2012 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[AxlsMainMan]

Lance Berkman eyes return
July 2, 2012, 7:35 PM ET

ST. LOUIS -- Lance Berkman expects to be back in the St. Louis Cardinals' lineup soon after the All-Star break. Maybe even the first day back.

"Yeah, it's possible," Berkman said Monday after joining the team to continue rehab from a right knee injury. "It wouldn't shock me. I'm not banking on it, but at the same time I'm not ruling it out."

The first baseman has been sidelined since undergoing surgery in late May that turned out to be relatively minor. Berkman said that swelling was minimal after the procedure and he began running a week ago, and that his rehab was right on schedule.

"I haven't run into any trouble yet and don't anticipate that I will," Berkman said. "So far, it's worked exactly like we anticipated."

The switch-hitting Berkman took 25 swings of soft toss from each side several hours before the Cardinals played the Colorado Rockies. He'll have to get into baseball shape before taking a rehab assignment and manager Mike Matheny said Berkman hasn't done much side to side movement yet, and Berkman said he wanted to be able to tolerate 100 swings from each side.

Matheny said the timetable was "pretty vague" for the 36-year-old Berkman, the comeback player of the year last season after batting .301 with 31 homers and 94 RBIs. "He looks like he's fit and ready to go, it's just going to be how he responds to every test that we give him."

The Cardinals' first game after the break is July 13 at Cincinnati.

Berkman was batting .333 in just 13 games with one homer and four RBIs. He joked that Allen Craig has done so well starting at first base that he may return as a reserve. Craig was batting .311 with 11 homers, 11 doubles and 39 RBIs in 39 games.

"You don't want to come back and hamper the team," Berkman said. "Heck, I may be coming back as a pinch hitter."

Last year's World Series champions entered the day in third place in the NL Central, 2? games behind the Reds. They've had to weather several injuries, with Chris Carpenter yet to pitch due to a nerve issue in his shoulder, left-hander Jaime Garcia likely to miss another month with a shoulder strain, and the lineup missing Craig and Jon Jay for extended periods.

Garcia and reliever Kyle McClellan begin throwing programs on Tuesday, with McClellan also not expected back until August.

"I think the best baseball is in front of this team," Berkman said.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8124389/lance-berkman-st-louis-cardinals-plans-return-soon-break

[tim_m]

That would certainly be good news for the Cards.

[Falcon]

That would certainly be good news for the Cards.

Tethered by bad, although not unexpected news this afternoon.

Carpenter and the Cards elect for surgery, season over - possibly a career ender.

[tim_m]

That would certainly be good news for the Cards.

Tethered by bad, although not unexpected news this afternoon.

Carpenter and the Cards elect for surgery, season over - possibly a career ender.

Damn, that's just a total bummer. Sorry to hear that Falcon.

[Falcon]

That would certainly be good news for the Cards.

Tethered by bad, although not unexpected news this afternoon.

Carpenter and the Cards elect for surgery, season over - possibly a career ender.

Damn, that's just a total bummer. Sorry to hear that Falcon.

Yep, a bummer for sure - was expecting it though.

Bright siding it, he said he'll do whatever it takes to honor his contract and pitch again but there's no guarrantee, only like a 50% success rate with this surgery.

If he's done for good he goes out on top, the classic 1-0 complete game victory over Halliday and the Phils in Philly in Game 5 of the Division Series and a Game 7 victory on short rest in the World Series.

Multiple time All Star, Cy Young winner, 2 time World Champ - not bad.

Not a HOF'er but a great Cardinal, the most competitive SOB since Bob Gibson to wear the Birds on the Bat.

[tim_m]

Hope he can make it back.

[AxlsMainMan]

Not a HOF'er

What's missing from his resume?

[Falcon]

Not a HOF'er

What's missing from his resume?

Basically 5 years of activity lost to injury is what dooms his chances, just doesn't have the numbers.

[Falcon]

The Futures Game on ESPN 2 late afternoon today fellas, keep an eye on the Orioles youngster Dylan Bundy amongst other notables.

He's slated to pitch early on for the USA team, special interest there for me - he grew up and pitched in a suburb around here and I've followed his rise since he was a high schooler.

