Lance Berkman will not return to the Yankees in 2011 if his current role (part time designated-hitter) doesn’t change.  Berkman does have a $15mm team option but that will likely not be picked up as even the big market Yankees have some financial limit.  When asked on Friday if he would return, Berkman responded, “No, I don’t think so.  I don’t like platooning.” Berkman still believes he can play every day and said he’d want to find a suitor who would allow him to return to first base next season.

Berkman has also thought about next year and realizes that he hasn’t had a very good year.“I’m going to be 35 next year … And I had a horrible year statistically.  So I don’t know what the market’s going to be for a 35-year-old coming off the worst year of his career.”

Berkman also said that he hasn’t had any conversations with Astros owner and close friend Drayton McLane about returning to Houston next season. For now, he’s only concerned with helping the Yankees pursue title No. 28.

“If the time comes up, that may happen. But … my focus is here,” Berkman said. “I hope we win. Then I’ll deal with all that stuff after the World Series.”

Berkman should be able to find an everyday job even though the 1st base market will be ripe with many quality bats.
Information from Ian Begley of ESPN.com was used in this article.