Moment of Levity: Pat Burrell, Hitchhiker

Yes, the man in your rear view mirror might actually be a left fielder. At least that was the case last week, when new Rays addition Pat Burrell ran out of gas en route to Charlotte Sports Park, Tampa Bay's spring training home, and had to hitchhike to a local gas station to refuel and get back on the road.

No, it's not just a local legend, either. According to Tampa Tribune writer Ira Kaufman, it really happened. Making matters worse, it wasn't lost on Burrell's former teammates in Philadelphia, who the Rays faced off with yesterday.

According to the Phillies blog The Fightins, when Burrell went out to left field, there was an empty gas can waiting for him with money taped to the sides. Burrell's fellow Rays left it for him so he'd be better prepared for future gas-related excursions, and they waited until he was in front of the team he played for in each of his first nine seasons to bring it out.

Admit it, that's clever. And either mean-spirited or outright hilarious for bringing it out at Burrell's most emotionally poignant moment of the spring. Either way, we're relatively sure things like Pat Burrell's gas can (sounds like a horrible cult song, doesn't it?) are what spring training is all about.