Two Ex-Card Sluggers Reborn of Late

The careers of two ex-Cardinal faves of mine were seemingly dead in the water earlier this year, but both have resurrected their game with dramatic turnarounds.

First, Jim Edmonds: after six great years in St Louis followed by two declining years, he went to San Diego at age 37, where he proceeded to look done for (.178 with just 1 homer and a dismal .231 slugging in 90 AB). But since arriving in Chicago, he's batted .275 with an amazing 15 homers, 14 doubles and 42 RBI in 182 AB for the Cubs, slugging .610. Talk about a turnaround! (And the Cubs had to show some faith and patience, because he didn't come alive right away, going only 3-24 with no etra-base hits in his first 2 weeks with them.)

Second, Fernando Tatis: the Dominican enjoyed one great season with teh Cards at age 24 in 1999, batting .298 with 34 HR, 104 runs and 107 Ribbies, and combining with McGwire for 99 HR's as a teammate duo, one of the highest ever. Since then, though, his numbered steadily dropped before culminating in a horrid .194 and 2 homers in 175 AB for the Expos in 2003. After 2 years out of pro ball here (overseas?), he returned to the minors with the Oriole organization in 2006 (and batted .250 in a month of limited play back in the bigs), then joined the Mets AAA club in '07. 12 homers in 120 AB there this year earned a promotion at age 33 in mid-May; he's proceeded to regain (almost) his 1999 form, but, again, it took patience and faith--hi was just at .253 with one homer in 87 AB through June. But since July 1, he's raised his average to over .300 while hitting 9 HR in 118 AB. Yeah, Fernando--I'm glad you're realizing your potential at last!


And one more player (not an ex-Card) who is back from the dead:
Jolbert Cabrera (older brother of Orlando, both from Columbia) had not played in the bigs since 2004 (and baseball-reference still has his "final game" listed then!). He didn't even play in the minors in 2005-06 (overseas perhaps?), but returned there last year, and after two more organization changes, a .288 avg. for the Reds' AAA club earned a promotion. He went an impressive 7 for 18 (.389) in a 9-day stint in June, then, since coming back on July 18, he's 8 for 25 for a combined 15 for 43 (.349) in limited playing, including pinch-hitting.