Houston Astros slugger Lance Berkman is easy to like. He resembles Tony Stewart’s brother. Or Elvis’ lost love child.
He constantly looks like he just heard a good joke. Or is ready to tell one.
“He has a great sense of humor,” said Rockies pitcher Jason Hirsh, who played with Berkman for one season in Houston. “He’s always laughing about something.”
This is how good life has become for Berkman: He’s so hot right now, he’s given himself a nickname. He’s the self-proclaimed “Big Puma.” Knowing Berkman, there’s likely a tie to Will Ferrell’s character in “Old School.”
There’s no animal that appropriately describes what Berkman has done to opposing pitchers over the past month. The Beast. T-Rex. Mr. Ridiculous.
He went 2-for-4 on Friday night, extending his hitting streak to 15 games. During that span he has collected 32 hits in 59 at-bats. At one point recently, as the switch-hitter began to simmer, he was 18-for-24. That’s not Little League. That’s Nintendo.
“He’s an amazing offensive player,” said Rockies center fielder Willy Taveras. “He’s one of my favorites.”
Taveras marvels at Berkman’s power and ability to go gap to gap. Berkman is having a start for the ages, dusting off the name of St. Louis’ Ducky Medwick in 1937. That’s the last time a National League player won the Triple Crown — tops in home runs, average and RBIs.
Berkman is on pace for 60 home runs, and 45 is realistic given his swing and the bandbox he calls home. He’s hitting .394 — and you figure at some point Chipper Jones’ average will dip under .400.
Berkman’s season was perfectly captured on Wednesday. The Astros rallied from a six-run deficit, shoved ahead when Berkman deposited a ninth-inning home run into McCovey Cove. He celebrated like he was a 12-year-old kid. Which in many ways he is.
It’s not uncommon for his teammates to tape Berkman’s goofy quotes above his locker. He plays with a looseness that’s uncommon in today’s age. Yet, he isn’t afraid to speak his mind — he’s long been a proponent for stronger drug testing.
Now that his knee is healthy again, Berkman is stumping for MVP honors.
“You know what makes him special is that he seems to know what the pitcher is going to throw before he throws it,” Hirsh said. “I have never seen anything like it.”
The same could be said for his torrid run.
Fish out of water.
When it was announced that Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis had been traded at the winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn., the gathered writers, myself included, knew a team was suddenly getting better. I just didn’t think it was the Marlins. Without their two most well-known players, the Marlins have rocketed to first place in the NL East in unconventional fashion. They are doing it with their bats, namely the combination of Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla.
Also, don’t discount how much Cabrera’s absence has helped the clubhouse dynamic. Everybody knows that Cabrera can rake, but his brooding and pouting created a defeatist attitude. Cabrera’s absence has been filled by veteran Luis Gonzalez, who’s finally comfortable in his skin as a reserve. He’s added a level of professionalism to a team that is suddenly doing the little things well.
Footnotes.
Diamondbacks fans booed Eric Byrnes last week as he fell into a 6-for-62 slump. By popular demand, he changed his batter clip from The Outfield ditty to Van Halen’s “Jump.” He cranked out two hits Friday. . . . It’s May 18 — do you know who your closer is? If you are in Milwaukee or St. Louis, don’t bother answering. Two guys making nearly $20 million have been demoted in Eric Gagne and Jason Isringhausen. Gagne is never going to be an effective closer again until he reinvents himself. He still pitches macho despite throwing only 91 mph now. With Isringhausen, he clearly needs a mental break. The burden of the role has worn the rubber off his tires. . . . The Rockies’ slide will make them a one-stop shop for contenders over the next few weeks. Closer Brian Fuentes will be the most coveted target. The Red Sox remain interested after nearly acquiring the left-hander last July. Fuentes will be a free agent after the season, increasing the likelihood he will be dealt. The key figure will be Matt Holliday. There are a dozen teams that would have interest if the Rockies shop him. But to avoid the PR fallout, the Rockies must make a serious attempt to sign him long-term before dealing him away. . . . Outfield depth suggests that Cory Sullivan, Taveras or Seth Smith will be dangled in the coming weeks. Toronto has a need. Taveras is not suited to be a bench player and continues to lose playing time. . . . Anyone who has Brandon Webb winning 24 games in the office pool should be smirking about now.
