The Logjam is Starting to Ease

New reports were released today that the Rays have signed Pat Burrell and the Cubs have signed Milton Bradley.

The Pat Burrell signing was not only cheap (two years at $8 million per) but it significantly improves the Rays at the plate. Last year, their combined DH statistics were rather ordinary: .246 Batting Average, .322 On Base Percentage, .428 Slugging for an OPS of .751. The Bay Rays Designated Hitters only managed 24 homers and 78 Runs Batted In to go with 56 walks and 131 strikeouts.

Pat Burrell's career averages beat all those numbers: .257/.367/.485/.852 along with career averages of 31 homers, 103 Runs Batted In and 97 walks. Okay, he does strike out 152 times a year. Plus, he appears to be a good teammate and an all around good guy in the community.

Burrell did suffer the drop off of the market and will make significantly less money than last year.

The Cubs got Milton Bradley at $2 million more per year more than what Burrell signed for and the deal is said to be for three years and not two. It seems to the Fan like the Rays got a better deal with a more reliable and proven entity. Yes, Bradley can sure hit and had an .OPS of .999 last year, but he again missed time with injuries and has only played 100 games in a season three times out of nine.

Pat Burrell's lifetime stats are much higher on average than Bradley's with more power and a higher OPS. Plus, the National League does not have the DH (maybe someday!) and that's all Bradley did last year with Texas. So Bradley will have to play the field, making him even closer to those injuries that have dogged his career.

The personalities of the two players are vastly different with Bradley being the more fiery and outspoken. Perhaps that is something the Cubs could harness to push them over the top. But overall, this looks like the Cubs (given that both players are the same age) got the riskier deal.