Lance Berkman
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1999-2013)
Lance Berkman was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1999 to 2013 for 4 teams, including the Houston Astros, a span of 15 seasons. In 1,879 career games, he hit .293 with 1,905 hits, 366 home runs, and 1,234 RBI. Lance Berkman was a 6-time All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 38,575.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- B / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 220 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1999-07-16
- Last Game
- 2013-09-17
- Awards
- 6× All-Star
Full name: William Lance Berkman
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,879 | 6,491 | 1,146 | 1,905 | 422 | 30 | 366 | 1,234 | 86 | 1,201 | 1,300 | .293 | .406 | .537 | .943 | 38,575 |
Career AVG .293 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — +11.6% above league average.
Career OBP .406 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — +22.5% above league average.
Career SLG .537 vs. league average .418 across their career seasons — +28.3% above league average.
Career OPS .943 vs. league average .750 across their career seasons — +25.7% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | HOU | NL | 34 | 93 | 10 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 5 | 12 | 21 | .237 | .271 (-13%) | .344 (-7%) | .433 (-11%) | .778 (-9%) | -139.4 |
| 2000 | HOU | NL | 114 | 353 | 76 | 105 | 28 | 1 | 21 | 67 | 6 | 56 | 73 | .297 | .270 (+10%) | .344 (+13%) | .437 (+28%) | .782 (+21%) | 1559.2 |
| 2001 | HOU | NL | 156 | 577 | 110 | 191 | 55 | 5 | 34 | 126 | 7 | 92 | 121 | .331 | .263 (+25%) | .332 (+30%) | .426 (+45%) | .758 (+38%) | 5002.9 |
| 2002 | HOU | NL | 158 | 578 | 106 | 169 | 35 | 2 | 42 | 128 | 8 | 107 | 118 | .292 | .261 (+12%) | .331 (+22%) | .416 (+39%) | .747 (+31%) | 4131.2 |
| 2003 | HOU | NL | 153 | 538 | 110 | 155 | 35 | 6 | 25 | 93 | 5 | 107 | 108 | .288 | .264 (+9%) | .332 (+24%) | .422 (+22%) | .754 (+23%) | 3032.3 |
| 2004 | HOU | NL | 160 | 544 | 104 | 172 | 40 | 3 | 30 | 106 | 9 | 127 | 101 | .316 | .266 (+19%) | .335 (+34%) | .427 (+32%) | .762 (+33%) | 4559.6 |
| 2005 | HOU | NL | 132 | 468 | 76 | 137 | 34 | 1 | 24 | 82 | 4 | 91 | 72 | .293 | .264 (+11%) | .330 (+24%) | .418 (+25%) | .749 (+25%) | 2700.7 |
| 2006 | HOU | NL | 152 | 536 | 95 | 169 | 29 | 0 | 45 | 136 | 3 | 98 | 106 | .315 | .269 (+17%) | .336 (+25%) | .431 (+44%) | .768 (+35%) | 4339.7 |
| 2007 | HOU | NL | 153 | 561 | 95 | 156 | 24 | 2 | 34 | 102 | 7 | 94 | 125 | .278 | .268 (+4%) | .335 (+15%) | .422 (+21%) | .758 (+18%) | 2430.8 |
| 2008 | HOU | NL | 159 | 554 | 114 | 173 | 46 | 4 | 29 | 106 | 18 | 99 | 108 | .312 | .263 (+18%) | .333 (+26%) | .416 (+36%) | .749 (+32%) | 4021.6 |
| 2009 | HOU | NL | 136 | 460 | 73 | 126 | 31 | 1 | 25 | 80 | 7 | 97 | 98 | .274 | .262 (+4%) | .332 (+20%) | .417 (+22%) | .750 (+21%) | 2267.7 |
| 2010 | HOU | NL | 85 | 298 | 39 | 73 | 16 | 1 | 13 | 49 | 3 | 60 | 70 | .245 | .257 (-5%) | .325 (+14%) | .402 (+8%) | .728 (+11%) | 786.8 |
| 2010 | NYA | AL | 37 | 106 | 9 | 27 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 17 | 15 | .255 | .257 (-1%) | .325 (+10%) | .402 (-13%) | .728 (-3%) | 786.8 |
| 2011 | SLN | NL | 145 | 488 | 90 | 147 | 23 | 2 | 31 | 94 | 2 | 92 | 93 | .301 | .255 (+18%) | .320 (+29%) | .399 (+37%) | .719 (+33%) | 3620.4 |
| 2012 | SLN | NL | 32 | 81 | 12 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 19 | .259 | .254 (+2%) | .318 (+20%) | .405 (+10%) | .724 (+14%) | 238.7 |
| 2013 | TEX | AL | 73 | 256 | 27 | 62 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 34 | 0 | 38 | 52 | .242 | .253 (-4%) | .317 (+7%) | .396 (-9%) | .714 (-2%) | 22.3 |
| Career · 16 seasons | 1,879 | 6,491 | 1,146 | 1,905 | 422 | 30 | 366 | 1,234 | 86 | 1,201 | 1,300 | .293 | — | — | — | — | 39,361 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | 186 | 38 | 59 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 41 | 31 | 41 | .317 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | NLCS | SLN | 6 | 20 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | .300 |
| 2011 | NLDS1 | SLN | 5 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | .167 |
| 2011 | WS | SLN | 7 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 7 | .423 |
| 2010 | ALCS | NYA | 4 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | .250 |
| 2010 | ALDS2 | NYA | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .500 |
