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| Alyson Footer of MLB.com is reporting that the Astros have hired former Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills as their new manager. |
Our View: They decided not to go with Houston retread Phil Garner. Mills has never before managed in Major League Baseball. The Astros will be coming off a 74-88 season with many aging parts on offense and gaping holes in both their rotation and bullpen. It could be a long first season in Texas for Mills.
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| Lance Berkman went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk in the Astros 5-1 loss to the Mets on Saturday. |
Our View: The Astros slugger is hitting just .274 this season and is on pace to compile his worst batting average total since his rookie year when he only played 34 games.
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| Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 and cracked his 25th homer of the season in the Astros 7-4 loss to the Phillies on Tuesday. |
Our View: Berkman is having a down season, but is coming on as of late. After hitting just one home run in all of July and August combined, he's now popped seven in the season's final month and has driven in 13.
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| Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 with a single and a two-run homer off Pedro Viola in tonight's 10-4 loss to Cincinnati at Minute Maid Park. |
Our View: Berkman collected his sixth homer of September, but is only hittig .239 over 67 at-bats. He has 24 homers for 2009.
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| Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 with a single and a solo homer off Kyle Lohse in Monday's 7-3 loss to the Cardinals at Minute Maid Park. |
Our View: Berkman hit a homer in five of his last nine games, and has 23 for 2009. He is generating good power right now, but is still only batting .246 this month.
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| The Houston Astros have fired manager Cecil Cooper, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: The Astros looked lifeless in enduring a weekend sweep in Milwaukee, and have dropped seven straight overall to fall to 70-79. Cooper's tactics have been questioned by many in 2009, and it's probably good the team got his inevitable firing out of the way now instead of prolonging it any longer. Maybe the team will finally loosen up in its final 13 games, and you can get some decent fantasy production out of the likes of Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada, Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence. Third base coach Dave Clark will finish out the season as manager.
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| Lance Berkman went 1-for-4 with a solo homer off Chris Narveson in tonight's 3-2 loss at Milwaukee. |
Our View: Berkman launched a homer in four of his last six games, and has 22 for 2009. He has a hit in six of his last seven games as well.
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| Lance Berkman was a late scratch from the Astros' lineup on Tuesday with back spasms, according to the Houston Chronicle. Berkman is expected to be out until at least Friday with the injury. |
Our View: Berkman said his back locked up on him Monday after the team's game, and he must be in some pretty serious pain. Find another option until the weekend, and check back to make sure he is back on Friday.
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| Lance Berkman provided all the offense the Astros could muster on Sunday with one swing. His solo homer in the ninth inning off Pirates closer Matt Capps was the only tally in the 2-1 loss. |
Our View: Berkman now has 21 home runs on the season and has hit three in his last four games. It appears his power stroke is heating up, but it's too little to late for the floundering Astros.
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| Lance Berkman hit his first home run since July 9th in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Braves. |
Our View: Berkman was 2-for-4 in the game and drove in three (all coming via the long ball). He now has just 19 homers this season and 69 RBI and is on pace to have his worst statistical season since his rookie year in 2000.
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| Lance Berkman was productive in Sunday's 7-5 loss to Arizona at Minute Maid Park, as he went 2-for-4 with two RBI. He hit a single and a double. |
Our View: Berkman is hitting .342 over 38 at-bats this month, but only has five RBI over the span. He ranks third on the Astros with 60 RBI for 2009.
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| Lance Berkman was 0-for-2 with two walks in his third game since coming off the disabled list, as the Astros lost 11-2 in Milwaukee. |
Our View: The Big Puma has reached base seven times in three games since being activated, and looks like he hasn't missed a beat.
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| Lance Berkman went 1-for-4 with a run in his second game off the DL on Thursday in Houston's 7-2 loss at Florida. |
Our View: The Big Puma didn't have a big offensive night one day after his explosion, but neither did any other Astro. Berkman is 100 percent to be reinserted into your lineup.
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| Lance Berkman didn't miss a beat in his return to the lineup on Wednesday, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in the Astros 14-6 win in Miami. |
Our View: Well, that should answer your question about whether or not he's ready to get back into your lineup every day. He is.
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| According to the Twitter page of Houston Chronicle reporter Richard Justice, the Astros have activated first baseman Lance Berkman off the DL. Berkman is scheduled to be in the lineup tonight against the Marlins. |
Our View: Berkman has wanted to play for a few days, and now it looks like the team feels as if he is ready to go. He should be safe to deploy in all fantasy lineups tonight, so if you need him get him in.
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| According to the Twitter page of Astros' beat writer Brian McTaggart, Houston first baseman Lance Berkman will not play on Tuesday. It had been reported that Berkman could be activated on Tuesday. |
Our View: McTaggart said that Berkman grumbled at him, so he must not be happy about not being able to go today. It should still be soon, but Berkman owners will have to wait a bit longer. We will keep you updated on his condition.
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| The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Astros' first baseman Lance Berkman is expecting to be activated by the team as early as Tuesday. Berkman will take grounders and run on the field on Monday, and if all goes well he could be ready by Tuesday. |
Our View: It sounds like Berkman is close, but he did mention that he hasn't run at full speed yet, so a Tuesday activation isn't a sure thing. Check back tomorrow to be sure, but if he isn't ready to go then it shouldn't be long until he is.
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| According to the Houston Chronicle, Lance Berkman experienced "plenty of soreness" after running for the first time on Tuesday and likely won't return to the Astros when his DL stint is up on Friday. |
Our View: Berkman stated that he wants to be 100 percent before pushing his calf injury and risking a serious setback. Looks like it may be next week before the 'Stros get him back.
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| As expected, Lance Berkman has been placed on the 15-day DL with a strained left calf muscle, according to the Sports Network. Infielder Edwin Maysonet was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock to fill his roster spot. |
Our View: The ailment has bothered Berkman since July 16, and admitted that it is best for him to be shut down on the DL. He is looking forward to returning to action in a couple of weeks.
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| According to Richard Justice's Twitter account, the Astros are placing Lance Berkman on the disabled list. |
Our View: Berkman has been limited to pinch hitting duty because of a severely strained left calf, and it looks like it finally got the best of him. The 'Stros feel it's better to give him time to let the injury heal 100 percent, rather than keep trotting him out their while he's ailing and risk further injury. No word yet on who is being called up to take his place, but make sure you DL Berkman in your league and try to find a quasi-suitable replacement ASAP.
