Lance Berkman has an assload to say (Clemens, Pettitte, Wade,Valverde)

First of all, I was responding to Major's post, not yours... so take it easy.

Secondly, when people state in THIS thread that they are willing to trade Berkman for simply a #2 or #3 pitcher (or whatever you can get), simply because of these comments, its either because people are super-sensative to player's comments thru the media, or there is a big underestimation of Lance's value as a hitter, not just to the Astros, but to any baseball team. (there is, of course the third option... people are just dumb).

It very much is relevant... and becomes even more so when you in particular say he "failed as a #3 hitter", or "Carlos Lee was very good last year, while Lance was not."

If you had said that in the first place, who knows where this conversation would have gone. But you didn't... and you proceeded to defend the reasons why you thought Berkman was bad, while Carlos Lee was good... and on we went.

I'm fine with stopping this discussion now... but frankly, with the NFL season winding down, and the Rockets being ever-so painful to watch... I'll take any baseball conversation I can get (even if it is an overblown topic about a player not thinking before he talks to the media... which has happened to more level-headed guys than Lance.)

 

I'm glad you're thankful for all that stuff, but it doesn't change the fact that he had a bad year. Yes, he set the expectations for himself - that's what all players in all sports do. If Yao scores 15 pts a game, it's a bad year. If Alston does, it's a great year. If Berkman has a year like last, it's a bad year... for him, of course, but a bad year nevertheless.

 

Not necessarily... sometimes contracts dictate expectations.

T-mac signing for the max in Orlando before he had really established himself led to him having to live up to expectations set by the contract, not by his own performance.

Daisuke Matsusaka had a good reputation coming from Japan... but expectations went through the roof after the deal he signed... and he dissapointed because of it.

Mario Williams had unfair expectations from day 1 simply because he was the #1 pick... and because of the players passed up to take him. His performance was ridiculed each and every game last season because he was not "living up to expectations" (even though people thought he shouldn't have been the #1 pick, which carries all those expectations, to begin with).

Yes... an off year for Lance... which is still better than most people's best years. That needs to be remembered. Also, if he puts up a .900 OPS every year for the next 4-5 years... I'm not going to complain.

I'm just baffled that people say he's overpaid for that year, whereas Carlos Lee makes more than him, but his year is justified even though it wasn't better than Lance's.

It would be one thing if Lance wasn't living up to the contract... but he has one off year, which is still damn productive... and all the good years are basically forgotten, as people feel he's suddenly expendable and not worth it simply because of these comments.

 

Look Nick you need to get of Lance's jock strap and realize that the main reason why people are complaining is because how he is acting (immature jackass). It has nothing to do with his stats, how good or bad a year he had (bad). Now that biggio has retired he is suppose to be the leader of the team. And instead of acting like a leader and uniting the team he is doing the complete opposite. He is taking shots at everybody and creating friction that isn't necessary. Again I am a huge Berkman fan, I always have been, but if he is going to make things worst why keep him. And, yes I was the one who mentioned trading him for a #2 AND #3 starter(s). We don't need someone who is not going to play up to par because he isn't happy with the team that has been organized around him, and who is going to be consistently causing trouble in the clubhouse.