Lance Berkman is the Rangers' prime target if they look outside the organization for help in the wake of Nelson Cruz's hamstring injury, writes Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News. However, GM Jon Daniels advised caution until the team sees Cruz's MRI, and added, "More than likely, any moves we make will be from inside the organization."
So keep in mind that for the Rangers to get serious on Berkman or any other trade or claim candidate, the prognosis on Cruz would have to be bad and Daniels would have to change his mind. That said, Berkman would be a fantastic addition for the Rangers, as he ranks fourth in the NL with a .405 OBP and third with a .570 slugging percentage.
Berkman has reportedly cleared waivers, the reason for which I have no idea. His salary is relatively modest, with $1.32MM remaining to date. He projects as a low Type A free agent in the NL, and an arbitration offer seems probable, so the Rangers would have to give up something of value to get him. Big Puma is, of course, a native Texan who spent the vast majority of his career with the Astros.
Berkman thinks TEX overpaid Beltre and CJ Wilson thinks Berkman sux. Nice clubhouse vibe, there.
Berkman and CJ made amends at the All Star game according to CJ this morning on 103.3 FM.
I’m guessing that was about 15 mins after this rumor started.
No, actually, the All Star game was about 6-7 weeks ago.
$$$$ and a winning pennant race seems to always change minds… Michael Young hasn’t had a problem and he shot his mouth off too!
I think thats because most of the team probably agreed with Young.
I don’t mind getting Berkman as long as the price doesn’t include any of our top 15 prospects.
Elite slugger this year. Is a type A so he can be offered arb for picks. Cards have no reason to let him go… of course the Cards would want a non-top 15 prospect for him!
They can’t get picks for him if they resign him though. Are they interested in bringing him back next season?
Yes, and if they traded him then they brought him back, they would give up a draft pick to Texas. Even more the reason for it to take a very good prospect for the Cardinals to move him.
What is it you don’t like about our #16 and #17 prospects?
They’re not near as good as what you could potentially get with a first rounder and a supplemental pick. It’s not that hard to figure out. You’re going to have to give the Cardinals better than what they could get by simply letting him walk after the season.
You don’t know that at all. In fact we have a first rounder from last year that is ranked right in the area of 16-20.
thats because he was a reach on draft day and since then hasn’t been exactly performing that greatly. I’d rather take a shot with draft picks than settle for some team’s 16th best prospect. thats pathetic.
You do realize that sometimes the 16th best prospect on one team could be a top 5 prospect on another team don’t you? There is a wide discrpeancy in the talent level in one team’s top 10 prospects and another team’s. Take Blake Beaven for example when we traded him to Seattle last year. He wasn’t in our top 10 prospect list any longer, but he became one of Seattle’s rop 5.
lol. It would take the value of two first round picks plus some to get Berkman.
We have prospects rated 16-20 who would go in the top round of the draft or in the supplemental round if they were eligible to be redrafted.
WTH do you expect?
You think that the cards trade the guy that is among the very best hitters in all of the NL for a B or C grade prospect?
Im no cards fan but your comment kinda sounds very homerish.
You give up a very good prospect and hope that you make it back to the series try to resign him or atleast offer him arbitration, and potentially let him walk (probably back to the cards) and you are not losing that much ground in the farm if any.
Guy as a cubs fan I want to get pujols for pena and the cards pay his differed payment in january BUT that will never happen like you not wanting to trade 1 of your top 15 prospects for berkman and still getting him.
So it is homerish. Big deal. Almost all of the comments on here are. I am just telling you what I wouldn’t do. If that means we don’t get him then I am fine with that. It is a little premature to judge what I said though if you have no idea how good our #16 prospect is or even who is he. Just because your favorite organization’s #16 prospect isn’t that good doesn’t mean the Rangers #16 isn’t any good. How do you know the Cardinals wouldn’t be thrilled to get our #16 and #17 porspect?
Wouldn’t be worth it for the Cards to just give him away as he is a Type A.
Would definitely have to include atleast one of Texas’s top 15.
Have you looked at what the Rangers can offer the Cards if they offer them both the #16 and #17 prospects. Like I told the other guy, just because your favorite organization’s #16 prospect isn’t that good doesn’t mean the Rangers #16 isn’t any good. They have one of the deepest organizations in baseball. Don’t get hung up over a number until you see who is behind those numbers.
I Know the Rangers have a decent system and the Cards a middle-of-the-pack one but still do your #16 and #17 prospects equate to 2 Top picks we’ll get if (BIG IF) Berkman walks?