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| Lance Berkman appeared in Wednesday's game against the Cardinals as a pinch hitter. He singled in his only at-bat. |
Our View: Berkman, who has been sidelined five of the last six games with a calf strain, was removed for a pinch runner after singling in Wednesday's contest. The Astros have an off day Thursday, so he should be able to rest up a bit and may play in the weekend series. Condsider him day-to-day right now.
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| Contradicting an earlier report, Alyson Footer of MLB.com now says Lance Berkman is not in the Astros starting lineup on Tuesday night, and will be out 2-3 days with a grade two left hamstring strain. |
Our View: He will be available to pinch hit. It seems unlikely that he will land on the DL, but watch out for updates.
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| Lance Berkman is in the Astros lineup against the Cardinals tonight, likely indicating that the MRI on his left hamstring came back negative on Tuesday, according to Alyson Footer of MLB.com. |
Our View: The Big Puma looked pretty banged up yesterday, but must not be suffering from anything too serious. Get him in your lineup, even though he's hobbling, as he has famously punished Cardinals pitching. Todd Wellemeyer going for the Birds also works heavily in his favor.
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| Lance Berkman is slated for an MRI Tuesday to determine the extent of his left calf strain, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: He returned to the starting lineup Monday, but his ailing calf has been bothering him for the past several days. GM Ed Wade noted that the MRI is precautionary.
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| Lance Berkman is back in the Astros lineup on Monday, and will bat his usual third, according to Alyson Footer of MLB.com. |
Our View: The Big Puma had missed three straight games with a calf injury. It's likely still bothering him, but he should be in your starting lineup unless you have a really good alternative.
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| Lance Berkman sat out his third straight game on Sunday, and could undergo some tests on his ailing left calf if it does not improve soon, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: Berkman's injury comes at a terrible time for the Astros (not that there is ever a good time for him to get hurt, as he had finally heated up after an awful start to 2009. He has been available for pinch hitting duties, however, and if the injury improves at all on Monday, he is likely to go as the Astros start a crucial three game series with the Cardinals in Houston. Stay tuned for an update before game time.
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| Lance Berkman may return to the Astros' lineup Sunday against the Dodgers, according to MLB.com. He exited Thursday's game with a minor left calf strain. |
Our View: Berkman would like to return to the diamond ASAP, and noted that there is a decent chance he can play Sunday if his ailment improves enough between now and tomorrow.
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| According to the Houston Chronicle, Lance Berkman injured his left calf in the eighth inning of Thursday night's game. |
Our View: Berkman seemed concerned about the mild strain and he looks to miss a few days. He had this to say after last night's game, "It's been bothering me for a while, to be honest with you. It's been manageable, but it's as hard as I've run in a while. It doesn't feel great, but hopefully in the morning it will feel better." Darin Erstad will likely play first if Berkman isn't up to snuff.
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| Lance Berkman went 1-for-4 with a single and an RBI in tonight's 13-2 loss to the Nationals at Minute Maid Park. |
Our View: Berkman is hitting .351 with eight RBI over 37 at-bats so far this month. He leads the Astros with 18 homers and 55 RBI.
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| Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored in tonight's 9-4 win over the Nationals at Minute Maid Park. He hit two singles and a three-run homer off Mike MacDougal. |
Our View: Berkman extended his hitting streak to 11 games, and continues to lead the Astros with 18 homers and 54 RBI.
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| Lance Berkman finished Wednesday afternoon's game 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored, and two RBI. The Astros beat the Pirates by a score of 5-0. |
Our View: Berkman has been a solid performer for the Astros after a slow start to the season, and he is hitting .273 with 17 homers and 51 RBI. He is still a solid play in all leagues, and should continue to be so all season.
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| The Astros/Padres game Thursday afternoon at Petco Park has been delayed after a swarm of bees stormed the field. |
Our View: A truly bizarre sight. The Astros were winning 6-1 at the time of the invasion. A beekeeper is en route, and the game is expected to resume soon.
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| Lance Berkman had a nice day against Detroit on Saturday, going 2-for-4 with two RBI, one run, a double and a stolen base. |
Our View: Berkman has two stolen bases over the past three days and has also gotten his batting average back on the right side of .250, which should go nowhere but up from here on out.
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| Lance Berkman had his first multi-home run game game of the season on Thursday, swatting two homers and driving in four as the Astros beat the Royals 5-4. |
Our View: Berkman now has 16 home runs and 42 RBIs in 2009, but is still batting just .248. A year ago on June 25, the Big Puma was hitting .360. Hopefully for his owners, he can ramp up his run production while also raising his average, and resemble more of the Berkman we are used to seeing.
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| Lance Berkman did not start for the Astros on Tuesday against the Royals after he chose to be late to the ballpark to be with his wife after the birth of their fourth daughter on Monday, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: He did record a ninth inning pinch hit off of Royals closer Joakim Soria, but the Astros still lost 2-1. He is scheduled to play on Wednesday.
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| Lance Berkman went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer off Jon Garland in Saturday's 6-4 win at Arizona. |
Our View: Berkman collected his 12th homer of 2009, and No. 300 for his career. He needs four more RBI to reach 1,000.
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| Lance Berkman's home run Tuesday night was the 299th of his career. |
Our View: Berkman's 300th home run shouldn't be the last "hundred" he gets to, either. Although he has been struggling some this season, he is still an elite fantasy player and has raised his average 86 points since May 1. He should finish up with around 25 home runs and 100 RBIs.
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| Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 and recorded the Astros' lone RBI in Tuesday's 7-1 loss to the Cubs at Minute Maid Park. |
Our View: Berkman ended a four-game slump without an RBI, and only has 33 for the season. He has a hit in seven of his last eight games.
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| Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Rockies at Minute Maid Park. |
Our View: Berkman recorded his 10th multi-hit game of the season, but is only hitting .238.
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| Lance Berkman was 2-for-5 with a home run, a double, two RBI, and two runs scored as the Astros lost to the Reds 8-5 on Monday. |
Our View: Berkman was 0-for-8 in his last two games, but he is still hitting .301 in May compared to just .162 in April. He is hitting .293 on the road and just .167 at home. However, he has hit five home runs both on the road and at home.
