicknamed Lieby, is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He batted and threw right-handed....
hit eight in 1999. From June 2 through June 16, he had an 11-game hitting streak, his longest of the season. During the streak, on June 2, he tied a career-high with five RBI in an 18–3 victory over the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. Burrell had 22 home runs by the All-Star Break, the most by a Phillie since Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
had 31 by the 1979 All-Star break. On July 15, he hit a game-winning three-run home run against Herges in an 11–8 victory over Montreal. He had two home runs, five RBI, and a grand slam in a 7–6 loss to the Dodgers on August 9. On August 30, Burrell had three RBI (including the game-winner) in a 7–5 victory over the Mets. He got his 100th RBI that day, becoming the first Phillie with 100 RBI by August 31 since Greg Luzinski did it in 1977. Burrell finished the season with career highs in almost every offensive category, including runs (96), batting average (.286), and games (157). Also, he was the 12th Phillie with 30 home runs and 100 RBI in a season. His 37 home runs were seventh in the NL, and his 116 RBI were third, behind only Lance Berkman
Lance Berkman
William Lance Berkman is an American professional baseball outfielder and right fielder with the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball....
(128) and Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
(127). He was 14th in NL Most Valuable Player Award voting.
2003
On February 3, 2003, Burrell signed a six-year, $50-million dollar contract with the Phillies. He had two home runs and five RBI (including the game-winner) on April 9 in a 16–2 victory over the Braves. The home runs both came against Greg MadduxGreg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
, making Burrell the sixth player to hit two home runs in a game against Maddux (and the first since Rolen did it in 2001). On May 20, he hit two home runs and had four RBI in an 11–7 victory over the Mets. On August 9, Burrell hit a game-tying solo home run and a game-winning two-run home run in the 8th and 10th innings of an 8–6 victory over the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. He hit two home runs (including his 100th) on August 22 in a 9–4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. On September 28, he had the final hit in Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
(a single against Jason Marquis
Jason Marquis
Jason Scott Marquis is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously pitched for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks....
) in a 5–2 loss to Atlanta. Burrell endured a season-long slump
Slump (sports)
In sports, a slump is a period of time when player or team is not performing well or up to expectations. It is pretty much a dry spell or drought, though it is often misused to define a player's decline that is natural during their career....
, and he was occasionally benched for a few games (often in favor of Ricky Ledée
Ricky Ledée
Ricardo Alberto "Ricky" Ledée is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets in his decade long professional career. He won two World Series...
) by Phillies' manager Larry Bowa
Larry Bowa
Lawrence Robert Bowa is a former middle infielder, playing mainly as a shortstop, and manager in Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
. In 146 games, he batted .209 with 21 home runs and 64 RBI. However, his 21 home runs were still the second-highest total on the Phillies (teammate Jim Thome
Jim Thome
James Howard "Jim" Thome is a Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is the eighth player to hit 600 home runs in the major leagues. He is widely considered a future Hall of Famer.-Cleveland Indians :...
led the NL with 47).
2004
Burrell had four hits and three RBI on April 27, 2004, in a 7–3 victory over the Cardinals. He also made a leaping catch to take a home run away from Rolen, and he threw out Pujols trying to score from third base on a single by Edgar RenteríaEdgar Rentería
Edgar Enrique Rentería Herazo , nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby," is a Colombian professional baseball shortstop. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins, the St...
. On May 2, Burrell hit his first career pinch-hit home run: a two-run game-tying home run in the ninth inning against Matt Mantei
Matt Mantei
Matthew Bruce Mantei [MAN-tie] is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. In his career, Mantei played with the Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox. He batted and threw right-handed.-Career:...
of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. The Phillies won the game 6–5 in extra innings. On May 14, Burrell had four RBI (including the game-winner) in a 6–4 victory over the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. He had four RBI again on May 18 (including two home runs) in an 8–7 victory over the Dodgers. On July 30, he hit two home runs in a 10–7 loss to the Cubs. On August 3, Burrell strained his left wrist during batting practice, and he was placed on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
for the first time in his career the next day. He was originally scheduled to have season-ending surgery on August 13, but after getting a second opinion from Dr. Tom Graham, he decided to postpone the surgery and attempt to come back before the season ended. On September 3, he was activated from the disabled list. In 127 games, Burrell batted .257 with 24 home runs and 84 RBI.
