Berkman backs off comments on Rangers

ST. LOUIS -- Lance Berkman loved the hitting conditions at Rangers Ballpark, the thought of staying in Texas, and he was familiar with club president Nolan Ryan. But Berkman didn't sign with the Rangers last offseason for one big reason -- he didn't think they were going to be very good. Berkman took to the airwaves of a Houston radio station last January and said he signed with the Cardinals in part because he didn't see the Rangers contending after starter Cliff Lee left in free agency. He also ripped the Rangers for overpaying for third baseman Adrian Beltre. As luck would have it, Berkman's Cardinals will meet the Rangers in the World Series beginning Wednesday night with Game 1 in St. Louis. But any bad blood between Berkman and the Rangers appears to be gone. Berkman smoothed the situation over at this year's All-Star Game in Phoenix after hearing that Rangers starter C.J. Wilson went on a Dallas radio station to fire back at his comments. When Wilson arrived at his locker for the All-Star Game, a note from Berkman was waiting for him that read, "Congratulations on your success. I guess I was wrong. Not the first time." Wilson downplayed any lingering issues with the veteran outfielder during Tuesday's World Series media day, saying the situation couldn't have turned out any better. "I ran into him at breakfast a couple days later and we talked about it and he was really awesome," Wilson said. "I have no issues with what he said. Much like myself, I'm going to say what's on my mind. You guys know me by this point. If I say something that turns out to be wrong, I've got to wear it. "They're in the World Series. We're in the World Series. I'm happy for him. He played great. He played a lot better than he did last year. So in that regard, he stepped up to his end of the bargain and we stepped up to our end of the bargain and here we are. It's actually kind of cool." Speaking to 1560 AM in Houston last January, the always honest Berkman said, "I felt like if they didn't re-sign Cliff Lee, 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." Berkman went on to rip the Rangers signing of free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre, saying, "They were itching to spend some money. I probably could have gotten the best deal out of them, especially in light of what they gave Adrian Beltre, which I think is pretty much of a reach for him." Beltre hit .296 in his first year with the Rangers and had 32 home runs and 105 RBIs, his highest power output since 2004 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I don't take back anything I said, but I didn't intend for it to be disrespectful to the Rangers organization or any single player in the Rangers organization," Berkman said Tuesday. "Obviously, some of that has been proven incorrect and it's not the first time I've been wrong and it won't be the last. When I'm asked a question, I try to answer it honestly. Sometimes I shouldn't and I should just pass the question and I'd be better off. "I certainly wanted to express to CJ since he was the one that responded back from the Rangers organization that I think highly of him as a pitcher and a competitor and of the Rangers organization in general and didn't want to leave any sort of lingering ill will between myself and them. Berkman understood where Wilson and the Rangers were coming from with their displeasure, saying, "Heck if I had heard that an opposing player said that about my team, I'd be upset about it too. "It really kind of surprised me to be honest with you because the comments were made in the setting of a local Houston radio station and then I forgot that they have the internet. That kind of thing would play well in Houston but not so well up in Dallas." Berkman was recently named the National League Comeback Player of the Year after hitting .301 with 31 home runs and 94 RBIs. He recently signed a one-year extension with the Cardinals for 2012.