Why is berkman puma

He was also a tremendous performer in the post-season , with a career batting line in 52 playoff games of. During his two trips to the World Series in and , he hit a staggering. He stacks up with some of the household names in baseball history as well.

Only 38 other players in history got on base more frequently during their careers than did the Puma, and Berkman's. He ranks 40th all-time in isolated power and 57th all-time in walks. In franchise history, he ranks first in OBP, first in SLG and therefore first in OPS , second in home runs, second in intentional walks, third in RBI, third in walks, third in doubles, third in runs scored, fourth in games played and fifth in total hits. One fun stat that I stumbled across that you probably won't hear elsewhere; since scorekeepers started tracking it, Berkman is first all-time for the Astros in total number of pitches seen.

Berkman saw 24, pitches as an Astro, for an average of 3. As a quick reference, thinking about elite power hitters who are also very disciplined, Miguel Cabrera from through , while hitting. So yes, an all-time great; the numbers make it clear that Berkman was pretty easily one of the game's best all-time batters on a per plate appearance basis.

A Hall of Famer? No, probably not even if he is worlds better than Jim Rice. But he has to be considered very close.

Berkman never had the other tools in the box, like speed or defensive wizardry, nor did he have the huge totals that tend to make the voters forget that they're supposed to value more than just hitting.

What he did have that is notable is consistency and fairly graceful aging; from his first Big League trip to the plate through the end of his age 30 season, Berkman hit.

While he certainly did decline somewhat, Berkman hit. What's more is that his decline in production was due almost entirely to injuries, rather than a decline in actual hitting ability; in the four seasons from age 31 and on in which he had at least PA , , Berkman hit. But the fact is that Berkman was much more than numbers and records. He was more than just an on-base machine with excellent power and one of the sweetest left-handed strokes this side of Griffey.

Berkman was a real human being, as much as a professional athlete can be. If you asked him a question, he not only gave you an answer, but you knew the answer he gave you was the real answer, the way he honestly felt at the time about a subject. Despite this honesty, his comments were always tempered by a jolly nature and a good heart.

While real and open, Berkman was never rude, cruel, mean, and certainly not superior. Richard Justice did a better job than I ever could in relaying who Berkman really was off the field, so be sure to check out his recollections. But be it the self-deprecating jokes, or better yet the stories from his days at Rice University who can forget the Blue Dart or the plastic grocery bag?

I've realized over the years that, aside from the thoughtful pacing, the dueling nature of pitcher vs. I'm certainly not speaking about umpires being allowed to blow calls that technology should make easy. I'm speaking about the familiar, everyday nature of baseball. For six months, we see these boys on daily basis.

We get up, go to work, grind away, then come home and see them working and grinding as well. On the weekends as we relax, we see them playing day games out in the sun.

We see them drafted, hugging families as they take the first real step on the path towards a dream we share but realize we can't achieve. We follow them as they slowly work their way through the minors, making adjustments, biting and clawing, as we dream of the day we'll see them in the big stadium for the first time.

We watch as they finally make it, realize that dream they've held in their hearts for a decade, or one and a half, or two, and then immediately begin adjusting, biting and clawing again to hang with the big boys. We see them struggle one day, then the next, and then the next week, and then when the hour seems darkest for them, we cheer and hoot and holler as they break the week or even month-long slump and make us and themselves believe again.

Days turn into weeks, to months, to seasons and years. Others come and go, some with tremendous promise unfulfilled, and some barely mists that cling to the morning air before the sun wipes them from our collective consciousness.

Some are short-time fan-favorites, two-month rentals or one-hit wonders. The flops and flame outs seemingly serve to cast a brighter light on the ones that stick, and even more so, those that excel. Careers in the NFL are short, and the season consists of but sixteen games, roughly just one tenth of the games played in the baseball season. The gridiron warriors are also hidden under heavy, thick pads and helmets, their faces and emotions often obscured. They show up for three hours a week, do battle with one another, and then go home.

The NFL is notoriously strict on player-fan interaction and interviews given to the media. There's a cold, impersonal aspect to following the NFL. Perhaps it's good for the brand, as you really closely follow a team rather than individual players notable superstars aside, granted , but the formula makes it hard to fall in love with individual players.

By contrast, baseball players wear simple uniforms how many other sports do the athletes wear belts in? We see, up close, the concentration in a pitcher's eyes as he stares in to get the signs, the glance of the batter at the shifting position of the fielders, the base runner watching the coach carefully, intent on not missing a sign.

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They went on to discuss baseball among a few other humor relief topics. Those guys loved to joke around. The nickname was picked up across the country on many TV and radio affiliates and moved on to become a household name. An unlikely nickname for an unlikely guy. Berkman was a first baseman. But at the time of being called up to the majors, the Astros already had a hall of famer first baseman.

You may remember, one Jeff Bagwell. To find a spot for him in the line-up the Astros asked him to move around the outfield spending time in left and right field until he found his rhythm, he was even assigned back to the minors for more practice. Known as a very powerful hitter Berkman came back with a force. He cemented his role in the starting lineup and was hitting a near. Besides being hurt for the majority of the season, Lance moved to first base, a position he played throughout college and was most comfortable with.

This was a magical season. Looking back now as the Astros win their first championship in franchise history, was a very close second. The Big Puma was iconic in the postseason despite playing games that year.

Where were you on October 9 th ? Being down , Berkman hit a grand-slam closing the Braves lead to and a solo shot by Brad Ausmus ties it and finally in the bottom of the 18 th a Chris Burke walk-off home run decides the game.

You hit , he was looking middle in, Farnsworth painting that outside corner. I think Farnsworth right now will have to come right back with another fastball in the strike zone. And Berkman knows that as well.

He hits a Grand Slam right now.