RetroSimba

(Updated Nov. 24, 2020)

In 2011, Lance Berkman became the sixth Cardinals player to win the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Berkman, 35, hit .301 with 31 home runs and 94 RBI for the 2011 Cardinals. His on-base percentage was .412.

Berkman, a five-time all-star with Houston, rebounded from a 2010 season in which he hit a combined .248 with 14 homers and 58 RBI for the Astros and Yankees. The switch-hitter was such a consistent run producer for the Cardinals he was voted a starter on the 2011 all-star team.

Since 1965, The Sporting News has given a Comeback Player of the Year Award to a player in each league. In 2005, Major League Baseball started its own Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Berkman won both The Sporting News and MLB versions of the comeback award.

Here are the other Cardinals who have won the award:

LOU BROCK, 1979

After batting .221 in 92 games in 1978, some thought Brock should retire rather than risk a second consecutive poor season. Instead, Brock, 40, returned and finished with a strong final season: .304 batting average, 123 hits in 120 games (including career hit No. 3,000) and 21 stolen bases.

Asked his reaction to receiving the comeback award, Brock told The Sporting News, “It is meaningful … in the terms that you were able to give one of your greatest performances while you were directing your own exodus.”

JOAQUIN ANDUJAR, 1984

Ace of the World Series champions in 1982, Andujar slumped in 1983. After winning his first two starts, Andujar lost 11 of his next 12 decisions. He finished 6-16 with a 4.16 ERA. In 1984, he became a dominant starter again: 20-14 record, 3.34 ERA, 12 complete games and a league-high four shutouts.

“I don’t think I pitched any different this year,” Andujar told St. Louis writer Rick Hummel in comments about the award. “I have the same (uniform) number _ 47. I have the same name _ Joaquin Andujar. I pitch the same. Last year, I think I pitch better.”

JOHN TUDOR, 1990

After undergoing elbow, shoulder and knee surgeries, Tudor pitched 14.1 innings for the Dodgers in 1989. At 36, he rejoined the Cardinals as a free agent and went 12-4 with a 2.40 ERA in 1990, his last big-league season. Tudor held batters to 120 hits in 146.1 innings.

MATT MORRIS, 2001

Morris sat out the 1999 season to rebuild an injured right elbow and spent the 2000 season as a reliever. In 2001, he returned to the rotation, made 34 starts and went 22-8 with a 3.16 ERA. He and Curt Schilling of the Diamondbacks were the NL co-leaders in wins.

CHRIS CARPENTER, 2004

After missing all of the 2003 season and most of the 2002 season because of injuries, Carpenter was 15-5 with a 3.46 ERA in his first season with the Cardinals, helping them to their first pennant in 17 years.

CHRIS CARPENTER, 2009

By compiling a 17-4 record and leading the NL in ERA (2.24) after pitching in five games the previous two years combined because of injuries, Carpenter won both The Sporting News and MLB versions of the comeback award. He became the second player (first baseman Andres Galarraga was the other) to win the award twice while playing in the NL.