I’m not a big sportstalk fan, mostly because the radio guys can’t nevah stop talking or interrupting any caller or guest before they hit that all-important 10 second mark. Which is probably why I somehow missed this radio interview Lance Berkman did with the radio guys on 1560 after he had signed with the Cardinals.
What is interesting to me is not just that he confirmed on the record a whole lot of stuff I had said about the Astros Organization (patting self on back here) but he said something I had never heard a player say – that Carlos Beltran actually WANTED to re-sign to with Houston. PREFERRED to stay in Houston. His not being re-signed was on Drayton (not Timmy-poo) not submitting any offer until the last second and then refusing the no-trade until Carlos had already signed with the Mets. It’s not that I hadn’t heard/read essentially that before, but coming from Lance, I almost believe it – I would have liked to ask how it was that Carlos wrote a book called “My First Year In Pinstripes” even BEFORE negotiations began if he really wanted to stay in Houston. Interesting also, that Lance believed Carlos when Carlos told him he loved Houston and wanted to stay. Either Carlos is a great liar or Lance is a guy who takes what he hears at face value. Or Carlos changed his mind.
And yes, I know that I believe if Lance says it on the record, he is speaking what he believes or believes is the truth. Not real too many people in this world whose word I would take, ESPECIALLY a professional athlete who has to watch every word that comes out of his mouth, and I don’t even know Lance personally.
And also that it was DRAYTON who wouldn’t re-sign Andy Pettitte (not Purpura) because he wouldn’t take Andy’s word for it that Andy would not pick up his player option if he was hurt and couldn’t play the second year of a 2 year deal.
He said that he believes that Barry Lamar Bonds belongs in the Hall of Fame and that he, Lance, believes that Barry used steroids and should go in anyway. The radio hosts asked him about McGwire and Sosa but talked over him – dumbasses and so he didn’t really reply, but he said that he’s looking forward to working with McGwire as a hitting coach. He also said on the record that Andy Pettitte is one of his best friends – not was, IS – and this tells me he may not approve of using steroids as Andy did (or lying about it) but he doesn’t think that roiders are Teh Evull as too many BBWAA seem to.
He ALSO said that the Organization never listened to the players/ex-players and told Nolan Ryan they weren’t interested in his input.
Yall should listen to the whole thing – I mean, some of it is boring like them talking about football and other non-baseball/Astros stuff. But check out especially parts 5 and 6.
Oh yeah – after 19 games/78 PA, his line is .377/.449/.723/1.173 which is 26 fer 69 with 9 BB, 9 K, 6 2B, 6 HR, 1 GIDP.
Tags: Houston Astros, MLB
The guy was FAT and content in Houston and displayed zero leadership ability as the face of the franchise (along with Oswalt). Look how he’s playing this year when he got in shape, lost weight, and came into training camp with something to prove. If he was still in Houston, he’d weigh 280, be on the DL with a 230 avg, and his biggest claim to fame would be Carlos the Walrus Lee would be a bigger bust than him.
LSF
please explain what lance would have done if he was a “leader” – seriously, tell me what he would have done in 08 more than he did – i mean before cooper made him run on his injured leg. and take a look at that 09 team and you tell me what exactly a “leader” would/could have done.
- i would like you to show me an example of a “leader” who is given a horrible manager, not particularly good teammates and “led” that BASEBALL team to a pennant. I mean, since division play started in 69
- he was signed to play RF at age 35. THIRTY FIVE. he had to do different kinds of exercises to prepare for the season and with TWO bad knees he had to lose weight if he was gonna run in the OF. do you seriously think that an over 30s professional athlete didn’t train HARD in the offseason? you think he did nothing until this year? what kind of proof do you need? videos?
Hope Lance fouls a ball into the Gallery Furniture Broadcast Booth and beans Milo, The Caotain on his fat noggin, and then ala “The Natural” knocks a bomb over the gas pump. Crying shame that Ed Wade or Uncle Drayton does not have an office with a window where Lance could plant one through, to land on one of their desks. Wished I had heard that crap that Milo was spewing live on 790 this morning, I would have made my first and only call ever to talk radio
I want the astros to win, therefore i hope berkman goes 0 for 4.
me, i want berkman to hit for the cycle, steal 3 bases, make the play of the week catch, but the astros win anyway
I think for me, I don’t believe that Berkman worked hard in the offseasons as an Astro because of articles like this one, where he says that he had never worked 1-on-1 with an athletic trainer until this offseason. I sit at a desk all day and I have a personal trainer. How can an athlete getting paid 8 figures not have personal trainer and an extensive diet.
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/article_21dd4195-2a5a-526b-a659-f9c9efe3c9c5.html
8 months ago I loved Berkman as much as anybody, but I really don’t see how I can respect a guy who rested on his God-given athletic ability and didn’t train hard. He was really really good for us without ever having a personal trainer. But right now at age 35, after working out some, he looks great. Why wasn’t he ever been great for us? Why didn’t he think he needed to work out prior to 2010, to strengthen his legs and protect against injury? I love what Lance Berkman did for us, I guess I want to see him succeed as a person. I’m just furious that the Cardinals are getting something from him that we never did.
‘Stros paid $100M for 10 years of Lance, and he provided over 300 HRs and 1000 RBIs, and OPS close to 1.000, and led the team to the only World Series appearance. That’s a bargain, and there should be no whining.
terence,
i don’t want to come off as a lance apologist, but it is NOT true that berkman did no offseason work. or that he was/is “fat” and i wish he hadn’t laughed off/even encouraged that stuff.
- he HAD to hire a personal trainer to change positions at AGE 35 from 1 B to outfield – and you can’t just DO that no matter who you are at that age without training different muscles
- i don’t know for a certain fact about the clubhouse environment because i haven’t been there – i mean about rehab and the attitude of the club/other guys to injuries, but i know that guys who sit out when something is wrong or they are not really ok to p[lay are spit on as sissies (JD drew) and that his particular club has destroyed more than a few guys in the past few years by insisting or makinging it clear that they go out and play even when they are OBVIOUSly not ok – see morgan ensberg, chris burke, chris sampson, geoff geary, etcetcetc. the only guy who insisted on sitting out when he couldn’t play was luke scott and they shipped his wimpy, sissy ass off to baltimore where he provided more cumulative value for less money than everyone else who has played LF
- to me the question/problem is – how is it that kevin long saw immediately that lance had changed his mechanics to compensate for his leg injuries and neither sean berry nor saint jeff bagwell did? lance had ALREADY fixed problems in stance/swing by the end of past year (see the playoffs)
- and to say that lance was never great for this team – all i can say is you sure have a funny definition of “never great” – have you looked up and seen how he did in the playoffs, unlike saints biggio/bagwell? you see who provided the most runs created year after year? cmon, that is hardly a reasonable complaint
Berkman had a splendid career as an Astro by having only one bad season and some of us begin to complain that he didn’t work hard enough. I think that not having a personal trainer doesn’t mean a athletic doesn’t work hard: We all know that Roger Federer had been the World No. 1 for several years without having a coach, but that doesn’t play down the fact that he knew what was the best for him to keep himself competitive in the business. Besides, having a personal trainer doesn’t make you injury free, but yes to be fair it was not smart to play football in the off-season, that really killed one of his knees.
I want to see Lance hit singles with nobody on and get stranded when he gets on base, so the Astros win and Lance keeps having his outstanding batting avg.
Class act who ain’t done in any way, shape or form for years to come.