When reports surfaced this past weekend that Pujols could be ready to come off the disabled list earlier than expected, possibly immediately after the All-Star break, many people did not believe it.
So when the St. Louis Cardinals activated Pujols from the disabled list on Tuesday afternoon everybody was still shocked.
Everybody but Albert Pujols.
"Does it surprise you?" Pujols responded when asked if he though he could return so fast. "It doesn't surprise me. A lot of people praying for me and I believe all the prayers are being answered. That's a good way to describe it."
Pujols, who was diagnosed with a small fracture in his left wrist after a June 19th collision with Wilson Betemit, was expected to miss four to six weeks because of the injury.
Of course the remarkable Pujols, who many truly now believe is a machine, beat that prognosis without a problem, coming off of the disabled list the first day he was eligible.
Although Pujols was activated for Tuesday's showdown with the Cincinnati Reds, manager Tony La Russa kept his slugger out of the lineup for one additional night.
"He's not in the starting lineup because he hasn't had a rigorous workout and I feel like it would be good for him to get one of those, and then play tomorrow," La Russa said. "I just try to use common sense."
Common sense suggests that having Pujols available off the bench is better than having him in a press box. The first baseman who is hitting .279 with 17 home runs this season is available to pinch hit on Tuesday night and start whenever the manager is ready to pencil him in the lineup. Just being able to play and contribute is good enough for Pujols for now.
"I'm just happy to be available for the ballclub. It's better than being on the DL, so I'm pretty excited," he said.
Cardinals fans and players are excited to have "El Hombre" back too.
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