I believe we have a first round draft pick from last year that is currently ranked somewhere between 15 and 20 depending on what list you look at.
I never liked Berkman when he was with the Astros. I wouldn’t want him now either. Cruz may be down, but Beltre is almost back and the Rangers have enough guys to make up for Cruz until he comes back.
People will say Cruz’s bat will be missed, but keep in mind that he got moved down in the lineup because his hitting has been off.
So you won’t miss his bat cuz you already miss his bat??
You guys can have Soriano back. His OBP is only 120 points lower than Berkman’s, and he only costs about $60 million more. Sound like a plan?
Only if you throw in Marlon Byrd and cover Byrd’s contract. Oh, and we only want 5% of all revenue for the next 18 months.
I really hope the Cardinals don’t trade Berkman. Even though he has been a life time Astro, He has really became a fan favorite, and a clubhouse leader. Plus I would miss the PumaPounce tags on twitter way to much.
You’d probably be looking at top 10 prospects for Berkman. Probably some cash too. Then STL would have the option to re sign him after the season.
Haven’t the Rangers learned by now that you need good starting pitching to set the tone for your team in the playoffs? Not re-signing Cliff Lee, or not getting another ace, is a major reason they can’t pull away from the Angels.
explain to me where good starting pitching has been(that they could get)
from all accounts the rangers made a very strong offer for cliff lee,
the royals wanted the farm for grienke (kirkman holland perez etc), they
wouldnt part with moreland for garza, and there wasn’t a upgrade at the
trade deadline for the rotation.
You pretty much named all the good starting pitchers available. They were available, it was just up to the rangers not to meet the demands that were asked. But they could’ve had up to 2 of those guys. So if they valued starting pitching over their payroll or farm system, look to Phillies as example, then we’d be favored to win instead of fighting off the angels.
So you would want us to give up the future for a combo of Greinke and Garza? Great idea, we’ll cross our fingers that we win in the next two years then we can go back to sucking for the next ten.
As a Rangers fan, I hate the fact that didn’t give cliff lee 7 years if that’s what he wanted. I understand not wanting to have 24 million tied up in cliff lee when he’s 39, but do you value that more than being in WS contention for the next 4 years? I value the latter more. And you don’t auction off your future by trading away the farm, like the brewers did for Greinke.
The original Rangers offer was for 5 years. Cliff Lee’s camp said “make it 6 and he’s yours”. Well, the Rangers DID make it 6, and Lee’s camp said “make it 7 and he’s yours”. There is no reason to believe a 7th year would have brought him back, because the 6th didn’t and was supposed to.
Example: I’ll mow your lawn for $50. You think about it and agree, then I say, “ok, now give me another $50 and I’ll mow your lawn” How much money are you going to let me milk out of you before I even get my lawnmower out of the back of my truck before you say “my son can do it for free”?
THey don’t need SP, look at that freaking offense!! Arte Moreno/Mike Scioscia/Tony Reagins should take notes on how to build an offense, instead of building a team of horse jockeys..
Rangers have the pitching too, their all just still inexperienced (Harrison, Ogando, Holland, Feliz). Plus you’ve got guys like Perez, Ross, and Hamburger (who’s actually expected to get called up by tomorrow) who are getting really close.
So if starting pitching is the thing that is needed then why aren’t the Angels in front of us since they have Haren, Santana and Weaver? Those are three very good pitchers and yet they are behind us in the standings.
“Rangers COULD consider Berkman”.. Those are Tim Dierkes thoughts.. doesnt say “Ranger are considering Berkman”.
I dont see how this would really make much sense for either side
Well, it would save the Cardinals over a million dollars. It would also give them a chance to get a couple of decent prospects rather than gambling on two draft picks next summer(if they lose Berkman to free agency) that might turn out to be decent prospects or turn out to be duds.
Doesn’t matter now since they called up Leonys Martin… might be hurtin a bit till Beltre gets back, but I’m sure they’ll make due. I doubt fat elvis can hit in the AL any more, given his Yankee record.
The Yankee experience is irrelevant. He didn’t hit for the Astros last year either. He played hurt returning from the DL. This year’s Cardinal experience is consistent with his career and he should have 3 or 4 productive seasons left in him.
Yes but they could move Cruz to LF,Hamilton to CF.
Or they could leave them where they are and play Leonys Martin and Endy Chavez in CF…
How about Lance Berkman to the Rangers for Leonys Martin and Tommy Mendonca
How about Leonys Martin and Tommy Mendonca for Berkman, Pujols, and Jason Motte?