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| Lance Berkman was 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBI, and a run scored in the Astros 6-5 loss to the Rangers on Friday. |
Our View: Berkman has looked like his old self of late as he has raised his average from .184 to .239 over the last nine games. He has reached base 22 times in that stretch and accounted for nine RBI.
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| Lance Berkman went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, a run scored, and an RBI in Sunday's 6-5 win over the Cubs. |
Our View: Berkman has reached base 13 times in the last four games and he seems ready to bust out of his early season struggles. There's still plenty of time left in the season for Berkman to re-emerge as one of the top offensive options in fantasy baseball.
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| On a night where the Astros banged out 24 hits, Lance Berkman had a 4-for-4 game, scored three runs and drove in two. The Astros were on the winning end of the slug fest 15-11. |
Our View: Berkman has been awful this season, but tonight showed a glimmer of hope. He's too talented a hitter to go on slumping like he has been, but he struggled down the stretch last season after having an MVP caliber first half. Looks like it carried over to 2009.
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| As expected, Lance Berkman returned to the Astros' lineup Tuesday following his bout with a sore left wrist, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: He batted in his usual No. 3 spot in the order, and went 1-for-4 with a single. Berkman should be fine to pencil back into fantasy lineups.
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| According to the Houston Chronicle, Lance Berkman is expected to be back in the Astros' lineup on Tuesday after missing the last three games with a wrist injury. |
Our View: Berkman took some swings in the cage on Monday and said he is feeling much better. Wrist injuries can always be a bit unpredictable for hitters, so it may take Berkman some time to start hitting effectively. Feel free to put him in your lineup tonight, but a wait and see approach may be better with Berkman at this point.
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| Lance Berkman has missed three straight games with a sore left wrist, but noted that he is feeling better, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: The team re-signed Jason Smith for depth in case Berkman is not ready to return Tuesday when the Astros start a three-game set with the Rockies at Coors Field. We will keep you posted on his status.
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| Lance Berkman will miss his second straight game Saturday while nursing a sore left wrist, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: He was only able to take one dry swing prior to the game due to the pain, and it seems likely he will be out for Sunday as well. Darin Erstad could fill in at first base until Berkman is ready to return.
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| Lance Berkman was scratched from Friday's lineup due to a sore left wrist, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: He was replaced at first base by Darin Erstad. Berkman is listed as day-to-day.
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| According to the Associate Press, Tuesday's game between the Astros and the Nationals has been suspended. The score is tied 10-10 in the 11th inning and will be resumed on July 9th in Houston. |
Our View: Due to the fact that the Astros aren't scheduled to return to Washington again this season, the Nationals will be the home team when the two clubs resume play in Texas.
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| Lance Berkman won't be in the lineup for the Astros on Wednesday. He took early, extra batting practice during the day, and he is sitting in order to take a mental break. "It stinks to stink," Berkman tells the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: As fantasy owners know all too well, this slugger has had an awful April, and it's clearly wearing on him. A day or two off may be a good thing.
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| Lance Berkman is hitting just .186 on the young season though there is no hint of an injury limiting his performance, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: Berkman has been striking out in nearly a third of his at-bats (he usually strikes out once every five), and he has been terribly unlucky with a .194 BABIP (career .325). It's far too early to panic, but dating back to the All-Star break last year Berkman is hitting .244-11-39 in 73 games, and that's awful production for the star.
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| According to the Houston Chronicle, Lance Berkman has begun taking early batting practice with hitting coach Sean Berry. Berkman is trying to break out of his early season slump in which he is hitting .205. |
Our View: It seems like early batting practice could do this guy some good. Berkman has struggled mightily so far in 2009, but the guy can still hit so he should be able to bounce back. The early BP will hopefully hurry that process along.
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| Lance Berkman hit his third home run of the season against the Reds on Monday. |
Our View: While it was nice to see Berkman leave the yard, he still went just 1-for-4 and was unable to do much to boost his .205 batting average this season. Hopefully his homer on Monday can serve as a jump-start to his production at the plate.
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| Lance Berkman went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in the Astros 6-3 win over the Pirates on Thursday. |
Our View: Berkman has had a bit of a rocky start this season, but we fully expect him to have another strong season. Regardless of the hitters around him, his power and average make him a dangerous fantasy player.
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| Lance Berkman was pleased with the progress of his left shoulder following batting practice on Tuesday, according to the Houston Chronicle. He has not played since Friday due to biceps tendinitis, but he could be available to hit in Wednesday's game. |
Our View: Berkman should be ready for opening day, but there is a chance that the ailment dogs him throughout the season.
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| Lance Berkman may return to the diamond today against the Braves, according to the Houston Chronicle. He has been dealing with biceps tendinitis in his left shoulder, but he said, "I was very concerned about it, but it certainly feels better Monday than it did (Sunday), and that is always a positive." |
Our View: Berkman wants to serve as a DH, but manager Cecil Cooper does not intend to use one, so Berkman is more likely to return Wednesday. Either way, it sounds like he will be ready to go for opening day, assuming his tendinitis does not get worse.
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| MLB.com reports that Lance Berkman hit off of a tee on Monday and could return to game action as soon as Tuesday. The first baseman was diagnosed with tendinitis in his left triceps over the weekend. The injury seems to bother him more when hitting right handed and he feels that he could avoid further pain by keeping both hands on the bat when hitting southpaws. |
Our View: Tendinitis is not something that disappears with much ease. Don't be surprised if Berkman takes an extended trip to the DL if the ailment continues to worsen throughout the course of the season. An Astros lineup without Berkman would seemingly hurt the value of every player on their roster.
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| Lance Berkman will miss at least two days while recovering from biceps tendinitis, according to the Houston Chronicle. He could barely lift his fist past his shoulder this morning. He said, "It is not pending surgery, I do not think, but it is more painful and worse than I initially thought it was going to be." |
Our View: The injury isn't structural, and skipper Cecil Cooper is not too concerned. If needed, a cortisone shot could be given to speed his recovery.
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| Lance Berkman was scratched from Houston's lineup on Saturday due to bicep tendinitis, though the injury is not serious and he's listed as day-to-day, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: Manager Cecil Cooper stressed that the injury was nothing to worry about and that part of the reason for keeping Berkman out was to get Darin Erstad some extra at-bats. This doesn't appear to be anything that would merit docking Berkman down on your cheat sheet for.
