Lance Berkman is already making news as a St. Louis Cardinal.
There is only one problem. The season hasn't started yet.
On Thursday in an interview with a Houston, Texas radio station, Berkman had some choice words about the prospects of the Texas Rangers.
Berkman reportedly let it be known that the Rangers were one of 5 teams that he had considered joining before signing a 1 year, $8 million contract to a be a St. Louis Cardinal.
One of the big reasons he didn't end up in Arlington was that he didn't feel that the Rangers had as good a chance of competing for a World Series title.
"I felt like if they didn't re-sign Cliff Lee that they were going to be an average team, and I feel that's probably what's going to end up happening. It's all about your pitching. I feel like last year was one of those special years where you kind of catch lightning in a bottle and they got hot and they had some guys that I felt like were pitching better than their talent level, and consequently, they had a great year."
Berkman's comments drew the ire of some Rangers, including starting pitcher C.J. Wilson.
But Berkman is very optimistic about the St. Louis Cardinals chances in 2011.
"If there's a better team in the National League, I don't know who they are," he said. "On paper, you can talk about the Phillies, and obviously they have a great pitching staff. But we can pitch with anybody and we can hit with anybody. We have a great team. Everybody ought to be excited, because if people stay healthy, and if guys perform like they have in the past and like they're capable of, we have as good a team as there is, not just in the National League but in baseball. I feel like this is a legitimate World Series contender."
Hopefully once spring training begins Berkman does most of his talking with his bat.
There is only one problem. The season hasn't started yet.
On Thursday in an interview with a Houston, Texas radio station, Berkman had some choice words about the prospects of the Texas Rangers.
Berkman reportedly let it be known that the Rangers were one of 5 teams that he had considered joining before signing a 1 year, $8 million contract to a be a St. Louis Cardinal.
One of the big reasons he didn't end up in Arlington was that he didn't feel that the Rangers had as good a chance of competing for a World Series title.
"I felt like if they didn't re-sign Cliff Lee that they were going to be an average team, and I feel that's probably what's going to end up happening. It's all about your pitching. I feel like last year was one of those special years where you kind of catch lightning in a bottle and they got hot and they had some guys that I felt like were pitching better than their talent level, and consequently, they had a great year."
Berkman's comments drew the ire of some Rangers, including starting pitcher C.J. Wilson.
But Berkman is very optimistic about the St. Louis Cardinals chances in 2011.
"If there's a better team in the National League, I don't know who they are," he said. "On paper, you can talk about the Phillies, and obviously they have a great pitching staff. But we can pitch with anybody and we can hit with anybody. We have a great team. Everybody ought to be excited, because if people stay healthy, and if guys perform like they have in the past and like they're capable of, we have as good a team as there is, not just in the National League but in baseball. I feel like this is a legitimate World Series contender."
Hopefully once spring training begins Berkman does most of his talking with his bat.
Comments
Post a Comment