Great Minds Don't Always Think Alike: Should the Phils Sign "Pat the Bat"?

Hey Gang, it's that time again when Christian Karcole and I, Scott Eisenlohr, hopefully two of your favorite Philadelphia sports writers, debate a topic. And for the second week in a row, it's all about Philly, natch!

We turn our attention to the Phillies and free agent outfielder Pat Burrell. In recent Phils history, no one has been a firestorm of conversation and controversy than Burrell. Not in terms of his personality, nope, but of his monster, for the time, six-year $50 million deal made during the Phillies losing years.

The contract is up and maybe, so is Burrell's time as a Philadelphia Phillie. This time, Christian is building the case for letting Burrell sign somewhere else and Scott makes the counterpoints, in italics. Here goes:

Pat Burrell! Pat Burr-urr-url! Pat Burrell!!!!!!

Yes, I love that listening to Harry Kalas say that when "Pat the Bat" hit that game winning home run this past season. It just makes me smile. Too bad I don't think I'll hear it again. But is that a bad thing?

Here's why I think Pat Burrell should not be brought back to the Phightin' Phillies:

Christian: 1. His production may be the same as it has been his entire career, but the rest of his game isn't. Sure, Pat Burrell can hit 25+ home run's and hit for 85+ runs batted in a season, but is that worth the low average, the deteriorating defense, and the fact that Jim Carey can out-run him?

Burrell is quickly becoming a designated hitter. His time as an outfielder is dwindling. He can still hit the home runs and the RBI, but everything is else isn't what it used to be.

So everything is just breaking down, and would you rather bring him back for $15 or million a year, or bring in a younger player with more potential?

Scott: For a fair comparison of players available via free agency, take a look at the Type "A" free agents outfielders available, including Burrell. There are five Type “A” free agent outfielders. Only Adam Dunn, 29, is a younger Type "A" free agent. Burrell, 32, is younger than Manny Ramirez, 37; Raul Ibanez is 37; and Bobby Abreu, 35. Any other “younger” player would have to be gotten via trade.

Moises Alou, Garrett Anderson and Milton Bradley top the Type "B" players, but they would command nearly as much money as Burrell. As far as the money, I don’t think that would be the problem, the term of the contract will be.

I think you could do a back-loaded three-year deal with team option for a fourth year. Burrell fairs comparatively in home runs and RBI to other slugging outfielders. His defense; while never great, he has become a better than average fielder in the past few years. I will even say that he has gotten to be a better fielding outfielder over the years.

Not great, but better.

Christian: 2. With the spot Pat Burrell bats in, he should have 115 RBI, year in and year out. When he comes up, he usually has a man on. What does he do? In 225 at-bats with men on, Burrell has hit for just a .231 average and has struck out 64 times. That's almost half of his strikeouts for the entire year.

But what's worse is how key he is to the lineup. Ryan Howard is up before him at most times, and what does Ryan Howard do much of the time? Strike out. So the Phillies need Pat to capitalize on those opportunities, and he doesn't. I cannot count how many times I've been unhappy with Pat because of his inability to get the big hit.

To me, it just appears that he really isn't producing as much as he should. Adding another player there could make the team even better than they are with Burrell.

Scott: One stat that isn’t considered in production is the amount of times that Burrell walks. Sure, he still strikes out a lot, but in the past couple of years, hasn’t he worked deep counts and drawn a base on balls that leads to a big inning?

His strikeouts numbers haven’t changed much, but in 2004, in 448 at-bats, he walked 78 times. In 2007, with 472 at-bats., he walked 114 times. This year, with 536 ABs, he walked 102 times. His on base percentage was .445 in 2004, and has increased each year, with his OBP at .507 in 2008.

An RBI total of 115? Let's get real. Of the Type "A" players, only Ramirez had more than that with 124 RBI in 2008.

Christian: 3. The Phillies won the World Series, if you didn't catch that, so yes, their budget will certainly rise. But that doesn't mean money will not be a problem. Their arbitration list includes Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, Greg Dobbs, Chad Durbin, Joe Blanton, Ryan Madson, and more. The big free-agents are Pat, of course, and Jamie Moyer.

I would rather see the Phillies lock down Victorino and Hamels and possibly Howard than keep those guys in arbitration and sign Pat. Sure, the team loves Pat Burrell and he loves the team, but let's not let Howard go another year of arbitration.

Pat Burrell is just too old to use the money on, in my opinion. Sure, Pat is only 32 years old, but the way he is, he's already breaking down. I'd rather see Manny Ramirez out there because I know he's got something left in him. Just throwing that out there...

So there you have it. Money, his deteriorating play, and his disappointing situation play is why I think Burrell should not be brought back to the team. I would rather see a younger player brought into his role.

Scott: A couple of years before the Phillies won the World Series, I among other Phillies fans, clamored for the team to get free agents like Alfonso Soriano. The Phils won without him.

They got Joe Blanton instead of Rich Harden and let Kyle Loshe and Aaron Rowand walk. They won without them. Surely Matt Holiday would have been an upgrade. Ibanez is slightly a more consistent player, but he is not a power hitter. A player with 115 RBI? Get real. Only Ramirez had that total, with 124 RBI between two teams, in 2008.

Christian: Just think about it...Pat Burrell bleeds Philly Red. He loves the city and the team. And that's why they gave him a World Series. Now he can leave peacefully.

I'd love to see Pat back if he could perform consistently, but I don't see it. I just don't see it.

Scott: This is the point that Christian and I can agree on most of all. Pat Burrell has embodied the ups and downs, the troubles, the comebacks, the love and hate of Philadelphia. And the story, if it ended now, would end great. Burrell has no regrets and the town has finally accepted him for who he is.

Hey, Philly, you want a good right fielder with power production and at a reasonable cost? He’s right here in your back yard. Bring in a better late-inning defensive caddy than Eric Brunlett and be done with it. Swallow your pride and sign Pat to a three-year deal. He is better, or at least as good, as anything out there. And he wants to come back.

Remember Mike Schmidt? The greatest Phillie ever? He was not truly loved in the town for most of his career. A better story would be Pat Burrell playing his whole career in Philadelphia.

It probably won’t happen, as someone will give him the four-year deal that he wants. Remember Bill Wagner? And the four years that he wanted, which the Mets gave him? How did that turn out? Huh? The Phillies might let Burrell walk. But they will be less of a team for it. There is not much out there than what the Phillies already have.