sportsjabber.net

“I am calling this the “Rex Ryan Affect.”

Ever since Ryan took over as New York Jets’ head coach two years ago and took on other players and other teams with his trash talking bravado, there seems to be more trashing talking not only in football, but in other sports as well. I feel like in baseball, we are seeing it more and more.

A couple of weeks ago, St. Louis Cardinals’ infielder Ryan Theriot opened his pie hole and went after his former team, the Chicago Cubs. Now another Cardinal opened his mouth.

In an interview with 1560 AM in Houston, Lance Berkman had this to say about the Texas Rangers:

“I felt like if they didn’t re-sign Cliff Lee that they were going to be an average team, and I feel that’s probably what’s going to end up happening. It’s all about your pitching. I feel like last year was one of those special years where you kind of catch lightning in a bottle and they got hot and they had some guys that I felt like were pitching better than their talent level, and consequently, they had a great year.”

He wasn’t done there. He also said their recent signing of 3B Adrian Beltre in which the Rangers paid him $80 million is “pretty much of a reach for him.”

Umm okay then. Well, word of this interview spread like wildfire and caught the attention of Ranger pitcher, C.J. Wilson. Here is what Wilson said in response to Berkman’s comments:

“I think it’s funny. He was contemplating retirement, so I’m not going to take anything too seriously. I’m not going to get offended by anything he says. If that’s a representative idea of what people around the league think, that’s better for us because they’re going to do the same thing and they’re going to not take us seriously. If we end up stomping through the playoffs again, everyone will be like, ‘Wow, what a bummer.

Adrian Beltre is the best defensive third baseman in baseball, and he’s a pretty good hitter as well,” Wilson told a Dallas radio station. “I don’t know if anyone knows he hit .340 last year, which is definitely better than .220. I’m pretty stoked about having him on my team.”

So here is my take on all of this.

First, when did the Cardinals become bad asses? I feel like they had a team meeting and said they are going to do their best to change their wholesome image. Unfortunately, I don’t think too many people are buying it.

It would be like if Ricky Steamboat became a heel when he wrestled. He might have come out with a goatee and insulted the fans, but nobody would have bought it. Same deal with the Cardinals.

Plus, in order for a team to have the bad ass persona, it has to resonate throughout their entire organization including their fanbase. Cardinal fans were wishing Boston Red Sox fans good luck before Game 3 of the 2004 World Series. That wouldn’t have happened in a million years in the east coast.

Second, if you are going to talk the talk, then you need to walk the walk. Berkman can’t be talking smack after a year in which he hit .248, had the lowest OPS of his career, and can no longer play a lick of defense.

If this was 2004 and Berkman said this, I would take him more seriously. But now? Not so much.

Lastly, I will give Wilson a 7-out-of-10 on the comeback scale. I liked the .220 comment, but he could have taken it a little further. I was expecting a little more out of him.

Unfortunately, the Rangers and Cardinals don’t play each other this year. Not even in spring training.

More…

By Adam Bernacchio – Blogger, SJ Contributing Author

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

http://forums.sportsjabber.net/sjforums/showthread.php?t=77154