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| Lance Berkman cracked a pair of home runs on Monday against the Marlins. He finished the day 2-for-4 with three RBI. |
Our View: Berkman now has three home runs during what has been a slow exhibition season for the slugger. Still, he could bat 0-for-spring training and still be a widely coveted fantasy commodity.
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| Lance Berkman went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in Friday's 4-2 win over Cincinnati. That marks his first homer of spring training. |
Our View: Berkman has not been impressive in spring training, but his fantasy stock remains strong as a top-5 first baseman.
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| Lance Berkman has a rough day at the plate against Venezuela. He was 0-for-3, leaving three men stranded. |
Our View: Back in action after nursing a sore left shoulder, Berkman should return to form shortly. He's still a strong fantasy option at first base and will likely be drafted in the top-5 at the position in all leagues.
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| Lance Berkman returned to action Thursday after sitting out Wednesday with a sore left shoulder, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: Berkman looks to be fine, and his fantasy stock holds strong as a top-8 first baseman.
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| Lance Berkman will sit out today's Grapefruit League opener against the Nationals for precautionary reasons as he is dealing with soreness in his left shoulder, according to MLB.com. He said, "It is a little bit sore, but it is not a problem. You start to throw and have not thrown in a while, it might be a little bit sore." |
Our View: He expects to play Thursday against the Braves, and his fantasy stock holds strong.
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| Lance Berkman has been named the Astros' MVP for 2008, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: Berkman batted .312 last season with a .420 OBP, while collecting 29 homers, 106 RBI, 114 runs, and a career-high 18 stolen bases. He should once again rank as a rock solid fantasy first baseman for 2009.
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| The Houston Chronicle reports that Lance Berkman admitted that he has underperformed throughout September. "The numbers look pretty good, but remember that scene in Vacation where Chevy Chase has his pants on his head and he’s staggering towards the filling station out in the desert?" he said. "That’s what I feel like right now." |
Our View: The 32-year-old is hitting just .261 with seven home runs after an MVP-esque first half. Hopefully, he will use the offseason to refresh himself and return to typical Big Puma production. However, one has to wonder if this may be his career crossing over the hump.
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| Major League Baseball announced it will donate $500,000 to the victims of Hurricane Ike, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: “Major League Baseball, as a social institution with important social responsibilities, has a unique platform to help those who suffered from and were displaced by Hurricane Ike,” said Commissioner Bud Selig.
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| The weekend series between the Cubs and the Astros is in doubt because of Hurricane Ike, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The first two games have already been canceled. "There are various scenarios under consideration with regards to the rescheduling of the postponed games," the Astros said in a statement. |
Our View: We'll keep you posted on when the games will be made up, but this obviously is a damaging blow to people in head to head weekly leagues.
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| Lance Berkman was 3-for-4 with four RBI and a home run in the Astros win against the Pirates. |
Our View: Berkman has been solid all year and continues his outstanding year.
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| Lance Berkman was chosen as the Astros' recipient of the 2008 Roberto Clemente Award, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: The award is given for displaying exceptional skills on the diamond, and devoted work in the community. A national winner among the 30 MLB clubs will be announced at the World Series.
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| Lance Berkman had two hits, two walks, scored a run and stole his 16th base of the season on Monday. |
Our View: As if the .338 average, 94 RBI and 104 runs weren't enough, Berkman is actually within striking distance of his first 20/20 season (he has 27 home runs), quite an accomplishment for a guy who certainly isn't known as a speed burner.
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| Lance Berkman went 1-for-4 with a walk-off homer in Friday's exciting 3-2 victory over the Cardinals at Minute Maid Park. |
Our View: His homer was his 27th of the season, but only his second over his last 14 games. He is still having a great season, with a .333 batting average, 94 RBI, and 101 runs scored.
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| Though dealing with an achy hamstring, Lance Berkman has remained in the Astros starting lineup, and facing the Reds Josh Fogg on Wednesday could make it feel that much better. Berkman hammers Fogg to the tune of a .429 batting average (15-for-35), with six home runs and six doubles. |
Our View: Only three of Berkman's hits have not gone for extra bases against Fogg, leading to a completely absurd slugging percentage of 1.171 and OPS of 1.705 in his career against the righty. Needless to say, Berkman needs to be in starting lineups on all fantasy formats, even if owners sat him due to the hamstring.
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| Lance Berkman still had pain in his injured left hamstring, but returned to the starting lineup Monday, according to the Houston Chronicle. He said, "I still feel it. But having a day off always helps. I’m just probably going to have to go easy on it for a few more days. Not that I’ve been stealing a lot of bases recently, but it’s one of those things that you just have to monitor."
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Our View: Berkman went 1-for-3 (single) Monday. He should remain active in lineups, and should start to feel better next week.
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| Houston first baseman Lance Berkman has been dealing with pain in his left hamstring, and about a week ago, he fell and hit his wrist at home, leading manager Cecil Cooper to give him the day off, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Cooper said that Berkman will likely play Monday, but he decided to give him the day off Sunday after sleeping on the idea. The move had a ripple effect through the rest of the positions, with Mark Loretta at second base, Jose Castillo at third and Reggie Abercrombie playing center field and leading off.
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| Lance Berkman had three hits and four RBI in the Astros' win over the Mets Saturday. He hit his 26th homer of the year, a three-run shot. |
Our View: Berkman should be in the thick of the MVP talk despite that Houston isn't in playoff contention. He's been the best player in fantasy baseball this year.
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| Lance Berkman hit a double and a home run to help lead the Astros to a 7-4 win over San Francisco. He wound up going 2-for-4 on the day with three RBI. |
Our View: Berkman now has three home runs in his last six games, and though he is hitting below .250 in August, he still provides fantasy owners with numbers.
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| Lance Berkman went 1-for-3 with a run, RBI, walk and strikeout to help lead the Astros to a 6-2 win over the Giants. |
Our View: Berkman is having a rough month, and is hitting just .222 in August. The good news is he has two home runs in his last four games, but has just one multi-hit game this month.
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| Lance Berkman has a very solid match-up going in his favor tonight as the Astros take on the Cincinnati Reds and pitcher Bronson Arroyo. Berkman is 10-for-31 (.323) in his career against Arroyo, with four home runs and a .710 slugging percentage. |
Our View: Berkman has cooled off a smidge since the beginning of the season, but his numbers are still lights-out, and he very easily could improve on them tonight.
