Astros' Berkman may be baseball's best natural hitter

	It's rare to see Lance Berkman without an ear-to-ear grin. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
	MAILBAG Submit a comment or question for Gennaro. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

Just before the first game of a recent weekend series against the Mets, most Houston players tossed on their practice duds and took BP in the bowels of Shea Stadium. Lance Berkman skipped Step 1 and strolled into the cage in street clothes. Strangely, as the switch hitter hacked away in dress shoes, jeans and a collared shirt, his teammates went about their business as if everything were normal.

"Everybody expects it," Berkman said with a chuckle. "They're not even surprised that I would do something like that."

Catcher Brad Ausmus calls him "a clown." Closer Brad Lidge says he's "the most laid-back player you'll ever meet." But the most accurate description of Houston's four-time All-Star is that he's baseball's Everyman -- a player who's consistently last to arrive in the clubhouse because of what he calls "inertia"; a pudgy 30-year-old who could stand to shed a few pounds; an outfielder/first baseman who runs like a DH; a devout Christian and family man with a wife and three daughters.

The funny thing is, this average Joe can plain hit, and he's quite possibly the most naturally gifted batsman of his generation.

'Just a ballplayer'

Ask anyone in the Astros clubhouse whether they've seen a player with natural abilities at the plate similar to Berkman's and the answer is always the same: No chance.

"I'll be honest with you. Just naturally talented? No -- nobody's even close," shortstop Adam Everett says. "You see guys like [Carlos] Beltran and [Albert] Pujols, and those guys are very talented, but [Berkman] is just a ballplayer. He's a throwback."

Berkman, who has drawn more than one comparison to "fat Elvis," looks more like a beer-league softball player than a major league star who boasts a .327 average, 32 homers and 100 RBIs. His 6-foot-1, 220-pound frame is doughy, not defined, and his chubby face is highlighted by kind eyes and an ever-present smile. And this unassuming look isn't the only thing that differentiates Berkman from other top-tier sluggers -- he also never studies pitcher scouting reports. Berkman may ask a teammate for advice against a certain pitcher, but most of the time he relies solely on his memory bank at the plate.

Once Berkman steps in the batter's box, his natural instincts take over. Although his sweeping swing seems long, the country-strong Berkman generates devastating bat speed. As a result, his fluid, powerful stroke looks completely effortless. "When he brings the bat head through the zone, it's pretty scary," second baseman Craig Biggio says.

In his first six full seasons in the majors, Berkman compiled a .302 career average with 180 homers and 617 RBIs. This season -- which should end up as his best yet -- will provide a significant statistical boost.