SB Nation St. Louis - Lance Berkman: Injury Ends Berkman's Season; Career Possibly Overhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49009/stl-fave.png2013-01-06T07:00:51-06:00http://stlouis.sbnation.com/rss/stream/30159862013-01-06T07:00:51-06:002013-01-06T07:00:51-06:00Lance Berkman will get $10 million in Texas
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<p>The Texas Rangers paid Lance Berkman for 2013 nearly as much as the St. Louis Cardinals paid him for 2012.</p> <p><span>Lance Berkman</span> <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2013/1/5/3840456/lance-berkman-texas-rangers-contract" target="_blank">will be taking a $2 million paycut </a>after accepting a one-year contract with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> on Saturday. That's one way to put it. The other way to put it is that the Rangers will be paying Berkman $10 million a year after he played just 32 games in his age-36 season and talked a <i>lot</i> about retiring. That's just $2 million less than the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> paid him in 2011, after he hit .301/.412/.547 in his age-35 season. </p>
<p>Unlike former teammate <span>Roy Oswalt</span>, it looks like Berkman really was serious both about considering retirement and only coming <i>out</i> of retirement for a great, well-paying DH job close to home. The Rangers, who've lost out on a few younger, more-expensive free agents, needed a hitter, and Berkman, even in his lost 2012 season, hit .259/.381/.444 over a little more than a month of plate appearances.</p>
<p>Berkman was an incredible delight to watch, listen to, and otherwise be around as a Cardinal, so I'm happy he'll be around baseball another season. But I was expecting something closer to $5 million than $10 million. Oddly enough, this one also includes a vesting option if he plays 550 plate appearances, so he might be back for yet another round in 2014. Here's hoping.</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/cardinals-rumors-2013/2013/1/6/3841678/lance-berkman-contract-rangers-2013Dan Moore2012-11-04T09:00:59-06:002012-11-04T09:00:59-06:00Lance Berkman, Astros will talk for 2013
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<figcaption>Bob Levey</figcaption>
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<p>The St. Louis Cardinals' former mastermind will try to bring Lance Berkman and the Houston Astros back together for 2013's American League bow.</p> <p>It's one of those odd occurrences that just misses being consequential enough to be an odd coincidence: The man responsible for bringing <span>Lance Berkman</span> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Houston Astros</a> back together for an American League reunion is general manager Jeff Luhnow, lately of his current employers the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a>. Berkman <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/8/25/3268642/lance-berkman-retirement-injury" target="_blank">sounded close to retirement </a>over the summer, as his bad knees obliterated his second go-round with the Cardinals, but he's backed off the existential talk since the season ended. </p>
<p>The Houston <i>Chronicle </i>suggests <a href="http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2012/11/02/astros-luhnow-says-houston-will-contact-free-agent-lance-berkman/" target="_blank">talks are in the early stages</a>--they might not even be talks yet--but the move certainly makes a lot of sense, and not just as a final go-round for a beloved team figure. In 97 plate appearances last year, with his knees rapidly failing him, he still hit .259/.381/.444, a line that would be well above-average for a platoon DH. And in 2011 he was one of the very best hitters in baseball.</p>
<p>Berkman can clearly still hit, and he's clearly still a fan-favorite everywhere he's ever been. If he can clearly walk come March, the Astros would be remiss if they didn't pursue something like this, much as I'd love to see Berkman slide in, say, to the Cardinals' TV color analyst chair...</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/cardinals-rumors-2013/2012/11/4/3597562/lance-berkman-astros-2013Dan Moore2012-09-26T09:02:20-05:002012-09-26T09:02:20-05:00Lance Berkman Injury: slugger still can't swing
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<p>Lance Berkman still has yet to swing a bat since being knocked out of the Cardinals' lineup with injury, and his season is almost guaranteed to be over.</p> <p>The MLB playoffs are quickly approaching, and the St. Louis Cardinals are in the driver's seat for the second and final Wild Card spot in the National League. If they do make it into the playoffs as expected, it looks like they'll officially be doing so without the help of Lance Berkman. The 36-year-old slugger has missed tons of time for the Cardinals this year, but had hinted that a return could be in the books for late in the season if he was able to get himself back into playing form.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/mozeliak-pessimistic-on-furcal-berkman/article_f5e6e700-06fb-11e2-8411-001a4bcf6878.html">Unfortunately, it doesn't look likely that he'll be able to make it back by the Oct. 3 season finale for the Cards, much less the playoffs</a>. He is still under the supervision of a physical therapist and may require a second knee operation before the season is over. In fact, he still has yet to even swing a bat since being sidelined.</p>