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| Lance Berkman and his teammates went into the All Star break on a high note Sunday. The first baseman went 1-for-3, but in a battle of two last place teams, the Astros ended up the victors with a 5-0 win in Washington. |
Our View: The offensive prowess of Berkman has been highlighted in the first half of the season, but maybe his most impressive number is the 15th base he stole on Sunday.
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| Houston first baseman Lance Berkman may have found the motivation and stride needed to get his bat on track, helping Houston get the win, 6-4, versus Washington. Berkman went 2-for-5 at the plate with his 30th double of the season to total two RBIs and one run scored on the evening. |
Our View: Berkman has struggled over recent weeks, yet to hit a homer this month with a July batting average of .200. Tonight could signify a reversal of fortunes, so keep your hopes up fantasy owners. Things will improve.
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| Lance Berkman is currently in a slump, as he is only 4-for-26 (.154) over his last nine games. |
Our View: Berkman has been battling eye irritation, which could be partly to blame for his slump. Fantasy owners shouldn't be concerned, and he will have the upcoming All-Star break to straighten himself out.
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| Lance Berkman has been scratched from the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Braves, according to the AP. |
Our View: Berkman is suffering from left eye irritation, and is having trouble seeing clearly. Darin Erstad is covering first base, and Berkman will be re-evaluated on Monday.
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| Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Friday's 6-2 loss to the Braves. The Astros only managed six hits in the game. |
Our View: He ended a three-game skid without a hit (or a RBI), and raised his average back up to .355.
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| Lance Berkman will be a participant in the Home Run Derby at the All-Star game in New York, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: Home run derbies mean little to those who have Berkman on their fantasy team. They are just praying he doesn't injure himself trying to knock the ball out of the park.
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| Lance Berkman hit a solo homer, his 22nd of the season, and his fifth batting right-handed and Houston defeated the Red Sox 4-1 on Monday night. |
Our View: It was the first homer allowed by Stults in three starts this season. Berkman went 1-for-2 with one RBI and one run scored in the game.
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| Lance Berkman, who stranded a handful of runners with strikeouts in his first three at-bats, hit a two-run double in the eighth inning Saturday night to lift the Houston Astros to an 11-10 win over the Boston Red Sox. |
Our View: Berkman recorded his 64th and 65th RBI of the season to go along with his 70 runs, 21 homers and 12 stolen bases.
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| As you may have noticed, Lance Berkman can swing the bat. His 3-for-3 performance completed a 7-for-10 series against the Rangers. He reached base in nine of his 12 plate appearances. |
Our View: Berkman is continuing to smoke the ball, and he raised his average to .367 for the season. Don't even think of sitting him as Houston takes on Boston this weekend.
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| Lance Berkman is riding yet another scalding hot streak. He has recorded 14 RBI and nine runs in his past 13 games. |
Our View: Big Puma is delivering an MVP worthy year even as the Astros sit 12 games out of first place. He is hitting .358 with 21 home runs, 62 RBI, and 68 runs scored.
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| Lance Berkman went 0-for-4 on Sunday to lower his average to .354, the lowest it has been since May 6th. |
Our View: Berkman is hitless in three games (0-for-9) and only has one home run in his last 10 games. His overall numbers are spectacular, but a slowdown was inevitable.
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| Lance Berkman went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Orioles. Berkman was the entire offense for the Astros hitting a seventh inning solo shot off Jeremy Guthrie. |
Our View: Berkman continues to hit for power. His solo shot on Wednesday was his 20th of the season and his 58th RBI.
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| Lance Berkman sat out Sunday's battle against the Yankees as he is dealing with a sore leg, according to the Houston Chronicle. Manager Cecil Cooper said, "Lance has a little tenderness in his leg, and we talked about it, and today was the day we were going to hold him out."
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Our View: He admitted he is banged up, and the day off will do him good. The team is also off on Monday, and he is expected back on Tuesay, to begin a series against the Orioles.
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| Houston brought the offense and a good bit of pitching to get the 6-1 win over Milwaukee this evening, led once again by the prolific Lance Berkman . Berkman went 3-for-4 at the dish with his third triple and 19th home run of the season, totaling five RBIs on the night. |
Our View: Berkman slammed nine homers with 22 RBIs in May, but things had gone cold in June with zero homers and one RBI through the first six games of the month. However, Berkman now has two homers and nine RBIs over his last two games.
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| Houston suffered a disappointing 5-4 loss at home to the Cardinals today, though first baseman Lance Berkman continues to work as a force of reckoning. Berkman went 1-for-4 with his 18th home run of the season, going deep in the 3rd with two men on against Kyle Lohse. Berkman finished with three RBIs on the day and is now hitting .372 on the season. |
Our View: Through his last 13 games, Berkman has gone 16-for-49 with six RBIs, actually slowing from his pace through the month of May where he hit .471 with nine home runs and 22 RBIs.
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| The Astros have chosen catcher Jason Castro with the 10th overall pick in Thursday's draft, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: This is viewed as a surprising pick as the Astros already have a potential future star at the position with JR Towles. The left-handed Stanford University product has good power and defensive tools, but was not projected to be a top-10 pick.
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| Lance Berkman has been named the NL Player of the Month for May, according to the AP. During the month, Berkman led the majors in batting average (.471), on-base percentage (.553), hits (49) and total bases (85). He also blasted nine homers, with 22 RBI and 31 runs scored.
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Our View: He also had a 17-game hitting streak during the month. This is Berkman's second monthly honor, the last time coming in May of 2004.
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| Lance Berkman almost saw his average dip below .380, so in order to avoid that he went out had two hits, including his 17th home run, to push his average back up to .384. |
Our View: Berkman continues to glide right along as the best hitter in the known universe. What else can we say?
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| Astros first baseman Lance Berkman reportedly suffered a mild hand injury in today's loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, but he stayed in the game and finished it off, according to CBSSports.com. Berkman was diving to his right in the seventh inning attempting to reach a hit off the bat of Geoff Jenkins and appeared to have hurt his hand. Tranier Rex Jones attended to Berkman, but he remained on the field without need of medical attention. |
Our View: It likely means nothing, but it should warn to watch the lineups tomorrow.
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| Lance Berkman gave pitchers a break by going 1-for-10 over his last three games, but he returned to his mashing ways on Thursday night with three hits in five trips to the plate. Ty Wigginton also had three hits for the Astros. |
Our View: Berkman also knocked in his 45th run of the season as he now has 18 doubles and 16 home runs on the year. Still amazing, the man just will not slow down at the plate.
