Killer B's Hurting - Backe And Berkman

by Stros Bro on Feb 24, 2008 1:21 PM CST in News Comment 23 comments

From here.

Lance Berkman strained an oblique muscle on his left side while hitting left-handed during the first full-squad workout. Brandon Backe will likely be sidelined for a couple of days after he was hit on the right foot by a batted ball while throwing batting practice on Saturday.

X-rays on Backe's foot, taken early Sunday morning by team doctor Tom Mehlhoff, were negative. The club is categorizing the injury as a bone bruise. The right-hander will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.

Berkman joked that he's somewhat pleased that he can use the injury excuse in order to get out of working too hard this spring.

"Hopefully, I can milk it for at least another week and a half," he quipped. "Hopefully, I can use it for an excuse for underperformance. I was a little disappointed last year, not the fact that I hit .278, but that I couldn't come up with an injury to justify it."

Hearing that Back and Berkman were both hurt is scary, but luckily it's not Backe's arm, or Berkman's surgically repaired knee. So no real worries here.

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strained oblique muscle...

requires care and caution. The danger is that a strained oblique muscle can become chronic, or at least require a long recovery period, if the player returns too quickly and strains it again. That happened to Albert Pujols two years ago and kept him out of the lineup for a long time. (Wasn't that one of the many muscle strains suffered by Luke Scott last year?) So, Berkman should take his own advice and take it easy for as long as he wants, if it prevents a recurrence. However, it doesn't sound like they think it is a significant muscle strain. The Backe injury doesn't seem like it is serious.

by clack on Feb 24, 2008 2:28 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Obliques connect to the ribs correct?

The two longest to heal injures I've had have been heel spurs and a rib injury (I'm unsure if I had a strain or my ribs "splintered" as the doc worded it. Whatever, it seemed like a long time before they healed and I could function normally - months for the heel spur, and weeks for the rib

Spring has sprung: Play ball

by Joe in Birmingham on Feb 24, 2008 4:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Berkman -- grrrrrr

Berkman's attitude ticks me off. Last year he whined about spring training and when he performed poorly he said spring training is nothing and he wished he did not have to participate in it. All that matters is the season and he'd be in top form on opening day, promised Berkman. Opening day arrived and opening month passed and the month after came and went and Berkman failed to deliver in critical at-bat after critical at-bat. I wrote during the season Berkman was a major reason the Astros pretty much went into a spiral in the first half of the season. By the time he began putting up Berkman like numbers the season was a lost cause.

And now here he is back with that same ___ attitude.

Spring has sprung: Play ball

by Joe in Birmingham on Feb 24, 2008 4:54 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe I'm overreacting. . .

but this comment annoys me: "Although Berkman spent some time swinging in the cages this offseason, he suspects his recent setback may be partially due to a long stretch of relative inactivity during the offseason, as compared to the every day routine during the season."

Sounds like he showed up out-of-shape again. In pictures, his weight looks relatively stable, but that doesn't mean he's fit. He's getting old enough that it's going to catch up with him (and I vote that it already has).

by Danyah on Feb 24, 2008 4:55 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully Lance's Comments about it

are him just joking, cause that is not a good attitude. I remember Oswalt strained an oblique and missed 2 starts (1.5 weeks??) last year, so it shouldn'e be too bad. I just need him to actually be alive in April and May this year.

Kill the Curse of Enron Field

by juicebox44 on Feb 24, 2008 6:48 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yes Lance is joking

He may not like spring training, but his comments above were in jest.

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Feb 24, 2008 6:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

For Future Reference.....

97.3% of Berkman's comments are sarcastic & joking. It's who he is.

Anyone else remember his comments after Opening Day '06, when Roy-O pitched for a 1-0 win? When asked about the low offensive performance of the team, he said something along the lines of "What, we gave Roy 1 run. All he had to do was hold them to 0. I mean, the guy only works 1 day a week and goes golfing the other days while we have to keep playing games."

by Shake on Feb 25, 2008 3:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Berkman is so talented

And he almost wastes it.

I am almost the exact same size as him. I took a picture with him a year ago and I was stunned. If he tried a little more he could close the gap between him and Bags and Bigs for greatest Stro pos players.

His lack of work ethic really upsets me. The Astros are tied to Berkmans success and if he didn't work hard this offseason to spite losing friends that is very bad news. Because you know he doesn't pick up a weight all season. His body gets worse throughout the year.

I still like Jason Hirsh

by Shamus on Feb 24, 2008 7:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I'm surprised...

by all the hate for Berkman. Can we not wait and see how he performs once the season starts before giving such a hard time?

by Zach on Feb 25, 2008 12:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It's not hate. . .

at least, not on my part. I actually admire Berkman alot, not just for his obvious talent but for his intelligence and wit. And as a Christian myself, I also admire that he is very forward about his faith and tries to walk the walk, from what I can tell through the media. I am not always so gutsy or successful.

However, I do find his attitude frustrating at times. Yes, baseball is a game, and therefore it shouldn't be the focus of his life--I would agree if one argued that his priorities are appropriate. However, it is also his job, one for which he is very well paid. In my job, I must show up ready to work every day. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect him to show up, ready to work (meaning, fit), on day one. Also, from a Christian standpoint, if one considers all one's blessings as gifts from God (as I do), then what does it say that he seems to take those gifts for granted?