2005
On April 9, 2005, Burrell had four hits and five RBI in a 10–4 victory over the Cardinals. He won the first NL Player of the Week Award of the 2005 season on April 10 after he had 15 RBI in the first week of the season. On May 12, he had four hits in a 7–5 loss to Cincinnati. He hit a three-run game-winning home run on May 22 in a 7–2 victory over the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. He won another Player of the Week Award that day after he batted .500 with two home runs and eight RBI during the week, becoming the first Phillies' player to win the award twice in a season since Hayes won it twice in 1986. On June 5, his solo home run against Mike Koplove
Mike Koplove
Michael Paul "Mike" Koplove is a sidearm relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres organization.Koplove throws with a different arm angle than most pitchers...
was the game-winner in a 7–6 victory over Arizona. Four days later, on June 9, he hit two home runs and had four RBI in a 10–8 victory over the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
. On June 11, he hit a game-winning three-run home run in a 7–5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He hit two home runs and had five RBI in a 13–7 victory over Florida on July 14. On July 30, he had four hits and two RBI in an 8–7 victory over Colorado. On August 9, he had four RBI, including a go-ahead three-run home run against Steve Schmoll
Steve Schmoll
Stephen John Schmoll is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He bats and throws right-handed....
in an 8–4 victory over the Dodgers. His three-run home run against Jake Peavy
Jake Peavy
Jacob Edward Peavy is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Chicago White Sox. He bats and throws right-handed...
on August 12 provided all of the Phillies' runs in a 3–2 victory over San Diego. He had four RBI on September 9 in a 12–5 victory over the Marlins. Two days later, he had four RBI again (including a three-run home run against Ismael Valdez
Ismael Valdez
Ismael Valdez Alvarez is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. His professional baseball career began at age 17 when he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league organization. After a three year climb through the Dodgers farm system, Valdez made his major league debut at the age of 20...
) in an 11–1 victory over Florida.
Burrell finished the season batting .281 with 32 home runs in 154 games, and he set career highs in walks (99) and RBI (117). His 32 home runs led the Phillies, and his 117 RBI were second only to Andruw Jones
Andruw Jones
Andruw Rudolf Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Jones made his debut during the 1996 season. In the 1996 World Series, Jones became the youngest player to ever homered in the postseason...
' 128 (Pujols also had 117). On defense, however, he tied for the lead among all major league left fielders in errors, with 7, and the lowest fielding percentage among them, at .972. Burrell finished seventh in voting for the NL MVP award, and he was the co-winner of the Mike Schmidt MVP Award (along with Chase Utley
Chase Utley
Chase Cameron Utley is a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. A native of the Greater Los Angeles area, he was raised in the city of Long Beach. He was a star baseball player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, before moving on to UCLA...
).
2006
In April of 2006, Burrell batted .300 with seven home runs. However, he batted .249 for the rest of the season, and in June Philles' manager Charlie ManuelCharlie Manuel
Charles Fuqua Manuel, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder and current Major League Baseball manager of the Philadelphia Phillies...
began benching him occasionally (often in favor of David Dellucci
David Dellucci
David Michael Dellucci is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder.-High School:Dellucci graduated from Catholic High in Baton Rouge in 1991. He earned the team's Most Valuable Player honors in both baseball and football, and All-State honors for baseball...
