Lance Berkman

Biography Scouting Report Hitting Berkman is one of the best, if not the best, switch-hitter in the game today. He has a great eye at the plate and rarely gets himself out, forcing opposing pitchers to work at retiring him. While it's no secret he fares better as a left-handed hitter, he's made strides from the right side of the plate in recent seasons. As a left-handed hitter he has power to all fields and is just as adept at lining doubles into the gaps as he is at popping the ball out of any part of any ballpark. He has excellent bat control and is willing to hit the ball where it's pitched, making him an extremely dangerous hitter. As a right-handed hitter he has as much raw power as any hitter in the game but has a hard time translating it to the field. Early in his career he struggled so much from the right side that there was talk that he should stick to hitting left-handed, but he's recently squashed those talks. He's become more adept at going to right field but his home run power remains almost strictly to left. When he does get ahold of one, though, he can hit some tape measure shots. Like any hitter, Berkman does have his weaknesses. He will chase high fastballs in almost any count and tends to chase pitches in the dirt when behind in the count. He has a hole inside when batting left-handed, but pitchers have to be nearly perfect when trying to hit that spot or he will punish the ball. Baserunning and Defense Tearing his ACL prior to the 2005 season might have actually helped Berkman on the bases. The injury caused him to slim down and lose weight, making him a little quicker on his feet after he fully recovered from the injury. He was never a burner but his speed is slightly above average. He'll never be a stolen base threat as his baserunning instincts leave something to be desired. He's essentially a station-to-station runner. Defensively, Berkman has been moved around quite a bit in his career. He played first base in college and throughout his minor league career but had to be moved due to Astros legend Jeff Bagwell being entrenched at that position. He was mostly relegated to the corner outfield spots where he was serviceable, but was forced into center field in 2002, where every fly ball was an adventure with him. When Bagwell's arthritic right shoulder cost him his career early in the 2005 season, Berkman took over at first base and figures to stick there for the rest of his career. Berkman has quickly readjusted to first base. He's a very quick fielder with soft hands and is great at digging low throws. His days in the outfield seem to have served him well as he shows tremendous range at the position. His arm is about average for right field and is therefore pretty strong for a first baseman. Outlook Berkman has come back strong from his torn ACL and was red-hot in April. While he's predictably slowed down since and has suffered some minor leg injuries (none related to the ACL injury) he's had a strong 2006 season so far. He's one of the most overlooked and underrated hitters in the game and looks to stay that way in the relative obscurity and historical mediocrity of Houston. Statistics <stats> Player=Lance Berkman Type=Batting </stats> References Related Articles

Template:Hall of Fame Voting Lance Berkman (insert image) Position: First Base/Outfield Team: Houston Astros Uniform Number: 17 Years in League: 7 years Age: 30 Height: 6'1" Weight: 220 lbs Bats: Switch Throws: Left College: Rice University Selection: 1st round, 16th pick 1997 amateur draft Drafted By: Houston Astros Major League Debut: July 16, 1999 Salary: $14,500,000 Date of Birth: February 10, 1976 Place of Birth: Waco, Texas