Why Lance Berkman Matters

The Good Ship Astros isn't exactly winning the America's Cup, but it isn't sinking like it was two weeks ago. The Astros are winners of 5 of their last 7 going into this weekend's series against the predictibly horrid Pirates, who roll into town having been beaten by the Brewers by a couple of touchdowns. It would still be a stretch to expect great things from the hometowners this year, but the main reason that they won't be an embarassment is because of the return of the Puma.

Lance Berkman has been the face of the franchise ever since the Bagwell/Biggio generation passed on; for good or for ill, he's The Man. All of the frustrating qualities (the aloof demeanor, forgetting how many outs there are in the inning, the baserunning gaffes) as well as the strengths (he's a reliable .300/35/130 hitter when healthy, and is better in the field than people give him credit for) are what you get. He's nothing if not consistent. Since coming back this week, the team is 2-1. They were 3-9 before his return.

So getting to the point: Lance isn't just the most recognized member of the team, he's the key to its success. And his contributions aren't limited to his personal stat line; his presence makes everyone around him better. I think you'd be hard pressed to make the case that he's a clubhouse leader of the caliber that Bagwell was, but on the field, his presence has several important positive effects.

First, he takes pressure off of Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence. While Berkman was recovering from knee surgery, Pence batted third with Lee in his familiar cleanup spot. Both Lee and Pence struggled early, batting well below the Mendoza Line. Pence is not (and from all indications, never will be) an ideal #3 hitter: despite his power, he's a free swinger and does not force pitchers to give him good pitches. Throw him three consecutive sliders, and he's probably walking back to the dugout. Which brings up Lee, not with a runner on base, but all alone with no one but Pedro Feliz or Geoff Blum behind him. Pitchers can then pitch around Lee to get to the weaker hitters. Lee, frustrated, starts swinging at crap pitches himself. Hello, 0-8.

Berkman's return allows Pence to bat in the more ideal #5 spot. Berkman can't be fooled to the degree that Pence can, making it more likely that Lee will have runners to drive in when he bats. Moreover, having Pence behind Lee forces pitchers to throw to Lee, because Pence is more likely than Feliz or Blum to make them pay for pitching around Lee. .300/35/140 is great, but a better balanced lineup is priceless.

The lineup isn't the only place where Berkman's return has an impact. Blum and Feliz put on their first base mitts to cover for Puma's absence. Feliz was signed to be the everyday 3B, and Blum is best suited to being a super-sub off the bench, able to play any infield position. Moving Blum back to the bench gives manager Brad Mills another seasoned switch-hitting pinch hitter to compliment Jason Michaels and Cory Sullivan. Also, Feliz is no spring chicken, and will need the occasional day off; Berkman's return reduces the demands on his time.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen how healthy Berkman will be this year. He turned 34 this year, and is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning. For all his quirks, he's been a great guy, a hilarious quote waiting to happen, and a good role model. His final year at Minute Maid Park, whenever that is, will leave a big hole in the lineup that goes far beyond the statistics that he takes with him.
---
Photo: flickr user sulla55