"The Cardinals and pending free agent first baseman Lance Berkman remain engaged in talks regarding a one-year contract. After the talks showed initial signs of promise, an agreement remains elusive because of a difference of opinion over its worth, according to sources familiar with the process.

Berkman confirmed Monday that negotiations have been ongoing and reiterated his desire to return to the club that signed him last December to a one-year, $8 million deal that became one of this season's best values.

"We've been pretty clear what it would take," Berkman said. "I want to make clear this is not an adversarial situation. They want to get a deal done as well. But they have a bunch of moving parts. We'll see how they all fit together.""