Regardless, though, you’re very correct in that it only takes one GM. In fact, if I’m Berkman’s agent and he really does want to maximize this contract, there’s no way I’m steering him towards a one year deal without testing free agency first — unless of course it blows me away. But I’m pretty sure someone out there will go 2 years with pretty decent money — maybe even the Phillies if they’re not going to commit to Brown.

He’s had a nice 2011 for sure but for whatever reason I doubt his numbers would translate that well to everday exposure – who knows..

I also don’t buy into Dewitt’s “limited resources” company line, I realize he’s in the business of making a profit but he’s going to have to spend more (and not just on Berkman) to maintain a competitive product.

Regardless of the reason(s) for the limitations, the limits are real and the team must be constructed within them. I would love to have Berkman back, but the dropoff from Berkman to Craig is not so great (and may not be a drop off at all, will Berkman stay healthy another entire year and continue to produce like in 2011?) that it warrants over-paying for Berkman when the team has many other holes (SS, 2B, rotation).

If the options for 2012 are:

1) a 28 yr old Craig with better defense and base running and a .870 OPS (what he has hit this year) for the league minimum or

2) a 36 yr old Berkman with crappy defense (probably the worst defensive everyday RF in MLB this year), poor base running (for some reason he has attempted 7 SB this season, he was safe once), and a .970 OPS (a huge assumption that he could match this year) for $14M or so

which is a more efficient use of limited resources?

12 is probably their ceiling at best which probably won’t fly with Berkman – another case of Dewitt advising Mo to stay with unproven organizational low hanging fruit. IE, Allan Craig….