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| Lance Berkman lost his 17-game hitting streak on Monday night as he went 0-for-4 for the Astros. |
Our View: We guess Berkman will have to be satisfied with being in the top two in each of the Triple Crown categories in the National League.
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| Lance Berkman had two hits on Sunday to push his hitting streak to 17-games. He is currently batting .399 with 16 home runs on the year. |
Our View: Berkman is off to such an amazing start that he appears to be making a run at the Triple Crown. Not bad for a guy who may not have even been a top-5 first baseman according to many heading into the season.
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| Houston 1B Lance Berkman is riding what now sits as a 16-game hitting streak, going 2-for-3 in last night's 6-2 loss to the Texas Rangers. |
Our View: That's 15 games in May and one in April enveloped with hits for the power-hitting first bagger. Berkman has gone 34-for-61 during that span, smacking eight home runs with 21 RBIs. His average before the streak: .297. His average now: .399.
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| Lance Berkman extended his hitting streak to 16 games and matched Pete Rose as the only players since 1956 with 31 hits in a span of 50 at-bats. Berkman finished 2-for-3 with a walk to raise his season average to .399.
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Our View: After his major league-best 16th homer leading off the fourth, Berkman had a single in the sixth that matched Rose's 31-of-50 stretch for Philadelphia in 1979.
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| Lance Berkman hit his 15th home run of the season into the San Francisco Bay against the Giants on Thursday. Berkman had another hit on the night with three RBI as he is now batting .391. |
Our View: Berkman cannot make an out as he is treating NL pitchers as if they are softball pitchers in a beer league. Berkman is now 26-for-42 (.619) and 30 for his last 54 (.556).
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| Manager Cecil Cooper wants to give Lance Berkman a rest from the field, and is considering using Berkman as the Astros' DH when they play the Texas Rangers this weekend in inter-league play, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: Berkman is hitting .388 with 14 homers and 40 RBI over 40 games, with 43 runs scored. He also chipped in six stolen bases. He should continue to generate strong numbers at the Rangers' hitter-friendly ballpark.
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| Houston 1B Lance Berkman continues to swing one of the more reliable sticks in the major leagues, tonight going 1-for-4 with his 14th home run of the season in Astros' 6-3 win over the Giants. |
Our View: Berkman racked up another two RBIs on that swing, bringing him to 15 for the month of May (12 games).
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| Lance Berkman went 1-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to 12 games thanks to a little help from the score keeper. |
Our View: Truth is Berkman should have been 0-for-3 tonight as he hit a hard ground ball toward first base that John Bowker literally didn't move his feet on and just tipped with his glove. When your hot, your hot, and Berkman is deservedly getting all the breaks right now.
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| Lance Berkman was named the NL player of the week on Monday, according to MLB.com. Berkman hit a ridiculous .685 on the week with a 1.136 SLG which led to 10 runs scored and a .741 OBP. |
Our View: Not just a weekly wonder, over the past 19 games Berkman is hitting .485 with eight home runs, 25 RBI and 24 runs scored. Few hitters in recent memory have been this hot for this long.
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| The Astros took full advantage of hot bats and poor pitching from the LA Dodgers to earn the 5-0 shutout win. Houston 1B Lance Berkman went 2-for-3 at the plate with his 15th double of the season to total one run scored. |
Our View: Since hitting the month of May, Berkman has been on fire, going 21-for-31 (.677) with four homers, 10 RBIs, and 13 runs scored.
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| Lance Berkman went 3-for-4 with a home run in a 7-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. |
Our View: Berkman might be the toughest out in the National League. The switch hitting first baseman is batting .380 on the season with 12 home runs, 35 RBI, 38 runs scored and six stolen bases. He's the primary reason the Astros are currently playing light-years above their head.
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| Lance Berkman had two more hits on Thursday night as he continues to hit the ball like few players in recent memory with a run of 23 hits in 48 AB good for a .479 average. |
Our View: Berkman is now hitting .368 with an amazing 36 runs in 34 games as he continues to be one of the five most valuable hitters in the fantasy game over the first fifth of the season.
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| Touting what may be the hottest bat in the National League, Houston 1B Lance Berkman put forth his eighth consecutive hit this evening before finally suffering an out as the Astros put the 4-3 win on the board against Washington. Berkman went 2-for-3 at the plate with two walks and his 11th home run of the season, also adding his 33rd RBI of the season |
Our View: Berkman's streak was impressive, bringing him to 14-for-21 for the month of May, adding three home runs with eight RBIs.
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| Houston 1B Lance Berkman has been enjoying another great season thus far, and in tonight's 6-5 victory over the Washington Nationals, he continued to show why he is one of the more feared hitters in the game. Berkman went 5-for-5 at the plate, hitting two doubles to gather just one RBI but four runs scored. |
Our View: Berkman is now hitting .353 and is proving why he deserves a modest place among the game's elite.
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| Lance Berkman went 4-for-5 with a homer, two doubles, two runs, and four RBI in Sunday's win over the Brewers. He has crossed the plate in eight straight games and joins Chase Utley as the only major leaguer with 10 homers on the year. |
Our View: Berkman continues to chug along. He is one of the game's best hitters, and fantasy owners have to love how he's performed thus far.
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| Lance Berkman has been named the National League Player of the Week, according to the AP. Berkman hit .455 (10-for-22) during the week, leading the NL with 12 RBI and a 1.136 slugging percentage. The veteran also tied for the league lead in home runs with four.
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Our View: Berkman is hitting .322 overall, with eight homers and 23 RBI over 25 games. He should remain a strong source of production for your fantasy team.
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| Lance Berkman collected his sixth homer in Thursday's 5-3 win over Cincinnati. He went 3-for-3 overall, with three RBI and a stolen base. |
Our View: He pushed his batting average back over the .300 mark with today's grand effort, and now has 20 RBI over 22 games. The veteran remains the leader for the Astros, and he should remain a solid source of production for your fantasy team.
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| Lance Berkman brought the big stick to the yard this evening, providing a bit of offense in the Astros' devastating 3-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Berkman went 2-for-4 with one walk and two runs scored. |
Our View: It is early but Berkman's .327 batting average leads the starting lineup as the always powerful first bagger continues to work as the team leader.
