He's retiring as well: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/p...n=7&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=6.1.1
i don't mind lance speaking his mind if it was just one line. I mean everyone has their one-line reactions. Just like the guy in this thread who said he might come back and beat us later in the season on another team (though unlikely). I hope we don't hear from Lance again on the subject. But I hate to fault a guy for saying what's on his mind when we always criticize guys for being cliche and just saying what's good for the team..
I hear you, but this isn't an isolated thing. Every time the team makes a move, Lance finds the first open microphone and complains into it. This...is getting old.
He is, however, consistent. Every case involves management getting rid of a player... while he defends that player. Had he come out and said "Woody sucks... he needs to be taken off this team", he likely would get even more backlash. Also, if I had to choose between a guy who doesn't give a damn about his teammates vs. a guy who is critical of moves made by management, give me the latter every time.
He doesnt need to get that negative. Im not saying he should lie and always make things seem rosy. But, he can be a little bit more tactful in his approach. Whats the purpose in taking shots at the management? He can just say something along the lines of, "I really liked Woody and I wish it would have worked out." That way, he is defending Woody and not making the team look stupid.
Or...he could be like the rest of his teammates and say nothing. What a novel freaking concept. You don't have to opine publicly when management makes a roster move.
Lance is right, i don't think hes whining. He's just speaking the truth, being outspoken. I do agree that it was a bit premature with Woody being released, but obviously the Astros couldnt wait on him.
Consistently obnoxious is not a good thing, though. Why are those the choices though? None of the other players comment on every move made - why is that not an option?
I don't know about everyone else, but I really enjoy Berkman's candor as opposed to the typical athlete who speaks in obvious cliches and contribute little to none of their own thoughts. I enjoy the honesty, even if sometimes it's a little rough.
I wouldn't mind it if it wasn't for the fact that every time the Astros make a personnel move, Berkman complains to the media.
Woody announcing his retirement blows away Lance's "premature" comment. When the tank is on "E", it's on "E". Lance should discipline his mouth some.
You enjoy Berkman's candor? Berkman's "candor" is getting tiresome. This is AT LEAST the third time he has b****ed about a personnel move, and this time, it took him a whopping hour and a hlaf for him to find a microphone to complain into. It is really weak to take your unhappiness with management and make it public. It is also really weak to continuously throw the organization paying you $15MM a year under the bus.
Biggio gets bashed for speaking in cliche's. Berkman gets bashed for speaking his mind whenever he wants. They need to just start playing games that count... so that the whining about whining about players whining can stop... and the collective masses can go back to simply whining about how the team is underperforming (or in this year's likely case, simply playing up to the poor expectations).
But that's who he is. Just like Biggio and Bagwell were consistently cliche or silent, Lance likes to speak his mind... and does so often. We all know Lance is going to talk. He's not going to NOT talk. Thus, if you have a player that you already know is going to talk... which one would you rather have? Sure, Carlos Lee doesn't talk... unless he's commenting on his own nickname. We've hardly heard anything from Tejada (who actually is one player who needs to explain himself). The media stopped talking to Bourne when they couldn't use the "he was a lifelong Astros fan" angle (he wasn't). Its a boring team... and even though Lance's comments are pretty benign in the grand scheme of things, it still is more refreshing than not to have one player who mixes it up and doesn't necessarily toe the company line.
Its not like Woody is a guy who has been there years through the playoff battles. He was just there ONE season, and performed well only a third of that season. I'm thinking deep down Lance knows Woody didnt do enough to earn a spot on ANY roster, and it was near the end for him, and tough to see a long time vet get told you're no longer a major league baseball player.....so his response was maybe more a "candid clinche" You'd also think as long as Lance has been around he'd have seen it all in baseball. But it shows players have emotions and opinions just like everyone else and they're not all robotically trained to respond "appropriately".
Its not Berkman alone speaking out here. Everyones expressing opinions even the guy that beat out Woody. I guess Roy O should keep his outspoken trap shut also and not speak about teammates in transactions.
Roy doesn't open his mouth every time there is a roster move made. Lance does. That is the difference. I'm pretty sure if we traded Bob Eucker for Babe Ruth, Lance would complain.
Roy has b****ed about the offense on multiple occasions over the past few years. Bagwell was exceptional at pissing & moaning about things over the offseason. Berkman has been outspoken about the breakup of the Stros Christian Clubhouse. Once the season starts, all will be well.
berkman's a funny/interesting guy on the radio so while i could do without some of the things he says, it's ultimately not a big deal.
