"All-Star outfielders Lance Berkman of the Cardinals and Jacoby Ellsbury of the Red Sox were named the winners of the 2011 Comeback Player of the Year Awards on Thursday, as the annual rollout of Major League Baseball's individual hardware got under way.

Berkman, 35, recaptured the form he showed for many seasons in Houston, and he is a key reason why St. Louis is in the midst of a National League Championship Series battle against Milwaukee. He hit .301 with 31 home runs and 94 RBIs, a .412 on-base percentage and a .547 slugging percentage, after batting a combined .248 with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs between the Astros and Yankees last season.

He ranked among the NL leaders in homers (tied for ninth overall, first with 22 road homers), RBIs (tied for 11th), walks (92, fourth), slugging (fifth) and OBP (third)."