Ratto: Burrell comes through a game late vs. Rangers

Share

March 7, 2011RATTO ARCHIVEGIANTS PAGEGIANTSVIDEO
Ray RattoCSNBayArea.com

SCOTTSDALE-- Pat Burrell was having a spring that looked like October, and Giant fans understand how that lookedthrough shards of glass.But having done so little in Game 1 through 5 of last years World Series (0-for-13, 11 strikeouts), he came back in Game 6 with something of a vengeance, homering, singling and walking to lead the Giants to a 4-1 win and a 5-1 win in the World Series That Never Ends.RECAP: Giants top Rangers 4-1 in World Series rematch
And given that his place in the Giant universe is uncertain because of a surfeit of outfielders and the development of the mythical Brandon Belt, the two hits tonight mean almost as much as the 13 non-hits back then.Im in kind of a different position here, thats true, he said after breaking out of a 2-for-17 cage this spring. But tonights a good sign.Manager Bruce Bochy had said that Burrell was trying to go the other way more to correct his gelatinous start, and both of his hits were to the right of second base. The two-run homer, off Tommy Hunter in the fifth, was wind-aided a bit, but not so much that it didnt constitute a lucky at-bat.I wasnt trying to go to right field more deliberately, he said. Id been pulling off balls, but letting them track, so thats what I was concentrating on. Theyve been real good about letting me know when I was playing and getting ready, so in that respect this spring is a lot like most of the other 10 years.But I keep telling myself you never really know whats going to happen. In Philly, I knew where I was going to be. The last couple of years, you just dont know.Burrell is in what looks like a logjam with right fielder Cody Ross, center fielder Andres Torres, utility backup Nate Schierholtz, backup center fielder Aaron Rowand and perhaps even Aubrey Huff if Belt foils the master plan and breaks camp with the major league team.Thus, this spring could go some way toward helping cool the tire fire that was his postseason.I was just in one of those things where nothing I did felt comfortable, nothing seemed to work. It just happened at a bad time.One game late, at least.

Contact Us