Forgive the brevity of this post. After being indisposed for most of the day, I sat down to pen an article while watching some mixed martial arts fights. Unfortunately, after spilling 700 words on the page and scheduling the post, I realized that I had, for all intents and purposes, written a post that closely echoed tom's post from yesterday. Great minds and all that jazz.
So, as tom made the point that the season is, basically, over, I'm going to get a jump on the other authors and ask an offseason question. What do you offer Lance Berkman?
Berkman spoke with Joe Strauss -- I can only assume under duress -- and indicated that he's not motivated by money or statistics but would rather play for a contender in 2012. He includes the Cardinals in that criteria though he is "uncertain" of the clubs plans for next year. With the Cardinals edging Colby Rasmus off the club, they outfield picture is less crowded than it once was with the real need being a right handed centerfield option. Allen Craig does not constitute a right handed centerfield option.
2011 has been an unequivocal success for Berkman who rebounded from a .248/.368/.413 to a .292/.405/.579 picking up .065 points of wOBA in the process. He looked like a player who had gotten old in a hurry and now finds himself in a position that will likely yield a two year contract from someone.
If you're the Cardinals, what kind of contract, if any, do you offer Lance Berkman? 1 year or 2 year? Or do you pass the opportunity to allow Allen Craig to assume responsibilities in right field?