Ten years is longer than it sounds. In 1998, there were roughly 15 million Americans surfing the Internet. Today, it's over 70 million. There were around 65 million Americans using a cell phone. Today, that number is nearly 200 million. There weren't any TiVo or any iPods 10 years ago. A Blu-Ray was something an alien in a movie might use. And High Definition might have been used to talk about a dictionary, but was certainly not a way to watch television.
Ten years ago, Pat Burrell was a 21-year-old kid playing in the College World Series for the University of Miami when Phillies scout Miguel Machado approached him only minutes before what would ultimately become Miami's elimination game to tell him that the organization had chosen him with the first overall selection in the Draft. Today, he is the right-handed power bat in the middle of the Phillies' high-octane offense and the longest tenured player on the club, climbing his way up the all-time franchise home run list.
The call
It's been an interesting decade for the West Coast slugger. He played only a little more than 200 Minor League games before being called up to the big leagues in May 2000 to take over first base for an injured Rico Brogna. The fateful phone call came not from his Minor League manager at the time or the farm director -- the people who usually tell a player he's going to the Majors -- but directly from then Phillies general manager Ed Wade.
"I was asleep and Ed called," Burrell said. "He said, 'What are you doing?' I said, 'I'm sleeping.' Then he said, 'Are you too tired to go to Houston?' I didn't play the first night, but Scott Rolen got hurt, and the next day, I'm hitting fifth. Octavio Dotel started for Houston and he was really, really good. My first thought was, 'Wow, there aren't guys like this in the Minor Leagues.'"
Burrell went 2-for-5 with two RBIs in his Major League debut, including a ninth-inning triple off Astros closer Billy Wagner. The two would meet later on in their careers in more meaningful games.
The year 2000 was the final one of a difficult run for the Phillies. Despite high hopes entering the season, injuries decimated the roster and the team finished at 65-97, leading to the dismissal of manager Terry Francona.
"We didn't have a very good team at the time," said Burrell. "We were light years away from where we are now, so it was actually a good opportunity for me to get my feet wet and get comfortable because the expectations weren't that high. Terry stuck with me, even after Rico came back."
The mentors
Burrell is more of an old-school type of player than most would think. He believes in playing the game one way -- the right way, as he sees it. He doesn't talk a big game or show up pitchers. He doesn't talk much about himself because he believes his actions speak louder than any words could. Much of this was impressed upon him from some of his major influences. One of those was an old coach with a rough exterior and a heart of gold, whose impact has been felt on the last few generations of Phillies players.
"Even when I was in the Minor Leagues, I always came to big league camp [in Spring Training], so John Vukovich was a big influence," Burrell said. "A lot of guys called him Uncle John, and that's kind of how he was. He knew when to come over and put his arm around you and he also knew when to fire on you, too. He was really good for me. Scott Rolen was probably our best player at the time here and I think a lot of players looked up to him for the way he played. He was helpful in a lot of ways, both in terms of how to go about things and how to play the game."
There have been others who helped shape Burrell into the player -- and man -- he is today, but he's quick to point out one person in particular: Curt Schilling. The ace of the Phillies' staff in 2000, Schilling was attempting to come back from his latest in a series of arm injuries. He was the starting pitcher that night in Houston when Burrell made his debut and allowed seven runs in 4 2/3 innings, hardly a line that anyone would expect from one of the best pitchers of the last 10 years.
Schilling's next three starts weren't much better. But then he faced the Braves at Veterans Stadium and his whole season turned around. That night made a lasting impression on Burrell. The Phillies were clinging to a one-run lead in the eighth inning when Schilling had runners at the corners with nobody out and the heart of Atlanta's potent lineup coming to bat. He then reached back for something more, something that separates the men from the boys in the big leagues. He proceeded to strike out Chipper Jones and Andres Galarraga, walked Brian Jordan to load the bases and then struck out Javy Lopez to end the threat. The Phillies held on for a 2-1 win.
"He just absolutely blew these guys away -- and it was the middle of their order," remembered Burrell. "Schill was able to take his game to a whole new level and that was pretty impressive.
"People always talk about Curt and the things he says and does, but all that stuff doesn't matter. It's what you do on the field and there's nobody you'd rather want out there when the game counts than him. He's a big-time pitcher and I have a tremendous amount of respect for that. It's one thing to walk around here and talk a big game, but if you can go out there and back it up and shove it down somebody's throat, it's pretty fun to watch."
