The Big Puma is poised to move on

So he tells Bernando Fallas of the Houston Chronicle:

“I may have to, whether I like it or not,” Berkman said Wednesday as the Astros’ held their first full-squad workout. “It may come down to a situation where if things don’t go well they don’t pick up my option, then I probably won’t be back.”

Berkman, a former first-round pick of Houston in 1997, is entering the final year of a six-year, $85 million contract. The 34-year-old first baseman was limited to just 136 games last season due to a calf injury that required a 20-day stint on the disabled list. While he still got on base at a .399 clip, Berkman batted a career-low .274 with just 25 home runs and 80 RBI.

Nobody would argue that the Astros haven’t had an excellent return on their investment, as Berkman certainly qualifies as one of the most underrated players of the past decade. However, after an underwhelming 2009 season, they are unlikely to pick up his $15 million option ($2 million buyout) for 2011 unless he rebounds in a significant way and stays off the disabled list.