EYE ON …
Dan Uggla, 2B, Marlins
Background: Uggla is becoming the gold standard of position-player Rule V picks, comparable to Johan Santana for pitchers. The Arizona Diamondbacks felt that Uggla’s path to the majors was blocked by Andy Green, so they removed Uggla from their 40-man roster in the winter of 2005. Uggla told me he would have done the same thing, given Green’s talent. He said that while attending the 2006 All-Star Game news conference.
What’s up: Uggla has clubbed 71 home runs in his first 353 games as the Marlins’ second baseman, a historic power binge for a second baseman to start a career. Rockies manager Clint Hurdle took a liking to Uggla when he was in the Arizona Fall League watching Colorado prospects years ago. He compared Uggla to a young Bret Boone, saying “even then he was someone who had enormous power to all fields.” Uggla and Hurdle always talk whenever their teams meet. For years, Hurdle tried to lure Jeff Kent as a free agent, and essentially that’s what Uggla has become. He’s also better than people think at second. He won’t win any Gold Gloves, but he’s serviceable.
What’s next: Uggla is staring at an enormous payday in arbitration after this season. He could have 100 career home runs. As a second baseman? Hello. There’s no comparables for that, not even Philadelphia’s Chase Utley. Utley shared time with Placido Polanco early his career, hurting his overall numbers.
Renck’s take: Uggla is easy to like. He lets it go at the plate, making no apologies. He’s going to strike out his fair share — or more — but he’s also going to change the complexion of games with one swing. He’s on pace to hit 48 home runs, and he’s a big reason the Marlins began the weekend leading the National League East. In short, when the PA announcer blares Uggla, pitchers say “D’oh!”
AT ISSUE
Manny being magnificent at making the game fun
What: Boston Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez turned a routine play into a spectacularly hilarious YouTube event, catching a flyball and high-fiving a fan before doubling off a Baltimore Orioles runner at first base.
When: The comedic sketch took place Wednesday at Baltimore’s Camden Yards. Kevin Millar hammered a ball into the center-field gap. Ramirez took off, dreadlocks flapping, and made a terrific running catch. He could have stopped. But what would have been the fun in that? Instead, he kept chugging along, vaulted onto the left-field fence and slapped skin with a Red Sox fan. Upon returning to reality, he fired the ball in to double off Aubrey Huff.
Background: Ramirez has a history of weird behavior. He is baseball’s Britney Spears, minus the divorce, custody case and Dr. Phil visits. Remember the time Ramirez cut off Johnny Damon’s outfield throw a couple of years ago? He dived to make the catch — a priceless Little League moment. It was topped only by his visit to the Green Monster restroom to relieve himself during a pitching change. He burst out of the wall like the Kool-Aid man — “Oh, yeah!”
Renck’s take: After watching Ramirez’s latest foolery, acting manager Brad Mills said: “Somebody in the dugout said, ‘I have seen it all now.’ ” I want to be mad about Ramirez. I don’t want to condone his actions, which are stupid and unprofessional. Problem is, there’s nothing malicious about Ramirez. He’s a 12-year-old boy in a man’s body. Think Tom Hanks in “Big.” That’s how Ramirez plays baseball. It’s aggravating and annoying at times. But his consistency as a home run hitter is matched only by his consistency as a goofball. Manny being Manny works because it rings true. You wouldn’t want 25 guys like this on your roster — or even two, for that matter — but a little levity never hurt anyone in a sport in which way too many people take themselves too seriously.
UPS AND DOWNS
THREE UP
1. Indians: Starters strung together a 44 1/3-inning scoreless streak.
2. Rays: This is what it’s come to: Lil’ Boss wants Yanks to be like Rays.
3. Astros: Offense has taken off since Kazuo Matsui returned from DL.
THREE DOWN
1. Rockies: Starting pitching and situational hitting dismal for weeks.
2. Padres: Should give fans free chalupas if team scores one run.
3. Tigers: A mirror of Rockies: underachieving offense, leaky rotation.
