By Doug Miller / MLB.com
So, too, has Elvis.
Elvis, as Phillies fans know well, is the power-hitting left fielder's 115-pound English bulldog, almost as much of a clubhouse regular as Burrell himself.
Elvis wears a Burrell jersey, showed up for Family Day at Citizens Bank Park, caused his owner to miss a game with a stiff neck after stealing his pillow, and outgrew his welcome -- literally -- at Burrell's Spring Training condo, which has a 40-pound pet limit.
"I was in the elevator every three hours to take him out and a couple of people weren't exactly thrilled," Burrell recalled. "The little ones are the ones who make the noise."
The former University of Miami superstar has hit 20 or more homers in eight straight seasons. With 251 career long balls, he ranks third in franchise history after passing Greg Luzinski (223) and Chuck Klein (243) in '08.
Although he understands the business aspect of baseball, Burrell would have liked to remain in Philadelphia.
"I came up and was a first-round Draft pick and there was a lot of hype and expectation, and I enjoyed that," Burrell said. "Have I also seen the other side of that? Absolutely. But I've also played in stadiums and seen reactions that other fans give their teams.
"In Philly, when it's good, there's no better place. There's something different about the Northeast when it comes to baseball. There's an excitement where they can't wait to jump on that team and support it if the team is playing well. That goes both ways, but there are also places where I'm not sure if there's that big of a deal [regardless of whether] it's winning or losing."
Having won the World Series, Burrell will try to focus on the next chapter of his career with the team that opposed the Phillies in the '08 Fall Classic.
"I love Philadelphia," he said after the season, "and I've had a blast."
So did Elvis.
Doug Miller is a Senior Writer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
