Ex-Phillie Burrell to retire

Former Phillies leftfielder Pat Burrell, the first overall pick in the 1998 draft, is going to retire, according to a report on MLBTradeRumors.com.

Burrell, 35, has a severe foot injury and was a free agent this offseason after spending last year with his hometown San Francisco Giants.

"I talked to him last fall and his foot was killing him," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Monday night at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association dinner. "He had a bad arch and trouble with his heel. It got to the point where he actually couldn't play defense or run. I think that was the big reason."

Burrell, 35, hit .253 with 292 home runs and 976 RBIs over 12 seasons, including nine with the Phillies. He went just 1 for 27 in two World Series - one with the Phillies in 2008 and one with the Giants in 2010 - but owns two World Series rings. He played in only 92 games last season and batted .230 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs.

The most vivid memory of Burrell with the Phillies is his ride down Broad Street on the front of a Philadelphia fire truck after the team won the 2008 World Series.

Burrell batted .257 with 251 home runs with the Phillies during his first nine seasons in the majors. He is fourth on the team's all-time list behind Mike Schmidt (548), Ryan Howard (286), and Del Ennis (259).

"He still wanted to play and he still loves to play," Manuel said. "I heard the Giants may give him a job in PR or something."

- Bob Brookover