SAN FRANCISCOPat Burrell left a mark on two organizations during his 12-year big-league career.
One of those organizations honored him Tuesday night.
The other will salute him next month.
Burrell, who retired as a player over the winter, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Tuesday nights Phillies-Giants game at AT&T Park. The event gave Giants fans a chance to recognize him once more for his helping the club win the 2010 World Series. The ring on Burrells finger Tuesday commemorated that title.
Burrell, of course, spent the majority of his career with the Phillies, helping them go from a last-place club to a World Series champion in 2008. The Phillies will honor Burrell on May 19. He will sign a one-day minor-league contract and retire, ceremonially, as a Phillie. He will also throw out the first pitch before that days game against Boston.
I saw Mike Lieberthal and Doug Glanville do it, Burrell, 35, said before Tuesdays game. Its a special deal. I feel fortunate they even asked me to do it.
Chronic right foot problems limited Burrell to just 92 games last season, making the decision to retire easy for him. Officially, he remains a Giant and is working in the teams front office as a scout and consultant. He said he will use this season to gauge whether he wants to continue to work in the game.
MLB
Burrell was selected No. 1 overall by the Phillies in the 1998 draft. Though he never made an all-star team, he left an imprint on the organization. He ranks fourth on the teams all-time home run list with 251, eighth in RBIs with 827 and fifth in walks with 785.
He also had a huge hit in Game 5 of the 2008 World Seriesa seventh-inning double that turned into the tie-breaking run in the Phillies clinching, 4-3, win over Tampa Bay. That ended up being Burrells only hit in 27 World Series at-bats with two clubsbut he does own two World Series rings.
Burrell joined the Giants during the 2010 season, after being released by Tampa Bay. Giants players and executives credited him for bringing a winning know-how to the club. The Giants beat the Phils in the NLCS that year and went on to win the World Series.
Burrell gained that winning know-how in Philadelphia.
When I started with the Phillies we werent a very good team, he said. Eventually we added more pieces, became a good team and won the whole thing. To see how that worked out and understand what steps need to happen helped me when I got here. I understood this doesnt happen all the time and we needed to take advantage of it.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com.