Don't look now, because it's really boring. But Lance Berkman took 18 more pitches last night, over four plate appearances, bumping his seasonal pitches seen per plate appearance average to a ridiculous 4.67. Berkman came to the Cardinals with the assurance that, even if he didn't really have the power he'd shown in Houston any longer, he'd at least draw a ton of walks, and so far he's done his best to live up to that stereotype until it gets ridiculous.
↵Last year the Cardinals averaged 3.76 pitches per plate appearance, a little below the league average of 3.83. The range extended from Colby Rasmus and Albert Pujols, at 4.04 and 4.03, to Pedro Feliz, who was exceptionally eager to make outs at 3.18. Last year Berkman reached a career high by topping four for the first time; the league leaders were his teammate Brett Gardner and former Cardinals farmhand Daric Barton, who both topped 4.60.
↵What he's accomplished isn't quite so exciting as, say, two home runs would have been to this point. But it's kind of refreshing, with the entire team mired in an offensive slump, to see a hitter who is obviously trying to do an end-run around that mediocrity.
↵I'm still hoping for 20 home runs from Berkman; I like exciting baseball as much as the next guy who grew up watching Mark McGwire. But in the meantime, take Charlie Morton's pitches—please!
↵