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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Pat Burrells sterile army in Tampa Bay is over.
The Rays directed towards the ex-Philadelphia slugger for choice before to Saturdays diversion opposite Seattle and comparison the stipulate of former Texas Rangers infielder Hank Blalock from Triple-A Durham.
Burrell has struggled given signing with the Rays dual months after assisting the Phillies kick Tampa Bay in the 2008 World Series. He batted .221 with fourteen homers and 64 RBIs in 2009, whilst creation the passing from one to another from bland outfielder to directed towards hitter.
The 33-year-old was attack .202 with dual homers and thirteen RBIs in twenty-four games this season. He was 2 for twenty-five with no extra-base hits or RBIs in May and batted .053 (1 for 19) opposite maladroit pitching.
"I dont think it all held him off-guard," Rays physical education instructor Joe Maddon said, observant the righty-hitting Burrells personification time had decreased since of Willy Aybars success opposite maladroit pitching.
Tampa Bay will be obliged for the residue of Burrells $9 million income in the second deteriorate of a $16 million, two-year contract. If hes released, a group that signs him would compensate only a prorated share of the $400,000 minimum.
In the doubtful eventuality hes traded, Burrell would embrace a $200,000 bonus.
In further to portion as a DH opposite lefty pitching, the Rays could have use of Blalock a little at initial and third base.
"We feel similar to with Hanks maladroit bat and positional coherence that it fits us improved right now," senior physical education instructor clamp boss of ball operations Andrew Friedman said, adding Blalock further additionally total to have the dais stronger for interleague play.
"It was not a initial reason for the move," Friedman added, "but it really helps as we go in to National League parks."
Blalock, who sealed a teenager joining stipulate with the Rays in March, is a two-time All-Star who outlayed the initial eight seasons of his career with the Texas Rangers.
The 29-year-old strike .234 with twenty-five homers and 66 RBIs in 123 games last year after blank most of the before dual seasons with injuries.
"I hold hes going to fit in to the enlightenment well," physical education instructor Joe Maddon said. "I think hes going to fit in to the hall well."
Blalocks teenager joining understanding enclosed a proviso permitting him to opt out and find a pursuit elsewhere if he wasntthe 25-man register entrance out of open training. Instead, he supposed an choice with Durham, where he batted .349 — scored equally for second in the International League — with 4 homers and twenty-four RBIs in twenty-six games.
Burrell outlayed the initial 9 seasons of his career with the Phillies. In the 4 seasons before to signing with Tampa Bay, he averaged 31 homers and 99 RBIs and seemed similar to a great fit for a lineup not in right-handed energy hitter.
"The passing from one to another from the National to the American League, going from on all sides player to DH is not regularly that easy," Maddon said.
"The thing about Pat that I apply oneself so much, this man worked very, really hard" notwithstanding a lot of outward criticism. "But I"m regularly about bid and work, and this man did that each day. He was the initial man display up. He was regularly in the cage, regularly workedhis invulnerability even though he didnt fool around out there. He was really understanding between his teammates. Its only hapless that it did not work out."
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