| 2005 | NLCS | HOU | 6 | 21 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | .286 |
| 2005 | NLDS2 | HOU | 4 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | .357 |
| 2005 | WS | HOU | 4 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 5 | .385 |
| 2004 | NLCS | HOU | 7 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 4 | .292 |
| 2004 | NLDS2 | HOU | 5 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | .409 |
| 2001 | NLDS1 | HOU | 3 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .167 |
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1879 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 946 | 3212 | 564 | 963 | 166 | 599 | .300 |
| Away | 933 | 3279 | 582 | 942 | 200 | 635 | .287 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-17 | TEX | TBR | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013-09-16 | TEX | TBR | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2013-09-14 | TEX | OAK | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013-09-03 | TEX | OAK | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013-09-02 | TEX | OAK | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013-07-06 | TEX | HOU | L | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013-07-05 | TEX | HOU | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013-07-04 | TEX | SEA | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013-07-03 | TEX | SEA | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013-06-26 | TEX | NYY | W | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 765 | 726 | 6218 | 580 | 41 | 617 |
| OF | 997 | 964 | 1681 | 49 | 38 | 9 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | HOU | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999 | HOU | OF | 27 | 21 | 42 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 | HOU | 1B | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | HOU | OF | 96 | 90 | 173 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 2001 | HOU | OF | 155 | 153 | 306 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| 2002 | HOU | OF | 156 | 155 | 293 | 6 | 7 | 1 |
| 2003 | HOU | OF | 153 | 153 | 254 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| 2004 | HOU | 1B | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2004 | HOU | OF | 160 | 158 | 243 | 11 | 2 | 1 |
| 2005 | HOU | 1B | 96 | 84 | 772 | 49 | 5 | 77 |
| 2005 | HOU | OF | 49 | 45 | 66 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2006 | HOU | 1B | 112 | 105 | 964 | 71 | 6 | 96 |
| 2006 | HOU | OF | 44 | 39 | 61 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 2007 | HOU | 1B | 126 | 122 | 1015 | 103 | 10 | 86 |
| 2007 | HOU | OF | 31 | 27 | 49 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2008 | HOU | 1B | 152 | 151 | 1240 | 132 | 5 | 122 |
| 2009 | HOU | 1B | 131 | 131 | 1107 | 116 | 6 | 122 |
| 2010 | HOU | 1B | 85 | 84 | 696 | 72 | 1 | 60 |
| 2010 | NYA | 1B | 8 | 7 | 54 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| 2011 | SLN | 1B | 21 | 16 | 154 | 14 | 2 | 18 |
| 2011 | SLN | OF | 126 | 123 | 194 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 2012 | SLN | 1B | 23 | 22 | 170 | 13 | 4 | 22 |
| 2013 | TEX | 1B | 4 | 4 | 38 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 765 |
| Left Field | 549 |
| Center Field | 166 |
| Right Field | 373 |
| Designated Hitter | 104 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Comeback Player of the Year | |
| 2011 | MLB Players Choice Comeback Player | |
| 2011 | Player of the Week | Week of 2011-04-17 |
| 2011 | Player of the Week | Week of 2011-05-01 |
| 2011 | TSN Comeback Player of the Year | |
| 2008 | Player of the Month | May |
| 2008 | Player of the Week | Week of 2008-05-10 |
| 2008 | Player of the Week | Week of 2008-04-26 |
| 2006 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 2004 | Player of the Month | May |
| 2002 | Player of the Week | Week of 2002-05-04 |
| 2001 | Player of the Week | Week of 2001-06-23 |
Salary History
Lance Berkman's recorded salaries total $124,005,000 over 14 seasons, 1999 to 2013. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Berkman's career ran from 1999 to 2013. No salary is recorded for 2000.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | TEX | AL | $10,000,000 |
| 2012 | SLN | NL | $12,000,000 |
| 2011 | SLN | NL | $8,000,000 |
| 2010 | HOU | NL | $14,500,000 |
| 2009 | HOU | NL | $14,500,000 |
| 2008 | HOU | NL | $14,500,000 |
| 2007 | HOU | NL | $14,500,000 |
| 2006 | HOU | NL | $14,500,000 |
| 2005 | HOU | NL | $10,500,000 |
| 2004 | HOU | NL | $6,500,000 |
