MLB Trade Deadline: Lance Berkman a Big Question Mark
July 30, 2010 · Jess K. Coleman · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
The 2010 trade deadline will be deemed unsucccessful for the Yankees tomorrow at 4:00 pm.
The Yankees acquired Lance Berkman and Austin Kearns on Friday, just hours before the trade deadline. Berkman will fill the Yankees void at designated hitter, and Kearns will add depth to the Yankees bench.
You can understand why the Yankees acquired Kearns. The Yankees always said they want a bench player, and Kearns can play almost every position on the field. Berkman, on the other hand, is a different story.
After the Yankees declined a trade for Adam Dunn, they said that offense was not their aim, and that they would much rather target a pitcher. Considering they couldn’t bring Dan Haren or Cliff Lee aboard without giving up Jesus Montero or Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees hopes for a pitcher were essentially shut down.
So 34-year-old Lance Berkman was the answer.
The five-time All-Star may seem like a no-brainer for the Yankees, but he presents many issues that may hinder his ability to perform on the big stage.
Lance has never played in any city other than Houston. Going from Texas to New York is a big change for anyone. The weather, the media attention, and the fans will all come as a surprise to Berkman. Can he handle it?
Additionally, he has never been a designated hitter in his entire life. Although that may not seem like an issue, many players find it difficult to DH every night.
Just ask Adam Dunn.
And lastly, he has played in just three playoffs, none since 2005. The Yankees expect to be there every year. I hope he is ready.
But don’t get me wrong. As a left-handed hitter in Yankee Stadium, Berkman will hit his home runs. But even if he does succeed, I question how much the Yankees need offense. I don’t know about you, but I always thought the last team looking for a hitter would be the team that leads the league in runs scored. But what do I know?
You can e-mail me at jess@jesskcoleman.com or follow me on Twitter @jesskcoleman.
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