"The artist formerly known as Fat Elvis knows how it works:

Tiger Woods won 71 times on tour, including 14 major golf championships. But because he hasn't won since September 2009, two months before his personal life became tabloid fodder, Woods has almost slipped into irrelevance.

Shortstop Derek Jeter, who entered the weekend within a whisper of becoming the first player to reach 3,000 hits in pinstripes, returned from the disabled list last week to insinuations that the New York Yankees became a lesser team by activating him.

Within his own clubhouse, first baseman Albert Pujols' fractured left wrist elicited media commentary ranging from the wisdom of his Lazarus-like return to questions about how the injury could impact his pending free agency.

So it hardly bothers Cardinals right fielder, National League home run leader and switch-hitting mood lifter Lance Berkman to consider that many within his industry last winter might have placed him among the career dead.

"It shows what a horrible season I went through last year," Berkman says. "And I think it also shows the tendency of everyone to leap to conclusions. It's a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business. I think professional sports in general are that way. Albert, maybe the greatest hitter ever, gets off to a slow start and then has a wrist problem and people are saying, 'Is he done? Can he come back from it?' Look at Tiger. He's the greatest golfer of his generation, maybe ever, and he gets hurt in his mid-30s and everybody's like 'He's done' almost immediately.

"If those type players get it, then nobody's immune."

Berkman leaves for Major League Baseball's All-Star Game with teammates Matt Holliday and catcher Yadier Molina immediately after Sunday's series finale against Arizona. He'll deservedly start Tuesday night's game in Phoenix - not bad for someone supposedly finished last October.

His manager heard the doubts almost daily.

"Bat speed gone. Legs are gone. Can't play outfield every day," recited Tony La Russa. "This game is about showing you can do it the next time you have a chance."

Berkman, 35, entered Saturday's game with 24 home runs and 63 RBIs, more production than he managed while splitting an injury-marred 2010 between the Houston Astros and Yankees.

When the Cardinals signed Berkman to an $8 million contract last December, general manager John Mozeliak quickly was lampooned for hiring a broken-down designated hitter to play outfield for the first time in five years.

Mozeliak abstains from gloating, an involuntary reaction to a season that already has forced the Cardinals to use the disabled list 15 times."