Pat Burrell had a resurgence in the National League with the San Francisco Giants this year. He is a huge reason they made the playoffs, and despite a poor performance in the World Series, was a valuable member of their team for the majority of the season.
Earlier this year, I stated that the Braves should have signed him after his release from Tampa Bay. The Braves opted to not take the risk, and Burrell wound up being on the team that ended their season. This winter, with few powerful options available on the free agent market, Pat Burrell indeed makes a lot of sense.
Ken Rosenthal reported earlier today that Burrell could be an option for the Braves. While his defense is notably poor, his right-handed power and plate discipline make him a great candidate for close to every day play in the Braves outfield. Jason Heyward has right field supplanted, but the other two spots are up for grabs. With Nate McLouth's future performance being an uncertainty, signing Burrell to a short contract would be wise.
There are problems with the Braves defensively, more so then offensively when you look deeper into the numbers, but a right-handed power threat is something the Braves have been targeting for a few seasons now. Pat Burrell is no Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford, but his ability to hit balls over the fence and walk fits into what this team needs.
We will keep you updated on this stream if anything else links the Braves and Burrell.