Pat Burrell
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Image:Baseball pat burrell 2004.jpg Patrick Brian Burrell (born October 10, 1976 in Eureka Springs, Arkansas) is the starting left fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.
Following a standout career at the University of Miami, the Phillies made Burrell the first overall draft choice in the 1998 draft. He debuted for the Phillies in 2000 and became an instant fixture in the line-up. In 2002, he had a break out season, hitting 37 home runs and knocking in 116 RBIs, proving to be one of the most promising young power hitters in baseball.
After signing a six-year, $50-million dollar contract with the Phillies before the 2003 season, however, he endured a season-long slump and finished the season batting only .209 with barely half of his previous season's production numbers.
Because of his power hitting capabilities, Burrell has gained the nickname "Pat the Bat" among Philadelphia fans. However, Burrell also has a reputation for striking out with high frequency.
In April 2001, Burrell received unwanted publicity when an interview with him was published by Penthouse, which drew rips from Phillies management and teammates. In the interview, Burrell discussed a number of sexually-related matters, including the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky affair, and his crush on Britney Spears. Burrell is regarded as somewhat of a minor sex symbol and is highly regarded by his fans, both male and female alike.
External links
- Pat Burrell's career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com
- Pat Burrell biofr:Pat Burrell