). On May 1, Burrell hit a game-winning solo home run in an 8–5 victory over Florida. On June 10, he hit a game-winning two-run home run in a 6–2 victory over the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. He had four hits and four RBI in a 14–6 victory over the Giants on July 15. On August 22, his RBI double in the sixth inning was the game-winning RBI in a 6–3 victory over the Cubs. His first inning grand slam against Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
on September 15 provided all of the Phillies' runs in a 4–3 victory over Houston. On September 20, his fielder's choice
Fielder's choice
In baseball, fielder's choice is a term used to refer to a variety of plays involving an offensive player reaching a base due to the defense's attempt to put out another baserunner, or the defensive team's indifference to his advance...
was the game-winning RBI in a 6–2 victory over the Cubs. He hit two home runs, had four RBI, and set a career high with four runs scored on September 29 in a 14–2 victory over Florida. In 144 games, Burrell finished the season batting .258 with 29 home runs and 95 RBI.
2007
Burrell became the Phillies' longest tenured player in 2007 with the departure of Lieberthal via free agency. He hit only one home run in April, but he batted .292. On April 6, he homered and had four RBI (including the game-winner) in an 8–2 victory over Florida. He began to slump after April, though, as he batted .157 over the next two months. Once again, Manuel began benching him, using Greg DobbsGreg Dobbs
Gregory Stuart Dobbs is a Major League Baseball infielder. Dobbs is primarily a third baseman, but can also field the corner outfield positions and first base.-Early career:...
, Jayson Werth
Jayson Werth
Jayson Richard Gowan Werth is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies. He bats and throws right-handed.-Background:Werth was born in...
, or Michael Bourn
Michael Bourn
Michael Ray Bourn is a professional baseball outfielder with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. He serves as the Atlanta Braves leadoff hitter. He has also been a member of the United States national baseball team....
instead in left field. On May 11, Burrell hit two home runs and had five RBI in a 7–2 victory over the Cubs. Werth was injured at the end of June, however, and Burrell reclaimed his starting job by batting .435 in July, with six home runs and 22 RBI. From July 1 through the end of the season, he batted .300 with 22 home runs and 65 RBI, and he started the final 75 games of the season for the Phillies in left field. On July 14, he had four RBI in a 10–4 victory over St. Louis. Three days later, on July 17, Burrell hit his 200th career home run in a 15–3 victory over the Dodgers. He had a 14-game hitting streak from July 22 to August 5, tying his career high. On August 17, in an 11–8 victory over the Pirates, Burrell got his 1,000th career hit, a two-run home run. At the end of August, the Phillies faced the Mets, whom they trailed in the NL East by six games, for a four game series. In the first game of the series, on August 27, Burrell hit a game-winning two-run home run in a 9–2 victory. Two days later, in the third game of the series, he hit a solo home run and had a sacrifice fly
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
(the game-winning RBI) against Óliver Pérez
Oliver Pérez
Óliver Pérez Martínez is a left-handed pitcher currently in the Washington Nationals organization.-San Diego Padres:...
in a 3–2 victory. He hit two home runs in the fourth and final game of the series as the Phillies won 11–10 to sweep the Mets. On September 21, his two-run home run against Shawn Hill
Shawn Hill
Shawn Richard Hill is a Canadian Major League Baseball pitcher in the Florida Marlins organization...
provided the game-winning RBI in a 6–3 victory over Washington. Burrell finished the 2007 regular season batting .256 with 30 home runs, 97 RBI, and 114 walks (a career high) in 155 games. Burrell, Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
, and Jimmy Rollins
Jimmy Rollins
James Calvin "Jimmy" Rollins , nicknamed "J-Roll", is an All-Star and former MVP shortstop, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League....
became the second trio of Phillies with 30 or more home runs (and the first since 1929). On defense, he led major league outfielders in errors, with 10, and his .948 fielding percentage was the lowest among left fielders.
In 2007, the Phillies won the NL East and reached the playoffs for the first time since 1993 and the first time in Burrell's career. Burrell hit a home run in the first game of the NL Division Series
2007 National League Division Series
-Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies:-Game 1, October 3:Chase Field in Phoenix, ArizonaEighteen-game winners Carlos Zambrano and Brandon Webb matched each other pitch for pitch in the opening game of the series. Stephen Drew's fourth-inning home run stood as the game's only run until Ryan...
, but he had only one other hit in the series as the Phillies were swept by the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
.