Pretty cool.

[tim_m]

The Futures Game on ESPN 2 late afternoon this evening fellas, keep an eye on the Orioles youngster Dylan Bundy amongst other notables.

He's slated to pitch early on for the USA team, special interest there for me - he's grew up and pitched in a suburb around here and I've followed his rise since he was a youngster.

Pretty cool.

That's cool, how good is he?

[Falcon]

That's cool, how good is he?

Consistent mid 90's heater, throws both his breaking and off speed stuff for strikes and has displayed good command.

Depending on which "expert" you buy into, he's one of if not the best righthanded pitching prospect in the low minors.  Pitching at high A now...

[tim_m]

Wow the Yankee defense epic fail the last 24 hours. Holy fuck.

[pilferk]

Wow the Yankee defense epic fail the last 24 hours. Holy fuck.

Crazy.  You NEVER see Jeter make 2 errors within a 2 game span. 

I chalk it all up to anticipation for the AS break.

[tim_m]

Wow the Yankee defense epic fail the last 24 hours. Holy fuck.

Crazy.  You NEVER see Jeter make 2 errors within a 2 game span. 

I chalk it all up to anticipation for the AS break.

I know it never ever happens. The first one was just bad. The second one you can chalk up to the speed of the runner. It was a bang bang play and he had to rush and just botched the transfer. The first one though just inexcusable. You can't not make that play.

[tim_m]

Thought this would interest you, Falcon.

nterleague rivalry games reduced
Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The number of games between interleague rivals such as the Yankees and Mets, Cubs and White Sox, and Dodgers and Angels will be reduced under Major League Baseball's new schedule format for 2013.

Players' union head Michael Weiner said Tuesday that in most instances the rivalry games will be cut from six to either four or three. The new format was caused by next year's move of the Houston Astros to the American League, creating two 15-team circuits and the need for interleague play throughout the season.

"It wasn't fair to have six games against an opponent that other teams in your division didn't," Weiner said Tuesday during a question-and-answer session with the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "The Mets, for example, would say `Why do we have to play the Yankees six times every single year when some of our division opponents are playing teams that aren't traditionally as strong? We understand we've got to play the Yankees every year. That's OK. Why should we play six?"

Teams in a division will play three games each against teams in another division: for example, the NL East vs. the AL Central. The interleague rivalries will be either one three-game series or a home-and-home of two games each, Weiner said.

There will be an exception in years the rivals play the opposite division -- for instance, the Cubs and White Sox would play six times in years the NL Central plays the AL Central.

Baseball's new labor contract says teams will play up to 20 interleague games a year. Weiner says the total is likely to be close to the maximum.

"It may be that you can come up with a more workable schedule by moving up to the higher end of the interleague play range as opposed to the lower end," he said. "So it's not a question that 19 or 20 is much better than 18 in terms of interleague play, it's a question of how to put the pieces of the puzzle together."

A draft schedule has been given to the union, which is studying it before MLB finalizes it ahead of an anticipated September release.

Because of the two 15-team leagues, two clubs will have to open and close with interleague games.

"That's not a plus of the system, but the other plusses of the system, going to 15 and 15, were so overwhelming that we live with that," Weiner said.

Interleague games will be kept to a minimum in the final four-to-six weeks of the regular season.

"A team could have two interleague series in September, but they wouldn't have two away interleague series, so that they wouldn't either have to add a DH or lose their DH for more than three games," he said.

[Falcon]

Thanks Tim, seems to be a step in the right direction.

[tim_m]

I like the reduction of games vs the other division. There's no reason that each division should be playing 6 games a year. Three or four are plenty. If they are serious about keeping interleague they need to spread it around more so that you see more teams you don't typically see. I'd still personally like to see everyone play eachother at least two games a year like other leagues but i doubt it will ever happen.

[tim_m]

What the hell was that attempt by Fielder? Is he really that awful defensively?

[tim_m]

I'm astounded at how disrespectful the fans are being towards Cano just cause he didn't pick Butler for an event that's become really boring.

[Falcon]

Just finished watching "The Life and Death Of Daryl Kile" on MLB Network, extremely well done.

Repeats tomorrow at noon CST, DVR it - it's worth a look.