Nobody is asking him to turn into a fist-pumping machine. But he often seems to cross the line from laid-back to indifferent. People pay a lot of money to watch him play--is it too much to ask for him to seem to care about that?

by Danyah on Feb 25, 2008 2:43 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

About wasting talent

JD made a great statement in the last game of the season 07. He said something to the effect that,

"Some (national)people think Biggio is overrated because he has played so long and amassed great counting stats. They also thought of him as a hustler or overachiever more than a superbly talented HOFer."

Then he said something like,

He has always hustled and has achieved a lot. He got absolutely everything out of his career that he could. Playing hard all the time."

That is not an exact quote but pretty close without watching it again.

I think that is very true. Biggio worked hard everyday for everything he accomplished in baseball. Berkman may take his hacks but it is clear he has never ever ever trained very hard in his life. I was going to make this very friendly but now I am kinda pissed. Look at how Berkman runs. It is pathetic. He runs like a 7th grade trombone player does with his arms at his sides. He also has no lateral movement. And then there is his "soft" build.

All of this could have been fixed throughout his life. And he could still get a ton of help if he trained with a quality agility trainer and a decent weight trainer on his core muscle groups.

I am by no means a trainer or athlete, just a regular guy that stays in shape. But I am 100% sure no one will ever be saying that Berkman has overachieved with the talent he has been given like they do with Biggio.

I still like Jason Hirsh

by Shamus on Feb 25, 2008 4:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Baseball is my favorite sport

by a mile. and yall know that

I played all sports growing up and follow most now. The one knock everyone tells me, because they know I love baseball, is that baseball players aren't athletes. And it pisses me off to no end. Baseball is the only sport that you can be a professional and not in great shape.

That is why I am always screaming about fat players and the Astros being a fat team, because my friends always point it out. And it is true. Think about how you would look at Carlos Lee or Prince Fielder if you grew up playing basketball and you followed the NBA. The MLB players would look ridiculous to you.

I still like Jason Hirsh

by Shamus on Feb 25, 2008 4:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Say what you want about not

wanting fat players, but baseball is great for that. Its a sport, and it is the only major sport that rewards you for something that cannot be done with extra time in the weightroom. It rewards you for coordination, bat speed and a good eye. Love the game for that. Any game that can turn Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman, and Miguel Cabrera into superstars is pretty cool. LeBron might be jacked, but I doubt he could even hit a foul ball of Peavy. Fat Elvis can!

Kill the Curse of Enron Field

by juicebox44 on Feb 25, 2008 7:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Are you telling me...

those big fat linemen and linebackers in the NFL are more of athletes than Berkman or Lee?

Hey, we have our fat positions (first base, third base, left field) in baseball and we have our slim positions (short stop, center field, second base) too. Tell them to STFU when a NBA center isn't drafted just because he's seven feet tall.

Lee, Pence, HGH in '08

by entropic soul on Feb 26, 2008 5:28 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Berk

Put down the Miller Lite and pick up a dumbell.

by garageinc on Feb 25, 2008 3:05 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

If the Puma can

hit the ball for the first two months this year and adequately field at first base, I could care less whether he lifts any dumbells. Just hit and catch the ball and keep your feet on the bag Lance! You could be drinking a miller lite, and smoking a marlboro on the basepaths for all I care! Just hit the ball in April and May.

Kill the Curse of Enron Field

by juicebox44 on Feb 25, 2008 7:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The point is

last year Berkman did not get rolling until June or July. I blame that on his attitude that he will automatically be in top form on opening day.

If he waits until June to get it going this year, the Astros have another lost season.

Berkman is critical to the Astors success. All we ask is that he prepare himself properly. I think he gives his best during the game (Except for running to first sometimes). He needs to get physically fit in January and February ang get his timing down in February not June.

Spring has sprung: Play ball

by Joe in Birmingham on Feb 25, 2008 8:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Berkman really is critical

to the Astros success, but at least this year the rest of the lineup can buffet a less than stellar Berkman a bit better than last year. Yet, whatever Berkman needs to do, just hope he does it. Lance can be a top 10 player (his '06 and '02 years for instance) and we need that production. At least he's stopped playing church flag football games.

Kill the Curse of Enron Field

by juicebox44 on Feb 25, 2008 9:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Boomer does it

Think about the David Wells, he sits at home downs some suds for a few weeks in the middle of the season and comes in and rips it up. Maybe Berkman is that kind of tallent that condition has nothing to do with his game.

by Small Law on Feb 25, 2008 8:19 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Berkman does work out during the off season

But I have heard, that he'll go work out and then afterwards, eat a whole pizza. ;)

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Feb 25, 2008 8:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

AS long

As it has onions and jalepenos I can't fault him.

Lee, Pence, HGH in '08

by entropic soul on Feb 26, 2008 5:06 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Berkman's batting average in July

was .247

And his Sept. BA was .269.

He didn't just have bad start, he had a bad year, batting average wise.

But his On Base Percentage was at it's highest in August (his best month) with .432 - His SECOND BEST however was April with .404 - Worst... was July with .333 - Again, well into the season.

What sucked was his extra base hits. In each of June, July, August and September, he had more doubles. triples and home runs than in both April (and March) and May combined.

XBH:
March/April/May: 7
June: 13
July: 11
August: 16
Sept.: 13

Was it just bad luck last year?

Lee, Pence, HGH in '08

by entropic soul on Feb 26, 2008 5:19 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

He had a bad year...

yet he still drove in 100+ runs and hit 30+ home runs ;)

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Feb 26, 2008 12:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

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