There was another article earlier in the spring that talked with Eduardo Perez, Jose Oquendo and Albert Pujols about Juan. Juan has been working out at a camp that the former Cardinal Perez was running down in the islands. Perez liked what he saw and brought it with Jose and Albert when they stopped by to see him this winter.
Eduardo thought and said that the years off had actually helped Juan. It allowed his body to fully heal and now he was once again able to go "full steam ahead".
It remains to be seen if the years off were actually a help or a hinderance. If he's healthy and can still swing the bat, he'll make this ball club. It's very possible he could end up platooning with Chris Duncan in LF and being a strong RH bat off the bench. Something Tony LaRussa loves to have.
And if he doesn't hit, he's already made it be known that he'll accept an assignment to Memphis (AAA). John Mabry went this route a few years ago. Mabry hit well and was back up with the big club within a couple of months.
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"Build it and they will come"
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