<p>Retirement was hinted at by Berkman earlier in the season, including a possible move back to his old college, Rice University. That's starting to look more and more likely with each setback the veteran endures.</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/9/26/3411030/lance-berkman-injury-cardinals-lineupChris White2012-09-11T09:00:48-05:002012-09-11T09:00:48-05:00Lance Berkman Injury: Knee Surgery Will End St. Louis Cardinals Slugger's Season
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> first baseman <span>Lance Berkman</span> is scheduled to have <a href="http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2012/9/11/3314644/st-louis-cardinals-1b-lance-berkman-to-undergo-season-ending-surgery-mlb-2012" target="_blank">season-ending knee surgery Tuesday</a>, possibly also ending the 36-year-old slugger's career.</p>
<p>Berkman has been banged up pretty much all season and had hinted this could be the end even before the latest knee injury. In a mere 31 games with St. Louis in 2012, Berkman has hit .263/.385..450, adding to an impressive career line of .296/.409/.544 with 360 homers and 1,200 RBIs.</p>
<p>DanUpBaby over at SB Nation Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos<a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2012/9/11/3314179/lance-berkman-hall-of-fame" target="_blank"> remembers Berkman's 2011 contributions</a> that helped the team to one of the more unexpected World Series title runs in recent memory.</p>
<p>Berkman <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/9/7/3300246/lance-berkman-injury-retirement/in/3015986" target="_blank">told Fox last week </a>that returning to Rice to help out his alma mater's baseball team and finish school was a possibility if the injury expedites his retirement.</p>
<p><span id="internal-source-marker_0.505040630698204"><i>For more on the Cardinals, stay with <a href="http://www.stlouis.sbnation.com/">SB Nation St. Louis</a> or check out <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Viva El Birdos</a>, and visit <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a> for more news and notes from around the Major Leagues.</i></span></p>
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https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/9/11/3315104/lance-berkman-injury-knee-surgeryKevin Jeffers2012-09-10T19:02:49-05:002012-09-10T19:02:49-05:00Lance Berkman Injury: Knee Surgery Will End St. Louis Cardinals Slugger's Season, Possibly Career
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<p><span>Lance Berkman's</span> discussed retirement all season, but in the wake of his latest knee injury—which will require another surgery, to be performed Tuesday according to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a>' <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/cardinals">official Twitter</a>—his career seems more in doubt than ever. What is certain: To replace him, the Cardinals have<a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/24/3040441/steven-hill-st-louis-cardinals-prospects"> recalled Steven Hill</a>, the right-handed catcher/first baseman/pinch hitter who's 1-7 with a double in limited playing time this season.</p>
<p>If this is the end of the line for Lance Berkman, it surely takes nothing away from his career, both with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Houston Astros</a> and the Cardinals. As an Astro he was consistently among the very best hitters in the National League; as a Cardinal he hit .301 with 31 home runs and saved the Cardinals' improbable World Series run with an RBI single sandwiched forever between those two <span>David Freese</span> moments.</p>
<p>Even with his knee barely functioning Berkman hit this year; in 31 games he'll finish the 2012 season with a line of .263/.385/.450. To date, the 36-year-old is a career .296/.409/.544 hitter, with 360 home runs and 1200 RBI.</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/9/10/3313669/lance-berkman-injury-knee-surgery-retirementDan Moore2012-09-07T09:21:14-05:002012-09-07T09:21:14-05:00Lance Berkman Injury: Retirement Might Land Berkman Back At Rice
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<p><span>Lance Berkman's</span> knee has kept him out of even rehab assignments with his latest injury, and rumors have started to swirl that he is planning on possibly retiring at the end of 2012. With the injury still persisting even as he returns to the Cards lineup, Berkman may be retiring from the Major Leagues in return for a trip back to school.</p>
