Kevin Jairaj – USA TODAY Sports
It’s a tough question that probably shouldn’t be asked. Lance Berkman is 37 years old and his right knee, left hip and herniated disk lead many to believe that he will retire after a long, successful career. He will mainly be remembered for his time with the Houston Astros, but he also helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the 2011 World Series, his first ever. After his stint with the Cardinals, a then rival of the Astros, Berkman went to the Texas Rangers, an in-state rival of the Astros. And yet, an Astro he will always remain.
Astros’ owner Jim Crane has mentioned that he is looking for a power bat, so could it be that the Astros go after Berkman for one more go in Houston?
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Playing for his original club could rejuvenate Big Puma, but it’s hard to ignore the injury problems, and given his age, those injuries are even more of a hindrance.
The major deterring factor is that Berkman would not be around for the long haul. He’d be in Houston for a year, at best, unless he gets healthy all of a sudden. So, it’s unlikely the Astros aim to grab Berkman, since he won’t be around when they start getting competitive.
That being said, a year with Berkman could work wonders for the young guys on the Astros’ roster.
Very few people know and appreciate the Astros more than Berkman, so just to be in the dug out with a guy like that would not only be beneficial to the skill of the young players, but for their appreciation of where they play. Not to mention he played first base, which is the No. 1 position the Astros currently need help at (ignoring the bullpen).
All things considered, it would be a long shot for the Astros to sign Berkman. While many fans would be thrilled to see him return to Houston, many more would protest that he’s a waste of space. He wouldn’t cost much, though, and given that he’d be returning to Houston, he probably wouldn’t ask for too much. But again, his primary benefit would be from an instructional stand point, so hiring him as a coach may be more practical, and there’s no sign whether or not such a position would interest him.
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