2008
Burrell batted .326 in April of 2008, with eight home runs and 24 RBI. He hit two home runs on April 7 (including the game-winner) against Bronson ArroyoBronson Arroyo
Bronson Anthony Arroyo , is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and an aspiring musician. He has previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates between 2000 and 2002 and Boston Red Sox from 2003 to 2005...
in a 5–3 victory over Cincinnati. On April 24, his two-run double against David Riske
David Riske
David Richard Riske is a Major League Baseball Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher.-Career:Riske was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 56th round of the June amateur draft...
provided the game-winning RBI in the Phillies' 3–1 victory over Milwaukee. With the double, Burrell got his 23rd and 24th RBI of the month, breaking Hayes's team record for most RBI in April (22). After batting .227 in May (with five home runs), Burrell batted .256 with six home runs in June. His walkoff two-run home run with two outs in the tenth inning gave the Phillies a 6–5 victory over San Francisco on May 2. On May 22, Burrell hit a game-winning pinch-hit home run in a 7–5 victory over Houston. On June 3, he hit a game-winning two-run home run in a 3–2 victory over Cincinnati. He followed up his performance in June by hitting .304 in July with seven home runs, but he slumped over the final two months, batting .191 with seven home runs. He hit a game-winning three-run home run on July 13 in a 6–3 victory over Arizona. On August 15, his home run helped the Phillies defeat the Padres 1–0. Two days later, he hit a game-winning home run in a 2–1 victory over the Padres. He had five RBI (including a game-winning three-run home run against Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw is a left-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.In 2011, Kershaw won the Pitching Triple Crown and the National League Cy Young Award, becoming the youngest pitcher to accomplish either of these feats since Dwight Gooden in 1985...
) in a 9–2 victory over the Dodgers on August 23. Burrell finished the season batting .250 with 33 home runs (tied for ninth in the NL), 86 RBI, and 102 walks (third in the NL) in 157 games, and the Phillies won the NL East for the second straight year.
In Game 4 (the final game) of the NLDS
2008 National League Division Series
-Philadelphia Phillies vs. Milwaukee Brewers:-Game 1, October 1:Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Dodgers swiped Game 1 from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mark DeRosa gave the Cubs an early lead in the second inning with an opposite-field home run. James Loney's fifth inning grand slam proved to...
against the Brewers, Burrell hit two home runs (a three-run game-winning home run against Jeff Suppan
Jeff Suppan
Jeffrey Scot Suppan , is a Major League Baseball pitcher, who is currently a free agent.-Baseball career:Suppan was drafted out of high school by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the 1993 amateur draft, and rapidly ascended to the Majors making his debut at the age of 20...
and a solo home run against Guillermo Mota
Guillermo Mota
Guillermo Reynoso Mota is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He stands tall and weighs . He throws and bats right-handed. Mota has played for the Montreal Expos, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Florida Marlins, the Cleveland Indians, the New York Mets, the Milwaukee Brewers and the San...
) in a 6–2 victory that gave the Phillies their first playoff series victory since 1993. Four days later, in the first game of the NL Championship Series
2010 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 2010 — 7:30 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaIn one of the most touted postseason pitching matchups in recent history, two former Cy Young Award winners faced off: Roy Halladay for the Phillies and Tim Lincecum for the Giants...
, he hit a game-winning solo home run in a 3–2 victory over the Dodgers. After going hitless in his first 14 at bats in the World Series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
, Burrell doubled against J. P. Howell of the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
on October 29 in Game 5 (the final game of the series). Burrell was then replaced by pinch-runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
Eric Bruntlett
Eric Bruntlett
Eric Kevin Bruntlett is a retired Major League Baseball utility player who last played in the New York Yankees organization. He was known for his defensive versatility; he usually played second base or shortstop, but has also played left field. Bruntlett played every position except for catcher...
, who scored the game's winning run in the 4–3 victory as the Phillies won their first World Series since 1980. After the series, Burrell was chosen to lead the Phillies' World Series parade.