<p>Berkman told FOX Houston in an interview that he <a href="http://www.myfoxhouston.com/story/19477366/2012/09/06/lance-berkman-may-retire-return-to-rice-university">might go back to Rice University if he retires at the end of the season, to finish his degree and help out with their baseball team.</a> Berkman was named National College Player of the Year while playing for the Owls in 1997.</p>
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<p>Berkman said working as a student assistant for Rice baseball will help him decide what he wants to do in the future after he retires from the game.<br><br>"It would be a good transition for me from a playing career to seeing if I want to purse a coaching career while I'm earning my degree and being able to help Coach Graham," he said.</p>
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<p>Right now, Berkman just wants to help out the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> get to the playoffs. After the season has ended and he can re-evaluate the knee as well as his future, the Cardinals will find out if he will be sticking around or heading back to school.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Cardinals, stay with <a href="http://www.stlouis.sbnation.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #703600; font-weight: bold;">SB Nation St. Louis</a> or check out <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #703600; font-weight: bold;">Viva El Birdos</a>, and visit <b><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.sbnation.com">Baseball Nation</a> </b>for more news and notes from around the Major Leagues.</i></p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/9/7/3300246/lance-berkman-injury-retirementChris White2012-08-28T08:24:25-05:002012-08-28T08:24:25-05:00Lance Berkman Injury Update: First Baseman Struggling In Rehab Assignment
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> first basemen <span>Lance Berkman</span> is making his way back to the Majors after suffering a knee injury that has kept him sidelined since the end of May. So far Berkman is struggling during his rehab stint with the Cardinals Triple-A in Memphis. Through three games Berkman is 1-for-9, has one run, a walk and an on-base percentage of just .200.</p>
<p>Once Berkman is added back to the Cardinals roster he will not likely be at full strength and will be a very expensive backup to <span>Carlos Beltran</span> and <span>Allen Craig</span>, as well as be used as a pinch hitter. With this latest injury being so severe Berkman has said that he is <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/8/25/3267249/lance-berkman-retirement-injury-cardinals/in/3015986" target="_blank">"leaning toward not playing next year,"</a> but added the caveat that he was not 100 percent sure.</p>
<p>Berkman is expected to rejoin the Cardinals in early September once roster sizes expand.</p>
<p><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">For more on the Cardinals, stay with <a href="http://www.stlouis.sbnation.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #703600; font-weight: bold;">SB Nation St. Louis</a> or check out <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #703600; font-weight: bold;">Viva El Birdos</a>, and visit <b><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.sbnation.com">Baseball Nation</a> </b>for more news and notes from around the Major Leagues.</i></p>
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https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/8/28/3273954/lance-berkman-injury-retirementJeremy Mauss2012-08-25T20:22:24-05:002012-08-25T20:22:24-05:00Lance Berkman Injury: Retirement Talks Loom As Berkman Struggles In Rehab Start
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<p><span>Lance Berkman</span> is struggling, along with the rest of the Memphis Redbirds lineup, in his second rehab start in the minor leagues as he attempts to recover from soreness in his right knee.</p>
<p>The first baseman is batting second in the Redbirds lineup Saturday night and saw just two pitches in his first at-bat as he grounded out to the shortstop with no men on base.</p>
<p>In his second at-bat Berkman struck out swinging in six pitches on what appeared to be a hit-and-run call, with <span>Adron Chambers</span> able to steal second on the pitch.</p>
<p>To be fair to Berkman, the Redbirds lineup isn't faring much better against the Albuquerque Isotopes starter <span>Fernando Nieve</span>, who struck out nine batter and allowed just four hits and two runs in six innings.</p>
<p>Berkman is making his second rehab start after going on the DL on Aug. 3 and has stated that he is considering retirement at the end of this season.</p>
<p><i>For more on the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a>, stay with <a href="http://www.stlouis.sbnation.com/">SB Nation St. Louis</a> or check out <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Viva El Birdos</a>.</i></p>
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https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/8/25/3268642/lance-berkman-retirement-injuryBrandon Worley