Lance Berkman says Wrigley Field is ‘one of the worst places in baseball’

By Mike Oz | Big League Stew

Is there a history that Lance Berkman has with Wrigley Field that we don't know about? Did it say something about his mama? Did they go on a date and it never him called back? Did it borrow something and never return it to him?

Because apparently Lance Berkman haaaaaaaaaates Wrigley Field.

Berkman's Texas Rangers are in Chicago on Tuesday to start a series with the Cubs. It's the first time the Rangers have played there since 2002. Berkman, however, played in the National League with the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros. He's quite familiar with Wrigley.

So when reporters asked Rangers players about what it meant to visit Wrigley, they got a mouthful from Berkman. These harsh words from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
“If they’re looking for a guy to push the button when they blow the place up, I’ll do it ... Chicago’s one of the worst places in baseball … really for anything.

ESPN adds this choice quote, via the Dallas Morning News:
"I read where they got approval for some more upgrades. Count me in the group of people extremely happy to see that. I guess I'm just spoiled. There is a tremendous history associated with it and there is something special about playing on the same field that guys like Babe Ruth did. But really, what kind of history is there? It's not like there has been one championship after another. It's mainly been a place for people to go and drink beer."

But can't you, Lance, say that about most baseball stadiums? Even the ones whose teams do win championships? In fact, having stadiums that are "places for people to go and drink beer" is what fuels pro sports and helps pay players millions of dollars.
If you can't wait to see how Wrigley's faithful react to Berkman, don't get your hopes up. Since it's a National League game, he won't be in the lineup to DH. Maybe he'll get welcomed to a chorus of boos as a pinch-hitter.

Yes, Berkman is outspoken, but why go after Wrigley? Why insult an institution of baseball, even if it is old and in need of upgrades ($500 million of which were just OK'd). Did he wake up and think to himself, "Hmmm. I wonder how Josh Hamilton felt when he came back to Texas? Let's see how angry I can make Cubs fans."

Wait! Maybe Berkman was the guy who sent the severed goat's head to the Cubs. That would explain everything.