Categories: Posts

Setting The Burrell Parameters

The one question that may determine the Phillies offseason plans is, of course, the Pat Burrell question.

It was reported yesterday that the club “set parameters” for a Burrell proposal. More or less, that means “we’re starting here, we’re ending here.” The Phillies know what amount they would give Burrell, and they know what amount they won’t give Burrell.

My parameters would start at two years, $23 million, with a third-year option at $15 million. Or: $11.5M / $11.5M / $15M.

My max is three years, $33 million, with no option, more money on the front end and performance incentives in the back end. Or: $14M / $11M / $8M / incentives up to $9M, kicking in as $3M in 2010, $6M in 2011.

I’m not keen on giving Burrell $11.5 M, then turning around and giving Jamie Moyer another $6M or so. Still, the Phils will have room to get another couple players with the cash remaining. Going up to $14M or $15M with Burrell is probably too much.

What are your parameters?

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.