Lance Berkman Named NL Comeback Player of the Year

Lance Berkman has been one of the driving forces behind the St. Louis Cardinals postseason run.  As he and his teammates vie for the largest trophy of them all, Berkman’s 2011 resurgence has earned him the honor of National League Comeback Player of the Year.

Many began to question how much Berkman had left in the tank following his disappointing 2010.  Last season, Berkman spent his first 85 games with the Houston Astros before being shipped off to the Big Apple.  As a member of the Yankees, Berkman’s underwhelming performance continued.  For the first time since his debut season, Berkman failed to post an OPS over .890.  Not only that, but his line had dropped to a pedestrian .248/.368/.413.

Hitting the free agent market after the season, many expected Berkman to sign on with an American League club, filling the role of designated hitter.  The Cardinals had other plans.  While analysts questioned Berkman’s ability to play the outfield day in and day out, St. Louis gave the 35-year-old $12 million to do just that.  The investment has worked out pretty well for the Cards.

Berkman rewarded St. Louis this season by turning into the Berkman of old.  The slugger was once again able to top the .900 OPS plateau, finishing with the sixth highest mark in the Majors (.959).  Berkman finished the regular season hitting at a clip of .301/.412/.547 with 31 home runs and 94 RBI’s.

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