Lance Berkman has won the NL Comeback Player of the Year, announced this morning.
Berkman played in 145 games, most since 2008, for the Cardinals, hit .301/.412/.547, with 31 homers (most since 2007), and posted a career-high 166 OPS+. This last stat tops his previous high of a 163 OPS+ when he hit .315/.420/.621 in 2006.
The Astros, meanwhile, had their first basemen his .274/.352/.423, for a .775 OPS, and 16 homers.
I still think that letting Berkman walk was the right move. But this one hurts a little bit, seeing him take the Cardinals far into the postseason, while the Astros were out of it by May. And you think Berkman didn't enjoy beating up on the Astros? He hit .425/.477/.900 in 11 games against Houston.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
