Anyone remember which of the redbird outfielders drove in the most runs back in the World Championship 2006 season? Not Jim Edmonds. Nope, not Chris Duncan. Oh, you remembered that Preston Wilson was a Cardinal in 2006? Not him either. It was Juan Encarnación with 79 RBI that headed the list. He also chipped in 19 home runs, 74 runs, and a respectable .278 batting average. Although something of a journeyman, Juan’s combination of talents and his quiet demeanor helped him find a comfortable niche with this team. An off-season wrist surgery delayed Encarnación’s start in 2007, but he recovered to make solid contributions, picking up 43 runs, 47 RBI, and 9 home runs while carrying a .283 batting mark over 78 games of action. Unfortunately, Juan’s season and, most likely, his career were cut short on August 31st, 2007 when a foul ball caught Encarnación directly in the left eye-socket while he waited in the on-deck circle for his turn at the plate.
There is little information about Juan Encarnación’s status to be found on the web. He maintains a spot on the Cardinals roster, albeit through the 60-day disabled list, yet Cardinals GM John Mozeliak has indicated that Encarnación’s career is likely over. Certainly this sort of trauma is a life-changing event. Perhaps it is Encarnación’s preference to remain out of the spotlight during his recovery, but I feel that Cardinal fans care about their players, past and present, and they would value the opportunity to show their appreciation for Encarnación’s service and sacrifice. I’m still holding out hope that Encarnación may return to professional baseball and, at the least, that his recovery will be complete, if not swift. But, in the meantime, I would like to see the Cardinals organization take a more active role in keeping their fans in touch and, perhaps, providing a channel for Cardinals fans to express their gratitude to a good player who happened to be on-deck at just the wrong time.