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| Lance Berkman already has three stolen bases over his first nine games of the season, according to the Houston Chronicle. This is worth noting as Berkman has only stolen 14 bases over his last three seasons combined. |
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| Lance Berkman served as one of few Astros of note this evening as Houston fell victim to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-6. Berkman went 2-for-4 at the plate with one double, one RBI, and one run scored. |
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| Lance Berkman had a successful return from an injured neck on Monday night as he hit his second home run of the season. Berkman is off to a slow start due to a few nagging injuries, but when the season is over look for Berkman to post his standard .300-30-100 line for the Astros. |
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| Lance Berkman hopes to play on Monday after sitting out Sunday due to neck spasms. He suffered the injury on Saturday and reported improvement on Sunday, the Houston Chronicle reports. |
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| Lance Berkman (neck spasms) was not in the Astros starting lineup Sunday. He left Saturday's game early and is scheduled to be examined again on Monday and receive treatment. The team considers the All Star day-to-day. |
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| Lance Berkman will miss another game on Sunday due to his injured neck, according to ESPN.com. Berkman noted that his neck felt better on Sunday, and hopes to be in the lineup on Monday for Houston's home opener against the Cardinals. Berkman said, "I've got a lot more flexibility. I can turn my neck a little farther than I could yesterday." This is good news for the Astros' slugger.
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| Lance Berkman, who injured his neck on Friday, tried to play on Saturday but after four innings he was removed from the game, this according to MLB.com. "I don't want to take myself out of the lineup before I show up and see how it feels. If it feels like it did today, I'm just not going to be able to do it. It's not a question of want to. It's just physically, if you can't turn your head, you can't do it." As a result, Berkman will almost certainly not play on Sunday, so adjust your lineup accordingly if you play in a league with daily transactions. |
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| Houston power man Lance Berkman left Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs early with neck spasms, according to MLB.com. Berkman was with the team on the field playing defense in the bottom of the third, but when the Astros joined for offense in the top of the fourth, Berkman was removed and replaced by Darin Erstad. As we sit, he is listed as day-to-day and his status moving forward has not been updated. |
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| Lance Berkman hit a ninth inning home run off of Trevor Hoffman to lead the Astros to a 9-6 victory on Wednesday night. Berkman had three hits, scored three runs and knocked in three runners in a fine all around effort. Berkman should have a nice bounce back type season with Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada hitting behind him this season, though to be fair a .278-34-102-95 year really isn't all that bad now is it? |
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| Lance Berkman had his right wrist taped up Friday as a precaution, according to the Houston Chronicle. "I'm just trying to make it calm down a little bit," he said. Sounds like nothing to be concerned about unless he's still bothered by it when the regular season gets underway. |
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| Lance Berkman had to leave the Astros game on Monday due to tightness in his leg, this according to MLB.com. "I pretty much took myself out of the game," Berkman said. "During the season, I wouldn't have come out of the game." No one seems too excited here, so we will figure this is just a case of the team, and a player, playing it safe in the early going. Stay tuned. |
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| Lance Berkman made his spring debut on Sunday and had no issues with his strained right oblique muscle. "It was fine," he tells the Houston Chronicle. "It was good. I didn't have any problems with it." Berkman went 1-4 with an RBI double on the day. |
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| Lance Berkman will start in a split-squad game Sunday against Washington, according to the AP. Berkman has been dealing with a strained right oblique muscle. Fat Elvis should be OK, but keep a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't have a setback. |
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| Lance Berkman, who was held out of the Astros' two intrasquad games this week with a strained right oblique muscle, is slated to return to action at the beginning of next week, according to Chron.com.
Berkman strained his oblique muscle hitting during the first full-squad workout on Feb. 18 and told the paper it is the worst ab pull he has ever experienced. The team will take is slow this spring with their veteran first baseman. |
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| Lance Berkman took about 40 swings left-handed off a tee on Tuesday and said he felt much better, according to MLB.com. Now if he can continue to recover quickly without aggravating his strained oblique. |
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| Lance Berkman strained his oblique for the fifth straight year in spring training, but this year is the worst it's been, according to a report at MLB.com. "This is the worst I've ever done it," Berkman said. "But, we still have six weeks until the season starts." Berkman figures to be sidelined for at least four days, but given his importance to the team and the way that this type of injury can linger on, don't be surprised if he sits out a week or slightly longer to make sure he is healthy. |
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| Switch-hitter Lance Berkman has been limited to swinging from the right side of the plate due to a strained right oblique, according to the Houston Chronicle. "I can hit righthanded," he said. "I can throw. I'm not going to hit lefthanded for a couple days and let it calm down." Look for the Astros to hold him out of spring games until he's fully recovered; they don't want to risk having this linger into the regular season. |
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| Lance Berkman was scratched from Thursday's lineup because of a sore knee, the AP reports. He's considered day-to-day for now. |
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| Lance Berkman tweaked his left hamstring during Friday's game, but he stayed in and doesn't expect to miss any action. "My legs have been feeling a little sore lately and I had to turn it on there," Berkman told the Houston Chronicle. "It just tightened up and felt real sore and kind of went away. It feels real good now, and I don't expect to have any lingering effects from it." Expect Berkman to be in Saturday's lineup against the Padres. |
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| Lance Berkman went 0-for-3 Monday night in his first start after missing three games with a sore hand, according to the AP. Berkman played with a pad taped to the top of his hand. |
Our View: A few more O-fers and Berkman will likely ditch the padding and swing his way through the pain.