The understated leader
Since Darren Daulton was traded to the Marlins in 1997, it seems the Phillies have looked far and wide for a "team leader," the guy who would take care of business both on the field and behind closed doors. Over the years, the media and the franchise have anointed many players that title, whether it was Rolen, Jim Thome, Chase Utley, Aaron Rowand or Jimmy Rollins. Except for a brief time early on in his career, the guy mostly left out of the equation was Burrell.
What most people haven't seen, however, is how he's gone about his business with younger players. While Burrell won't get into specifics, his teammates know the lasting impression he leaves, especially on younger players who the Phillies call up to the big leagues for the first time. He's seen the first Major League game of players like Jason Michaels, Nick Punto, Johnny Estrada, Rollins, Ryan Howard, Utley, Brett Myers and Cole Hamels -- all products of the Phillies' scouting and player development system.
"It's important [to help the younger guys] because you never forget about the way things happen when you first come up," he said. "And the people that are here never forget how you act when you get here. So, it's important to have people to bounce things off of so you do the right thing. If you plan on being here a long time, you don't want to [tick] anyone off."
The first player to arrive at the ballpark every day, Burrell believes in leadership by example, but won't hesitate to let someone know what's on his mind if he feels it's appropriate. However, he'll never divulge when those things happen.
"One of the things that people don't understand is that you don't have to talk about it," said Burrell. "The media can think what they want, but I know that the other 24 [players] are pulling for me every day. There's a right way to do things and that's the only way. What we have here is special. You spend 180 days with these people and it's important to make sure that there's no [nonsense]. If that's not important to you then eventually it breaks up the most important part of this, which is the relationship you have with your team. Without that, you don't win."
2003
In 2002, Burrell hit .282 with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs. Four months after the season ended, the Phillies locked him up to a six-year, $50 million contract extension, which concludes at the end of this season. In the first year of the deal, though, he had the roughest year of his life, hitting .209 with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs.
"The problem I had is that I just couldn't believe what was happening," he said. "I had never really been through any period of time where I wasn't playing well and so when things started going bad I just assumed they'd turn around. But I didn't know how to make that happen. I wish I wouldn't have gone through it and I know the fans feel the same way [laughing]. I think in the long run it made me a better player. You see guys going through bad times and unless you've been in that situation, you have no idea what it's like. We're still playing a game here, though, and there are tougher things in life."
Everyone, it seemed, had the answer for how to fix his season. He was getting phone calls while the Phillies' PR department was getting e-mails from former players, former hitting coaches, college coaches and even golf pros. He did his best to block it all out and just work one-on-one with Greg Gross, the Phillies' hitting coach at the time.
"The one thing I kept hearing around the clubhouse was, 'Stay with it and keep working,' but sometimes you have to change things and be proactive. As bad as it was, though, I really think it helped me out down the road because I don't think it could get any worse. It's just a constant reminder that this game is very difficult to play."
Breaking through
While the city of Philadelphia celebrated the Phillies' first National League East title in 14 years last September, perhaps no one felt more vindicated than Burrell. He and Rollins had been part of more "near misses" than anyone else on the club. In 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the Phillies went into the final week of the season with a chance to make the playoffs and each time fell just short.
"I always try to be realistic about things," said Burrell. "We had a lot of help [last year]. A lot of people would say that the Mets just gave it to us, but we beat them. However you want to look at it, it worked out and, in the end, it was a great feeling. All the years of being here and seeing how close we had gotten and finally seeing us push it over the edge was a great experience."
Coming full circle
When the Phillies drafted Burrell in June 1998, he had the confidence to know that he would be a Major League player some day. It's that same confidence that helps him propel a baseball into the stratosphere of Citizens Bank Park, treating Harry the K's Restaurant in left field like a shooting range.
"I've got to be honest, 10 years ago when I got drafted I had a pretty good idea that I'd be in the big leagues and then after that I had absolutely no expectations," he said. "Once you get up here and play a couple years, then you start thinking that you found your niche and now you have to build on it and keep going and keep grinding. However, I don't think I envisioned being on a team this good from what it was when I got here."
When he talks about the future, Burrell doesn't claim to be Nostradamus. But, where does he see himself 10 years from now, at age 41?
"I think it's pretty far-fetched to think I'll still be playing, but I'd like to think that in some way I will still be around the game. A lot can happen in 10 years. Starting a family is important, but I'd like to stay a part of this somehow. It's all I know."
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