Is Pat Burrell a victim of the old player skill set?

[realmofotalk]

Burrell fits the profile with his awful batting average, slow foot speed, and tendency to draw a high number of walks. Once those guys lose their bat speed, they're not so tough anymore with a 3-2 count and the walks become harder to come by. It would explain his sudden decline this year from his norm.

One can argue that Burrell doesn't fit the profile because he's a better athlete than such declining sluggers like Brian Giles and Richie Sexson, even though his subpar defense at left field hasn't bore out his athleticism.

[missionhockey21]

It's an interesting scenario with Pat The Bat. He is kind of gray in terms of the profile you mentioned as he is a pretty good athlete, but many of his skillsets used for his success at the plate does fit. I always like to look at the previous season to see if a player starts to go wrong even earlier, to know whether or not it is a true trend. And Burrell in 2008 really dropped off after July (sans a couple decent postseason rounds, due largely to power.)

Since the trouble started in Philly, or so it seems, it leads me to believe that either his skills are declining or there has been something in his mechanics that have been off and hasn't been addressed or corrected. This season he really only had one good month, August I believe, so it would be interesting to see what makes that month different than all the others this season where he has been a very unproductive player. And then of course that leads us to the possibility that it is just a mental thing with him.

[love_that_reefer]

I'd say his neck injury played a big part in his poor '09 season.

[redsrbetter]

Interesting indeed. I always hated having to admit when a real good bat is starting on a decline. I am hoping that LTR is right and it is just due to his rehabbing an old injury.

As I thank God for Jocketty's stay away approach with him as I slammed him on before; I regretfully say I might have been wrong. Perhaps he is on the downhill afterall.

Man, that was one of the more promising pick ups last offseason as well. I guess you never know. Then again, as mission pointed out, he had signs of the decline late on '08.

Here is to a refreshed Pat Burrell next season...

[missionhockey21]

At his age, it really is hard to tell. But personally, I believe Burrell will rebound this season with an .840+ OPS season if he is healthy.

[realmofotalk]

Of course, the ****er is raking for the Giants. This is why I hate critiquing players that seemingly suck for teams outside of the NL West. They only make me eat my words once they join the Giants, Rockies, et al.

[Tobywan]

Hey, even I know just because he tanked as Ray didn't mean he would suck somewhere else I have seen it happen too many times.

[realmofotalk]

Burrell lined a go-ahead two-run homer into the left-field seats with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Giants rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 on Saturday.

Just my ****ing luck.

[Tobywan]

Too bad he didn't do that more often for us.

[Kingdom]

You guys have Matt Joyce in that role though, cheaper and younger. Burrell just makes the giants even more decrepit on defense. It's hilarious, they're almost the exact opposite of a team like Tampa or Cincinnati defensively.

[Tobywan]

Yep, I like Matty in right and DH. No hard feelings towards Pat though, sometimes it just turns out that way..........Monday, Monday!

[realmofotalk]

Pat Burrell(notes) hit a game-ending sacrifice fly off Marcos Mateo (0-1), who made his major league debut after being called up earlier in the day.

“I’ve been confident in Pat ever since he got here,” said Aubrey Huff(notes), who had a key single in the rally. “He has that playoff mentality. He’s won a World Series.”

Playoff mentality my ass. Burrell and Huff must be on steroids.

[Tobywan]

Funny, normally it doesn't bother me to see Ex-Rays do well, I was at the Braves/Giants game on Friday wearing my Rays jersey, rooting for the Braves. (I guess the baseball God's took offense and wreaked havoc on the Rays while I was gone) Pat got a SF and I found myself heckling a bit, but the RBI from Huff didn’t bother me, not sure why.

[love_that_reefer]

I won a pitcher of beer on Pat Burrell because the second I read that he was DFA'd i bet my buddy he would be a Giant. Sure enough, I was drinking a pitcher. He has been raking since the ASG and playing better defense than his last years with the Phillies. Plus we got Torres and Rowand in CF who can help cut down on the space Burrell has to cover.

[Tobywan]

Actually, I was amazed that the Rays were planning on just using him as a DH, in my opinion they could have tried him more in RF, certainly didn’t think he could do any worse out there full time than the “Gabe” platoon.
I have often wondered if he was just one of those that didn't take kindly to being put "out to pasture". There are some players that thrive in a limited role and some that don't, just as some thrive in utility roles and others are destined to meander all over the league.

Deep down I do think it was a case of him not being put in the right spot in the first place and him being a good soldier and not wanting to balk about it.