th and Carlos Sainz spun at Spoon on his second attempt to settle for 14th. Fernando Alonso took 15th for McLaren-Honda on the Japanese manufacturers home turf, ahead of Jolyon Pa

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Lance Berkman expects to know soon whether he will play again this season for the Texas Rangers, or retire. The 37-year-old designated hitter with surgically repaired knees has been on the disabled list since July 7 with left hip inflammation. He played in 32 games last season for St. Louis because of a left calf strain and two operations on his right knee, and that knee is affecting his mechanics and limiting his power. Running is also problematic. "I dont have any concerns that I wouldnt be able to get back out on the field. In terms of how effective Ill be once I get out there, I mean, I do have some concern about that," Berkman said Tuesday. "My swing is not at a good place because of my knee. Not because of the pain, but because of the inability to put it in the position that it needs it to be to hit with any kind of authority. ... I can go up there and slap the ball around, but thats really not what we need." After a strong start to the season, the switch-hitting Berkman was hitting .254 with six home runs and 34 RBIs in 68 games when he went on the DL. Berkman said before Tuesday nights game against the Los Angeles Angels that he planned to take batting practice for a couple of days to see how he felt. While Berkman didnt take BP on the field, hitting coach Dave Magadan said there was no setback and that Berkman was instead hitting in the indoor cage. "Its getting down to I need to either be headed out on a rehab assignment, or be headed strongly back toward the field, or headed back to Houston," he said. "Youve got to fish or cut bait, and I think were getting down to that point here rather quickly," Berkman said, without giving a specific date. "I dont want to let this thing linger and linger and linger because Im not doing anybody, myself or the team, any good by doing that. ... There does come a point in time where you have to make a decision and then its either yeah or nay, and then you just live with it." Rangers manager Ron Washington said Berkman was productive when healthy, and the manager was hopeful that the DH "progresses to the point where he can get back and help us." Sitting at his locker in the clubhouse, Berkman apologized for not getting up while talking to reporters. He said the bulky heat pad wrapped around his midsection wouldnt stay in place while standing. The Texas native is a .294 career hitter in his 15th major league season. He played for the Houston Astros from 1999-2010, part of their only World Series team in 2005. He spent the last part of 2010 with the New York Yankees before going to the Cardinals for two seasons, including their 2011 World Series title over the Rangers. Berkman thought about retiring last off-season before accepting a deal from Texas worth $10 million. It includes a $12 million club option for 2014 with a $1 million buyout. ""I feel like these guys invested in me and Id like to give them some type of return on their investment if I can," Berkman said. "I want to do right by the Rangers." While the Rangers were in Cleveland over the weekend, Berkman remained in Texas and did rehab exercises without running or swinging a bat. He said he has been completely open with general manager Jon Daniels about how he feels and if he thinks he will be able to contribute. All while facing the real possibility that he might not play again. "Its real tough. Is a balancing act between, and I think every player comes to this point at some point in their career, to where youre just mentally, like you still feel like you did when you were 25, but its hard to believe that physically youre not that same person," he said. "I have got to come to grips with what my true physical capabilities are at this point and then make a decision based on that, and not based on an unrealistic expectation of performance."Cheap NMD NZ . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. Cheap Yeezys NZ . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. http://www.yeezyshoesnz.com/ . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. Yeezy Boost 500 NZ . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. Ultra Boost 19 NZ . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night.SUZUKA, Japan -- Nico Rosberg beat Lewis Hamilton to pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix by just 0.013s as the two Mercedes drivers went head to head in an incredibly tight battle at Suzuka.Rosberg, who leads Hamilton by 23 points in the drivers standings, hooked up a 1:30.647 on his second attempt after a small mistake on his first effort left him behind Hamilton for the first time this weekend. Hamilton was marginally quicker than Rosberg in the first sector on his second attempt, but the lap time leaked away in sectors two and three to give Rosberg his eighth pole position of the season.Calculated in distance, the gap between the two Mercedes drivers equates to just 82cm. Ferraris Kimi Raikkonen secured third place on the grid with a slender 0.079s advantage over Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel. The German will be demoted three places on the grid for the penalty he incurred on the first lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix last weekend.The two Red Bulls were a further 0.2s adrift in fifth and sixth, but were also incredibly close with Max Verstappen 0.062s ahead of teammate Daniel Ricciardo. Closest of all were Sergio Perez and Romain Grosjean, who set identical times down to one thousandth of a second. Perezs Force India will start ahead of the Haas driver because he set his lap time earlier in the session, but an eighth-place starting position still represents progress for Grosjean and the American team.Nico Hulkenberg took ninth place in the second Force India ahead of Esteban Gutierrez in the second Haas.dddddddddddd The two Williams were knocked out in Q2 after Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa completed just one flying lap compared to their rivals two. Bottas had his entry to the first Degner compromised by traffic and then locked up in the final chicane, leaving him just 0.078s off Perezs Q2 time and a place in Q3.The two Toro Rossos will start a row behind the Williams after Daniil Kvyat took 13th and Carlos Sainz spun at Spoon on his second attempt to settle for 14th. Fernando Alonso took 15th for McLaren-Honda on the Japanese manufacturers home turf, ahead of Jolyon Palmer who made his first Q2 appearance since the Belgian Grand Prix. McLarens struggle on Hondas home turf was underlined by Jenson Button being knocked out in Q1 after setting a time 0.032s slower than teammate Alonso in Q1. It looked briefly as though Kevin Magnussen could knock both of the Honda-powered cars out in Q1, but ultimately he finished 0.204s shy of the cut for the second stage of qualifying.Marcus Ericsson will start 19th ahead of Felipe Nasr in 20th and Manors Esteban Ocon in 21st. Pascal Wehrlein was 0.208s slower than his teammate, but with a gearbox penalty hanging over him he was destined to start from last place regardless. ' ' '