| 2003 | HOU | NL | $3,500,000 |
| 2002 | HOU | NL | $500,000 |
| 2001 | HOU | NL | $305,000 |
| 1999 | HOU | NL | $200,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $124,005,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice University | Houston | TX | 1995, 1996, 1997 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 7th | 118.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2008 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 5th | 126.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2006 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 3rd | 230.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2005 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 14th | 21.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2004 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 7th | 100.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2002 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 3rd | 181.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2001 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 5th | 125.0 | 448 | 0 |
| 2000 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 6th | 1.0 | 160 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Lance Berkman (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Lance Berkman
See Lance Berkman in Another Era
Lance Berkman: the record in brief
According to the bio, Lance Berkman debuted on July 16, 1999 and played a final game on September 17, 2013. By club, Berkman's seasons break down as the Houston Astros (1999 to 2010), the New York Yankees (2010), the St. Louis Cardinals (2011 to 2012), and the Texas Rangers (2013). Berkman played primarily as an outfielder and batted from both sides and threw left-handed. Born on February 10, 1976, in Waco, TX, USA, Berkman was listed at 220 pounds on a 6-foot-1 frame. On the record, Lance Berkman was born William Lance Berkman.
Berkman's career batting table shows 1,879 games, 6,491 at bats and 1,905 hits, a .293 average; the totals also include 366 homers, 1,234 RBI, and 86 stolen bases. Berkman's career OPS of .943 combines a .406 on-base mark with .537 slugging. Berkman's .293 average ran 11.6% above the .263 that the league posted over the same seasons. By OPS the gap is 25.7% above league average (.943 against .750).
Frequently Asked Questions about Lance Berkman
- What years did Lance Berkman play?
- Lance Berkman played in Major League Baseball from 1999 to 2013.
- Was Lance Berkman a pitcher?
- No. Lance Berkman was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Lance Berkman hit?
- Lance Berkman hit 366 career home runs with 1,905 hits.
- What teams did Lance Berkman play for?
- Lance Berkman played for 4 teams: the Houston Astros (1999–2010), the New York Yankees (2010), the St. Louis Cardinals (2011–2012), and the Texas Rangers (2013).
- Did Lance Berkman win an MVP award?
- No. Lance Berkman did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Lance Berkman win?
- Lance Berkman was selected to 6 All-Star Games.
- What were Lance Berkman's career stats?
- In 1,879 games, Lance Berkman had 1,905 hits, 366 home runs, 1,234 RBI, 1,146 runs, and 86 stolen bases, with a .293 batting average.
- How much did Lance Berkman earn in his career?
- Lance Berkman's recorded salaries total $124,005,000 over 14 seasons, 1999 to 2013. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Berkman's career ran from 1999 to 2013. No salary is recorded for 2000.
- What was Lance Berkman's salary?
- Lance Berkman's last recorded salary was $10,000,000, in 2013. His highest recorded salary was $14,500,000, in 2006, and his lowest was $200,000, in 1999. The Salary History table lists each season from 1999 to 2013.
- What position did Lance Berkman play?
- Lance Berkman played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Lance Berkman and how much did he weigh?
- Lance Berkman was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 220 pounds.
- How many home runs did Lance Berkman hit each season?
- Lance Berkman's home runs by season: 4 in 1999, 21 in 2000, 34 in 2001, 42 in 2002, 25 in 2003, 30 in 2004, 24 in 2005, 45 in 2006, 34 in 2007, 29 in 2008, 25 in 2009, 14 in 2010, 31 in 2011, 2 in 2012, and 6 in 2013. His most in one season was 45, in 2006.
- What was Lance Berkman's career batting average?
- Lance Berkman batted .293 over his career, with 1,905 hits in 6,491 at bats.
- How many RBI did Lance Berkman have?
- Lance Berkman drove in 1,234 runs in his career.