Like this qualifies as news, but hey, we needed something to do other than hit refresh on Twitter. Berkman is preparing himself for Free Agency following this season, as it's unlikely anyone will be real interested in paying him $15 million next year.
Berkman:
"I haven’t gotten any indication that they are going to pick it up, so I think the chances are that I will be a free agent at the end of the year. It’s not concerning, but it’s certainly a position that I’ve never been in before in my career. Knowing the kind of year that I’ve had, I’d say they probably won’t pick it up. But I don’t know that for sure."
Oh, I think you do...
In McTaggart's notebook we read this:
Berkman would like to remain in Houston and hopes the club will chalk up his struggles to missing most of Spring Training and the first two weeks of the regular season after undergoing knee surgery.
"There were some extenuating circumstances where they may feel like I'm not a declining player, but just some circumstances that have kept me from performing the way I'm used to performing," Berkman said. "It's all in their court. That's the power of a team option."
So. What do you think? Can you blame this season's struggles - which are oddly similar to last season's struggles - on missing three weeks of Spring Training and two weeks of the regular season?
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
