The Cardinals and free agent Lance Berkman have agreed to terms on a 1 year deal reportedly worth 8 million dollars. There are no options and the contract will be fully guaranteed.
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has Tweeted that the Cardinals are now set with their lineup for the 2011 season and will not make any further moves, barring an injury.
In other words… MERRY CHRISTMAS Cards fans!
The ‘Big Puma’ is coming off the worst year of his career. A year that also saw him get moved to the NY Yankees and promptly get marginalized during their ALCS run. On the other hand, Berkman is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate that has historically had a high .OBP and is only 34, 35 when the season starts.
The Cardinals aren’t locked in on Berkman past 2011, so at the end of the day both the Cards and Berkman are hoping this move is the one that will spark a nice season a 2-3 year extension and/or contract from another team. He also ads a LH bat to a line-up that was often trotting out 8 RH’s and Colby Rasmus.
So, here’s the projected line-up as of 12/04/10
1. Shumaker (2B)
2. Berkman (LF)
3. Pujols (1B)
4. Holliday (RF)
5. Freese (3B)
6. Rasmus (CF)
7. Molina (C)
8. Pitcher
9. Theriot (SS)
We’re still looking for the .OBP that plagued the Cardinals in 2010 with Shumaker and Theriot bookending the 1 & 9 spots, but we assume the best.
Berkman should theoretically do well before Pujols and Holliday. And if he’s serious about his diet and workout as he’s claimed, then this could be pretty awesome.
Only thing left to do is get the situation done…
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