With the news of Pat the Bat's impending retirement I reflected (briefly) on his time with the Phils this week. Though I am sure many fans will say Burrell never lived up to the hype, few can deny the impact he had on the team during his time in Philadelphia. Love him or hate him - he was ours (and many times, the best we had) for nine seasons.

Is there a better way to pay tribute to #5 than by looking back at some of the memorabilia that was released during his time with the Phillies? His playing career took off the same time that McFarlane figurines and SGA bobble heads did - and much of what is in the market reflects that fact. This week I decided to take a look back at some memorable Pat Burrell (non-bobble head) figurines.

Produced by: Hasbro
Year Issued: 2001
Series: Starting Lineup - 2

Comments: Pat's debut in this series marked his first and only appearance in Starting Lineup-form. Pretty decent depiction of him, and the card was definitely a bonus.

2001 Starting Lineup - Burrell

Produced by: McFarlane
Year Issued: 2003
Series: MLB Series 5

Comments: This one blew me away when I first saw it. Jump back in time to 2003 when "realistic" figurines like the McFarlane's did not exist. They changed the game - and I still love having this one on my shelf.

McFarlane - MLB Series 5 Burrell

Produced by: McFarlane
Year Issued: 2003
Series: Big League Home Run Challenge

Comments: OK, so after my glowing comments on the MLB Series 5 figurine you probably would figure I would love this one too...but, I don't. I was really disappointed when McFarlane repackaged the original - in a non-Phillies uniform - for this series. Still, his appearance beside the likes of A-Rod, Giambi and Piazza demonstrates the popularity he had.

McFarlane - Home Run Challenge Burrell

Produced by: McFarlane
Year Issued: 2005
Series: 3" Mini (SGA)

Comments: Issued as a stadium giveaway for fans 14-under on July 17, 2005, this dual figure package was a pretty hot item. You can't beat 2-for-1, and these mini's add a little variety to the display of standard 6-inch figurines.

Burrell/Wagner dual McFarlane