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| Lance Berkman missed his third straight game on Sunday with a hand injury, according to the AP. However, he's hopeful about playing on Monday night against the Dodgers. |
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| Lance Berkman might not make it back into the starting lineup on Sunday after all. The Astros had hoped he'd return after taking a couple of days off to rest his sore right hand, but the Pirates now will send left-hander Shane Youman out to start the game, according to the Houston Chronicle. Since Berkman has hit just .244 against lefties this season, they may be better off giving him one more day off to heal up. |
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| Lance Berkman won't return to action until Sunday, according to the Houston Chronicle. Berkman is recovering from a sore right hand and is hitting just .244 against lefties this season; since the Astros were lined up to face left-handed starters Friday and Saturday, manager Phil Garner figured he'd just let Berkman rest up and aim to play Sunday. |
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| Lance Berkman got some good news on Thursday when x-rays revealed no structural damage to his left hand, according to the Houston Chronicle. The hand remains swollen, however. Berkman will continue to play through his swollen wrist, likely with the aide of a protective pad, and should remain in your fantasy lineup. He’s recorded four RBI over the last four games. |
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| Lance Berkman will have precautionary X-rays on his left hand when the team is in Pittsburgh later this week, the AP reports. Berkman has been taping the hand and playing through the injury. "It can get better, but the way for it to get better is with time off," manager Phil Garner said. |
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| Lance Berkman is dealing with a painful knot on the top of his left hand and is expected to have it x-rayed this weekend. "We'll see how it feels tonight and then go from there," Berkman told the Houston Chronicle. "I'm just trying to make it to the off day (Thursday)." At this point it doesn’t appear Berkman is going to miss any significant amount of time because of the injury, but keep on eye on his production over the next couple weeks to see if it impacts his power. |
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| Lance Berkman was given a day off Saturday as he has a poor track record against Tom Glavine, the AP reports. Berkman is just 2-for-18 in his career against Glavine. Berkman wound up entering the game as a pinch-hitter, striking out. Berkman owners can't feel too bad here, as his bat has come alive over the last month (.302 average, seven homers, 20 RBI). |
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| Lance Berkman went 1-for-4 with a run, a double, and an RBI on Monday night. It wasn't an impressive line, but it was the latest in a series of productive outings. Berkman owns 12 runs, six homers, two doubles, one triple, and 17 RBI over the past 11 games. |
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| Lance Berkman returned to the starting lineup Sunday night after missing Saturday’s game with a bruised left hand. Fantasy owners must include him in their lineup next week.
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| The Astros were without Lance Berkman on Saturday because of a bruised hand. The Associated Press reports he is considered day-to-day. We’ll see if Berkman can get back on the field tomorrow. If not, he’ll be a risky start for fantasy owners next period. |
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| Lance Berkman missed Sunday's game due to flu symptoms, according to the Houston Chronicle. "They thought it would be better to have a day to rest and recuperate for this road trip," Berkman said. It looks like Berkman should be ready to return to action against the Angels on Monday. |
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| Lance Berkman began serving a two-game suspension after dropping an appeal on Tuesday, according to the AP. Berkman was ejected from a June 5 game in Colorado, then was suspended after returning to the field during a bench-clearing confrontation later in the game. |
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| Lance Berkman could begin serving his two-game suspension on Tuesday night, but he has not made a final decision. "I might serve it [Tuesday]," Berkman tells MLB.com. "That's all I can say. But I don't know yet." |
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| Lance Berkman was ejected again Friday night in the top of the fourth inning after arguing a called third strike, according to the AP. He was suspended by major league baseball earlier on Friday for his outburst following an ejection earlier in the week. |
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| Lance Berkman has appealed his two-game suspension on Friday and will be available to the Astros until his appeal is heard, according to the AP. He was ejected Tuesday night in the eighth inning after arguing a third strike. He then threw his glove and bag onto the field from the dugout. Berkman violated rules by returning in the ninth inning when the benches emptied after the Rockies' Manny Corpas hit Houston's Carlos Lee with a pitch. |
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| Major League Baseball has suspended Lance Berkman for two games. He was also fined a disclosed amount, ESPN.com reports. Berkman was ejected on Tuesday night for arguing balls and strikes. The slugger could still appeal the suspension. If not, he will be out on Friday and Saturday night. |
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| Lance Berkman was not in the lineup on Wednesday, but he is healthy. Manager Phil Garner wanted to give his slugger a day to clear his head. "I don't know how the team is going to cope without my .265 average and six extra-base hits, but I think they'll get along for one night," Berkman sarcastically tells the Houston Chronicle. Mark Loretta started in his place. |
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| Lance Berkman may be asked to spend some time in the outfield in order to open up more at-bats for Mike Lamb and Mark Loretta. "We've got a couple of guys sitting on the bench that could play first better than they could play the outfield, and guys in the outfield were struggling, then that's a configuration you'd have to consider," manager Phil Garner admitted to MLB.com. |
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| Lance Berkman had his left wrist heavily wrapped with tape during batting practice Thursday, but he assured reporters it was nothing more than some routine spring maintenance, the Houston Chronicle reports. "When you take a lot of swings, your wrist gets sore and needs a little extra support," said Berkman, who went 1-for-3 in Thursday's game and is hitting .333 this spring. "It's almost like a security blanket."
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| Lance Berkman has been out of the starting lineup for six straight games, but he will return to the lineup Friday, according to the AP. Berkman is hitting .318 with 28 homers and 93 RBI on the year. |
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| Lance Berkman will not play again until Friday at the earliest, according to the Astros website. Manager Phil Garner is taking a cautious route to making sure Berkman's groin is OK. |
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| Although Lance Berkman remained out of the starting lineup Tuesday due to his strained left groin, he took batting beforehand and was able to pinch-hit in the eighth inning, according to the Houston Chronicle. He's aiming to start Wednesday, though he'll be under strict orders to not run hard. |
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| Lance Berkman, who is battling a left groin strain, is hoping to return to the lineup on Tuesday, according to the AP. He has missed the last two games with the injury. |
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| Lance Berkman, who aggravated his left groin strain Thursday, likely won't return to the starting lineup until next week, according to the Houston Chronicle. "It hurts," he said. "It's sore." However, he should be available as a pinch-hitter this weekend. |
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| Lance Berkman was out of Friday's lineup after re-aggravating his strained left groin Thursday, according to the AP. "I'll be in there as soon as I can," said Berkman. "I just can't run. If I could run, I'd be out there." Berkman was available to pinch hit. |
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| Lance Berkman was back in the lineup Wednesday after missing Tuesday's game with a groin injury, according to the AP. "I'm not going to try to beat out any routine groundballs or anything like that," Berkman said. "It's just one of those deals where I can't run really hard and I'm going to try to conserve it." Berkman celebrated his return to the lineup with a pair of homers. |
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| Lance Berkman was out of the starting lineup against the Reds on Tuesday after suffering a groin injury over the weekend, according to the AP. However, he entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and popped out. |
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| Lance Berkman doesn't think the groin injury he suffered on Sunday is serious and hopes to be in the lineup on Tuesday against the Reds, according to the Astros website. "I think it's going to be a minor deal," said Berkman. "It's sore. I didn't take a bad step and it popped or anything. It just kind of felt like it was cramped up, really. We'll see how it is [on Monday]." |
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