Burrell filed for free agency on November 6. On December 16, the Phillies signed left fielder Raúl Ibañez
Raúl Ibáñez
Raúl Javier Ibáñez is an American Major League Baseball outfielder.Over his career, Ibáñez, who did not make 500 plate appearances until the age of thirty, has batted .280 with 377 doubles, 252 home runs and 1054 runs batted in over sixteen Major League seasons...
to a three-year contract, ending Burrell's tenure in Philadelphia. Burrell's 104 double plays grounded into were the seventh-most in Phillies history, and his 1,273 strikeouts were second only to Schmidt. However, Burrell was fifth in walks (785), eighth in RBI (827), and fourth in home runs (251) as a Phillie. His eight straight seasons with at least 20 home runs were topped only by Schmidt.
Tampa Bay Rays
On January 5, 2009, the Tampa Bay RaysTampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
signed Burrell to a two-year, $16 million contract. They planned to use him as their designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
. Burrell got a standing ovation when he returned to Philadelphia for an exhibition series on April 3 and 4. On April 9, Burrell flew to Philadelphia to join the Phillies as they received their World Series rings in a pregame ceremony. After the ceremony, he flew back to Boston for the Rays' game against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. On May 17, Burrell was placed on the disabled list (retroactive to May 12) with a neck strain. He was activated from the DL on June 11. On June 24, he hit a game-winning two-run home run and had three RBI in a 7–1 victory over the Phillies. On July 7, he hit a walkoff two-run home run in the 11th inning of a 3–1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. On September 2, he had a game-winning RBI single in an 8–5 victory over Boston. He had four RBI against Jason Berken
Jason Berken
Jason Thomas Berken is a Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles.-Baseball career:Berken graduated from West De Pere High School. He played for Clemson's baseball team...
(including a three-run home run) on September 15 in a 10–5 loss to Baltimore. Burrell slumped throughout the 2009 season, and he finished the year batting .221 in 122 games. He set or tied career-lows in hits (91), home runs (14), RBI (64), and walks (57).
Burrell hit a game-winning two-run home run in the 12th inning of a 3–1 victory over Boston on April 17. On April 27, he hit a game-winning three-run home run in an 8–6 victory over the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. In his first 24 games of the season, Burrell batted .202 with two home runs and 13 RBI. On May 15, he was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
and replaced on the Rays' roster by Hank Blalock
Hank Blalock
Hank Joe Blalock is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent.-High school:Blalock attended Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, California...
. Four days later, he became a free agent after clearing waivers.
San Francisco Giants
On May 29, the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
signed Burrell to a minor league contract and assigned him to the triple-A Fresno Grizzlies
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a minor league baseball team based in Fresno, California. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League , is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club. The Grizzlies play in Chukchansi Park , located in downtown Fresno and built in 2002...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. After batting .313 with one home run and six RBI in five games, he was called up to the Giants on June 4 to replace John Bowker
John Bowker (baseball)
John Brite Bowker is a Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies...
, who was optioned to Fresno. The next day, he took over from Aubrey Huff
Aubrey Huff
Aubrey Lewis Huff III is a Major League Baseball first baseman with the San Francisco Giants. He debuted in 2000 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and later played for the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and Detroit Tigers. He is the starting first baseman for the San Francisco Giants who won the...
(who moved over to right field) as the Giants' left fielder. On July 31, with the Giants trailing 1–0 to the Dodgers in the eighth inning, Burrell hit a two-run home run to give the Giants a 2–1 victory. On August 6, he hit a game-winning sacrifice fly in the 11th inning of a 3–2 victory over Atlanta. Three days later, the Giants faced the Chicago Cubs for a four-game series. In the first game of the series, Burrell hit a walkoff sacrifice fly in the 11th inning of a 4–3 victory. In the third game, he had three RBI (including a game-winning home run in the eighth inning against Justin Berg
Justin Berg
Justin Christopher Berg is a right-handed professional baseball pitcher.Berg made his Major League debut on August 13, 2009 for the Chicago Cubs with two scoreless innings in relief against the Philadelphia Phillies....
