St. Louis Cardinals' first baseman Lance Berkman’s season might well be over – MLB News
The St. Louis Cardinals' first baseman Lance Berkman’s season is over as the knee examination he had indicated he required meniscus surgery. The third baseman has been battling injuries this season.
In May, he had to undergo a similar surgery. When he returned, he was hit by a pitch that slowed down his return in the line-up. As the season progressed, it became clear he had been massively struggling to fight the injury-filled year.
With the meniscus surgery required now, Berkman is formally out of line-up now, prompting the club to look for other options. Just how frustrating this can be for Berkman himself as the team manager Mike Matheny referred to it on Monday while speaking about the matter.
"It's tough on a player who's just been beat up, fighting all season ... just the mental anguish of: Can I do this, now what, what's next, all the hype, then the disappointment. It's just an absolute roller-coaster," Matheny said.
Lance once constituted a powerful part of the offence, making the Cardinals one of the strongest line-ups in the National League Central. But things changed considerably this year due to the injuries that plagued the first baseman.
Berkman also dropped a hint, while speaking on the surgery, that this might well be his last season. But he did say that he was leaving as all his options are open.
Lance referred to the options he had which he opted for, but nothing seemed to work out for him.
"I felt like I've pretty much exhausted all other avenues," Berkman said. "I did the strengthening program, two injections, one in each knee. There were things we tried. It wasn't happening. Unfortunately, this is the last resort. I gave it a go."
The 36-year-old player could appear in 31 games this season, having 80 at-bats, scoring a total of 12 runs and seven RBIs, hitting two homers with a .263 average. With a career average of .296, Berkman has been a key player in the Cardinals' line-up.
As the season is over for him, it will have to be seen if any other player could be a sufficient replacement for him.
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