Berkman re-signs with STL for 2012

[PrinceEatMeat]

Just saw this on Morosi's twitter. Ends hope of him signing with the Brewers to take over for Fielder.

 

Link

 

Edit: Fixed link. - PA

[pretendastronaut]

A necessary move for them too. Berkman had already said he wanted to stay, and now he can take over first if Pujols leaves.

[sveumrules]

Curious to see the specifics on the deal. After the season he put up he could have easily gotten multiple years at pretty big money I would think. Hopefully the classies had to pay a Gagne-esque premium to bring him back on just a one year deal.

[DuWayne Steurer]

This has to be at least to some degree some Pujols insurance. And fact of the matter is Berkman should NOT be playing outfield. He's been bad out there, and the numbers back it up. I think the Cards are really preparing for Pujols to be walking away.

[pretendastronaut]

The deal is for $12 million with no deferred money. He had signed a one-year deal for $8 million for this season.

 

Link via St. Louis Today

[sveumrules]

Wow. It's refreshing to see someone take less money to stay somewhere that they are already happy but I'm guessing Berkman left at least 25 million on the table by taking this deal.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Yeah, pretty sure Berkman could've gotten at least a 2-year deal somewhere else, maybe 3. Definitely left possibly around $25 million on the table, and possibly more.

[Roderick]

Yeah, pretty sure Berkman could've gotten at least a 2-year deal somewhere else, maybe 3. Definitely left possibly around $25 million on the table, and possibly more.

Definitely? Really? How can you know he won't be able to sign another contract after next year. Maybe he knows he wants to hang it up after another season. Plus how much money do you need to be happy?

 

I agree that this sure seems to point to Pujols leaving. At least we had Berkman in the outfield to look forward to this year. Here's for hoping Pujols stays with the Cards and Berkman has a rundown battery in his wheelchair in RF.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Ennder]

I don't think many teams would trust Berkman to stay healthy for multiple years at this point but there is always that one team willing to do something foolish I guess.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Berkman admitted himself that he could've gotten at least a 2-year deal if he hit free agency. He just chose to sign this one. I think he could've gotten a 2-year, $30 million deal from someone at minimum. Probably could've gotten more money than that, and possibly a third year from someone dumb enough to do it. There's always desperate teams. I'm not saying he needs the money or anything. I applaud him for just staying where he wants to be. Just saying he certainly could've gotten a lot more money.

[TooLiveBrew]

Good deal for STL, keeps a talented hitter in the fold & provides some nice leverage against Pujols. I still have a hard time seeing Pujols leaving the Cards, but long-term that might be better for that franchise than signing an A-Rod type of deal into his mid-40s or something.

[chuckiehacks]

I'm glad we're not going to be tempted to give Berkman multiple years. I worry that age and injuries are going to catch up to him and his performance will drop off dramatically. Oh, wait - that already happened to him in 2010. Somehow he found the fountain of youth on a team with a manager and hitting coach that embrace perfomance enhancing drugs. That could just be coincidence though.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't think you need to break out accusations of PEDs, this is a guy with a HoF-caliber career so far, & he's still only 35 years old*. Seems much more likely to me that he had a fluky bad season last year & is just back within career norms this year than that he popped a pill & remembered how to hit again.

 

* I know we're talking baseball years/age here, but honestly 35 just isn't that old. You can point to tons of guys who have reputations as clean players who were still performing at a high level at 35 or older. Frank Thomas OPSed .926 at age 38, for one example.

 

I think the smart move for Berkman, if he stays healthy through next season, is to sign a 2 or 3-yr. deal with an AL club. At the very least, the option to DH to have some quasi-off days will be big for him as he gets closer to 40, and worst-case for him he can DH full-time eventually.

[chuckiehacks]

I was half-joking about the PEDs, but I was serious about not wanting to give Berkman multiple years. This franchise is in a position where it does not need to spend $12-15MM per year at 1B, particularly one in his late-30s. If they go the Gamel route, you're looking at 75% (and maybe more) of the production at 5% of the cost. If they are not sold on Gamel, there are cheaper options that could get reasonably close to Berkman's production at a fraction of the cost.

 

The Brewers need to redeploy the "Prince money" to other postions, particularly those on the opposite side of the infield. 1B is the easist position on the diamond to fill.

[brewmann04]

So muck for getting him good move by the cards well we still have Gamel

[Invader3K]

It's funny that at the beginning of the season, many thought Berkman was getting close to washed up. Now he's seen as a desirable piece. Good for him.

[davemakovec]

I hope he goes back to washed up, and fast. Good for him.

[craigharmann]

I tried to comfort my friend who is a Card fan with this news while he was complaining about the Cards choking. That way, Al can cripple another franchise. He deleted my post. I think it went well.