PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Pat Burrell led the Philadelphia Phillies’ parade procession, riding on a horse-drawn beer wagon. He pumped his fists, clapped his hands, and stood up and pointed to fans lined up along Broad Street.
If this was Burrell’s last ride with the Phillies, the slugger will never forget it.
His clutch hit in Game 5 of the World Series helped the Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays and capture the second championship in franchise history.
Knowing this might be his last appearance with the Phillies, Burrell savored every minute of the long celebration Friday. While the rest of his teammates rode in flatbed trucks, Burrell sat in front of the carriage with his wife and dog.
He waved to the fans who used to boo him unmercifully and drew loud cheers from the crowd watching parade coverage on the big screen at Citizens Bank Park.
When the team finally made its way inside the ballpark about four hours after the parade began, Burrell was the first player to address the fans.
his was for me, being here as long as I have. I want to thank you for your support. You made this possible.”
Burrell rode around the warning track before the ceremony in a convertible with Elvis, his English bulldog. He didn’t speak to reporters, but fans made it known they wanted him to stick around.
“We love you, Pat. Please stay,” one sign read.
Others chanted: “Bring back Pat!”
Burrell, the longest-tenured Phillie, just completed the final season of a $50 million, six-year contract he signed after a breakout season in 2002. He made $14 million this season, and should get a more lucrative offer from another team.
The Phillies have 10 players eligible for arbitration, and many of them – Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino – will get huge raises. That makes it unlikely the team will offer Burrell a deal similar to his worth on the open market.
“We should keep the team together, of course, it’s a championship team,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “At the same time, things go down in baseball. A lot of business. We’ll have to wait and see what happens. But if we keep our core players, we’ll have a good team.”
up.
“I know we’ll talk to Burrell,” Manuel said. “I know there will be interest in him.”
The 32-year-old slugger hit .250 with 33 homers and 86 RBIs this season. Burrell started well, carrying the Phillies’ inconsistent offense for stretches in the first half. But he tailed off, hitting just .215 with 10 homers and 29 RBIs after the All-Star break.
In the postseason, Burrell batted .227 (10-for-44) with three homers and eight RBIs. He had a strong NLCS against Los Angeles, but struggled in the World Series. Burrell’s last at-bat, however, was a critical one.
He broke an 0-for-13 skid with a leadoff double in the eighth inning of Game 5. Pinch-runner Eric Bruntlett scored the go-ahead run on Pedro Feliz’s single, and Brad Lidge preserved the 4-3 victory.
Selected with the first overall pick in the 1998 amateur draft, Burrell had a tough time living up to expectations after a standout career at the University of Miami.
Nicknamed “Pat the Bat” from the start, Burrell came up early in the 2000 season. He had 27 homers and 89 RBIs in his second season and followed with a .282 average, 37 homers and 116 RBIs in 2002. That earned him the big contract that seemed like a good deal for the Phillies at the time.
in 2005. His numbers the next year – .258, 29, 95 – were solid. However, he was booed heavily down the stretch because he batted .222 with runners in scoring position and struck out looking 63 times to lead the majors.
Burrell was mentioned in many trade rumors that offseason, but his salary and a no-trade clause in his contract made it impossible to move him.
Fans booed Burrell during opening-day introductions last year, but he silenced the critics with his bat and helped the Phillies win the NL East title for the first time since 1993.
Burrell finished with a .256 average, 30 homers and 97 RBIs, a dramatic turnaround after batting just .215 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs before the All-Star break.
Burrell has never made an All-Star team in his nine seasons with the Phillies.
Jamie Moyer, who turns 46 next month, is the only other significant player who’ll be a free agent. Moyer had a team-high 16 wins this season.
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AP Sports writer Dan Gelston contributed to this report.
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