Continuing on in the outfield, free agent signee Lance Berkman has revived his career hitting behind Pujols and Holliday, and he's my next All-Value All-Star. You can find the other All-Value All-Stars here:
Catcher - Alex Avila
First Baseman - Michael Morse
Second Baseman - Danny Espinosa
Shortstop - Asdrubal Cabrera
Third Baseman - Ryan Roberts
Outfielder - Curtis Granderson
Coming Into The Season
Berkman really had a lost season in 2010, posting a combined .248/.368/.413 slash line with just 14 home runs, 58 runs batted in, and 48 runs scored. He was traded midseason to the Yankees, and essentially became a part-time player with the Yankees, and it remained to be seen how he would fare in free agency. After spurning an offer from the Athletics, Berkman signed with the Cardinals for a 1 year contract, and would move back to a corner outfield spot for the team. ESPN had ranked Berkman as their #28 first baseman coming into the season, essentially a deep league play only.
His Season To Date
Through Wednesday's games, Berkman has posted a .292/.404/.607 slash line, leading the league in slugging percentage. In addition, he has hit a National League leading 23 home runs, driven in 62 runs, and scored 52 runs. Yahoo currently has him ranked as their #6 outfielder, and their #5 first baseman.
Can He Continue This Performance?
Berkman definitely looks like he is back to the level he was coming into the 2010 season, and most of the advanced metrics point to this being legitimate. His HR/FB% is off the charts compared to his career numbers, so I would expect some regression in his home run total. While I don't think he will get to 40 home runs, I could see him getting pretty close. Overall, I think he is a player to hold onto, as he will continue to provide excellent performance all season long.