It has been an injury-plagued season for Lance Berkman, who re-signed with the Cardinals last winter after hitting .301/.412/.547 and drawing MVP votes while helping St. Louis to the World Series in 2011. The 36-year-old slugger told Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch that right now he's leaning towards hanging up his spikes after the season…
"I don't want to rule anything out," said Berkman. "But if you asked me right now I'm leaning toward not playing next year. I don't want to say for certain because I don't want to do like Brett Favre and say, 'I retired; I'm not retired; I'm retired; I'm not retired.' I don't want to make that call right now, but if you put a gun to my head and demand an answer today I would tell you I'm probably not going to play next year."
Berkman is currently on a minor league rehab assignment in advance of rejoining the big league team in September. He's rehabbing from a right knee injury that required surgery earlier this season and was then re-aggravated on a hit-by-pitch. In 90 plate appearances this year, Berkman has put together a .267/.389/.467 batting line with two homers. He's admitted to considering retirement at several times in the past.
I love this guy. Never afraid to speak his mind, and it’s usually what the fans are thinking as well. I’d love for him to become an analyst when he decides to hang it up. He’d be baseball’s Charles Barkley…except right a lot more often.
If so, its been fun watching the big puma!
Class act! Wish we had more guys like you in the game.
Good luck…. It was fun even when he was on the other side. Hopefully he can come back for one more post season run. This time as a potent bat off the bench…..
As an Astros fan I cannot thank Berkman enough for what he did for the organization. Wish he could have gotten a ring here though. As a side note I love how everyone who is thinking about retirement refers to not wanting to to what Favre did.
After such a fantastic season last year, it’s sad for him to go out like this.
I would really hate to see him leave. Ideally, he’d return as a DH for a few seasons. I mean, we see Chipper Jones getting so much praise, but Berkman was slightly better offensively on a per-game basis. It’s just that Chipper’s managed to play 5 more years than Berkman. If he stuck around and was productive for 2-3 more years, I think he’d be an obvious Hall of Famer.
Whatever happens, good luck to him.
how about next year for the astros, Brad Ausmus – Manager… Craig Biggio – 1B coach…. Lance Berkman – 3B coach….. Roger Clemens – pitching coach…… Jeff Bagwell- Hitting Coach
A lot of talented former major leaguers right there. Wonder how good a staff they would be.
Why’d you post this twice under two different names?
how about next year for the astros, Brad Ausmus – Manager… Craig Biggio – 1B coach…. Lance Berkman – 3B coach….. Roger Clemens – pitching coach…… Jeff Bagwell- Hitting Coach
2005 called, and wants you to return their nostalgia, please.
I’d take Berkman as a hitting coach over Bagwell (although both were great hitters), but otherwise it could be a fun idea. They’d probably sell a few extra tickets just based on people wanting to see the coaches.
Astros need a DH next year. Play one more year then call it quits.
Will be sad if he does. Big Puma struggled with the Yankees but had a Renaissance season in Right Field last year with the World Series Champion, St. Louis Cardinals. The hope entering the year was that he would fill in admirably at first base along with Allen Craig. Unfortunately, this didn’t work out due to an injury plagued campaign. Personally would have enjoyed seeing Berkman take a one year deal to finish his career in the AL as a 1B/DH with Houston, But if he retires he has had a great run and a nice career.
With the shape his knees are in he leans towards everything
Cards fan here. Love the guy, would also love to see him finish as an Astro under the new Luhnow regime. Could give the fans something to enjoy as they rebuild, even if it was something as light as a home-only DH. Some analyst position would be great too. Most enjoyably honest sports figure I’ve ever seen.
Here’s to hoping he gets a proper send-off in St. Louis. Without him, no championship. His play in that series was pitch perfect. I never dreamt I’d be cheering for Berkman in 2005. Against him, you feared his every swing; when he was on your team, he was a knight in shining armor.
I really love Lance Berkman, not only for what he did to help the Cardinals last year, but for the kind of man he is both on and off the field. I hope he decides to make St. Louis his home if and when he retires.