) in a 5–4 victory. In the finale, Burrell hit two home runs (including a grand slam) and had five RBI in an 8–7 victory. On August 17, Burrell returned to Philadelphia for his first regular season game there as a member of the opposing team, and he received a standing ovation. He hit a home run in his first at bat of the game, but the Giants lost 9–3. With the Giants in 2010, Burrell batted .266 with 289 at bats, 18 home runs, and 51 RBI in 96 games as the Giants won the NL West and advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Burrell's 2010 totals were 373 at bats (a career-low), 94 hits (a career-low), 20 home runs, and 64 RBI in 120 games.
In Game 2 of the NLDS
2010 National League Division Series
The 2010 National League Division Series were two best-of-five game series to determine the participating teams in the 2010 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth team—a "Wild Card"—played in two series from October 6 to 11...
against Atlanta on October 8, Burrell hit a three-run home run in a 5–4 loss. On October 16, in Game 1 of the NLCS
2010 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 2010 — 7:30 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaIn one of the most touted postseason pitching matchups in recent history, two former Cy Young Award winners faced off: Roy Halladay for the Phillies and Tim Lincecum for the Giants...
against the Phillies, he had an RBI double against Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
. Nate Schierholtz
Nate Schierholtz
Nathan John Schierholtz is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed. Schierholtz commonly bats without batting gloves, one of the few Major Leaguers to do so...
then pinch-ran for him, and he scored the winning run in the Giants' 4–3 victory. In the World Series
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
, Burrell struck out nine times in 11 at bats, had no hits, and was benched for Game 4. However, the Giants won the World Series in five games, and Burrell received his second championship ring.
On November 1, Burrell filed for free agency. A month later, on December 3, he signed a one-year $1 million contract to return to the Giants in 2011. In his first 20 games of 2011, Burrell batted .270 with five home runs and eight RBI. On April 18, he hit a game-winning three-run home run in an 8–1 victory over Colorado. After batting .172 with one RBI over his next 12 games, he was replaced as the Giants' left fielder by Cody Ross
Cody Ross
Cody Joseph Ross is an American professional baseball outfielder. He has played with the Detroit Tigers , Los Angeles Dodgers , Cincinnati Reds , and Florida Marlins and San Francisco Giants...
, who was replaced as the Giants' right fielder by Schierholtz. On May 4, Burrell had a game-winning RBI single in a 2–0 victory over the Mets. In the first game of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
against the Cubs on June 28, Burrell had a home run and three RBI in a 13–7 victory. He had a game-winning RBI single on July 7 in a 2–1 victory over San Diego. On July 15, Burrell was placed on the disabled list with a potentially career-ending foot injury. He returned from the DL on August 31, but he was not able to start regularly upon returning. For the final game of the year (a 6–3 loss to Colorado on September 28), Burrell started in left field after asking Giants' manager Bruce Bochy
Bruce Bochy
Bruce Douglas Bochy is the manager of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to joining the Giants, Bochy had been the manager of the San Diego Padres for twelve seasons. Bochy is the only former Padres player to serve as the team's manager. He has participated in all five postseason appearances in...
to put him in the lineup since it was potentially his final game. He finished the year batting .230 with career-lows in games (92), at bats (183), hits (42), home runs (seven), and RBI (21). On October 30, he filed for free agency.
"Met Killer"
Burrell has shown a penchant for hitting home runs against the New York Mets. In 2007, Burrell hit four home runs in a four-game series sweep against the Mets in late August. In total, he has hit 42 home runs against the Mets through the 2011 season, his highest total against any team, which ranked fifth all-time in home runs hit against the franchise at the time of his departure from Philadelphia. Batting .264 at the Phillies' home parks against a .228 mark at Shea StadiumShea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
, Burrell nonetheless enjoyed playing in New York, citing the atmosphere and memorable home runs against Mets pitchers, including two in back-to-back games against then-closer Benítez.
Personal life
In 2007, Burrell married his wife, Michelle. They have residences in ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, Philadelphia, and Clearwater
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
. Burrell also owns an English Bulldog named Elvis.