Owners of the two best records in baseball, both the Yankees and Rays aimed to acquire a bat for the season's stretch run as they battle for the AL East crown. The Yanks got their man at the trade deadline, acquiring Lance Berkman from the Astros for a pair of minor leaguers and cash. The Rays waited a little longer, grabbing Brad Hawpe off the scrap heap after the Rockies released him. Both players have slotted in as their team's primary designated hitter against righthanded pitching.
Since the trade, Berkman has hit .239/.314/.348 in 51 plate appearances while spending some time on the disabled list with an ankle injury. Hawpe has come to the plate just four times with Tampa since being recalled on September 1st, and has struck out all four times. Clearly, both players are capable of much better than what they've shown with their new teams so far, which brings us to today's poll question.
Who will perform better down the stretch: Berkman or Hawpe?
Click here to participate in the poll, and here to see the results.
Big Puma, baby.
To be honest, if I had to decide between the two I’d probably be disappointed in my DH situation. Neither one is exactly intimidating any more.
If I had to pick, I’d pick a Hawpe just because he’s healthy and younger.
Berkman is healthy. He was going to miss 3 days, but Yankees had a short bench and had to get an extra body up there so he was the sacrificia lamb
If he’s healthy, why has he only played 99 games this year? 😮
He missed time in April because of knee surgery in ST. You’re holding that against him 5 months later? And I already explained his recent DL trip.
how about, neither
So you’d rather have an eight man lineup with an automatic out?
It’s kinda obvious that he means he would rather have someone else than those two.
Thanks for clearing that up.
I’m glad his answer to “Who will perform better down the stretch: Berkman or Hawpe?” is “neither”.
Berkman all the way.
Berkman will perform better, but Hawpe is the better value. Fair?
huh?
He’s saying Berkman will have better stats, but he’s saying he’d rather have Hawpe for the pro-rated amount of the veteran’s minimum instead of Berkman for a few million and having to give up Melancon.
so youd rather have a cheap bag of rotten sh*t than a more expensive bag that may be a little fresher? I suppose that almost makes some sense
No… if you are forced to have a “bag of sh*t”, does it really matter if it is “fresh” or “rotten”… its still a “bag of sh*t”.
my confusion at his statement was based around the fact that the question asked who would have a better strech run not who got better value in the deal. if berkman has better stats he’ll be more valuable no matter what spare parts the yanks gave up
Neither. I just dropped Berkman off my fantasy team. He is not even worth a bench slot anymore while platooning around with the Yankees. He was worth keeping around while only occupying an injured reserve slot, but I just can’t justify it now that he is “healthy.”
(Oops, sorry for double post…)
I’d take Berkman the rest of the way this season but I’d take Hawpe long term. Berkman is about ready for the fork but I have to think he could dial it up one more time for the Yankees, the playoffs etc… Hawpe is a mess this season but if I were going to take one of those too next year it would be him just because of the age/health differences between them.
Hawpe seems to be following his old chum Garret Atkins’ path. He might be out of baseball by next summer. Berkman is a proven threat, but he’s clearly in the downturn of a fine career. Give me Fat Elvis… or, to massage Lance’s ego, Puma.
although berkman hasn’t shown the power of the past he seems to be finding his groove so i say it’s berkman
Hawpe had better get things worked out over the winter or it’s going to be tough finding a job. His days of making eight figures are over it’s time to get real.
Berkman.
If this were a slow pitch softball beer league, my vote would go to Hawpe with that big hitch-laden swing. But it’s not, so my guy is that perpetually “out of shape” accountant looking Berkman whose career numbers can’t be ignored.
If this were 1999 both these guys would be hitting 45 home runs this year…man I miss the steroid era…