puma power

Lance Berkman, perhaps the brightest star produced by the Jackson Generals, will be inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in June. Berkman won national player of the year honors at Rice in 1997, when he hit .431 with 41 home runs and 143 RBIs (with the lightning bat of that era) and led the Owls to the College World Series. He was drafted 16th overall by Houston in ’97 and was sent to the Double-A Generals at the start of the ’98 season. The switch-hitting outfielder — a nice guy who was accommodating to fans and media alike — batted .306 that year with 24 homers and was promoted to Triple-A New Orleans in August. He was in the big leagues to stay in 1999. Over a 15-year MLB career, Berkman, aka the Big Puma, hit .293 with 366 homers, made six All-Star Games and played in two World Series, winning a ring with St. Louis in 2011. He should get consideration for that other Hall of Fame, the one in Cooperstown.