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BenFred: Grichuk's ups and downs offer lesson for DeJong

Mayor Lyda Krewson hasn't yet made it official, but the declaration of Paul DeJong Month must surely be coming any day now.

The Cardinals' rookie shortstop just keeps slugging, dispatching baseballs over walls with that powerful righthanded swing.

He's already up to 10 homers, and he didn't arrive in St. Louis until late May. He's slugging .583, the highest of any Cardinal on the active roster who has more than 50 at-bats. Twenty-one of his 43 hits have gone for extra bases. His OPS+ is 130, or 30 points above average.

But wait, there's more.

Since DeJong returned from Class AAA Memphis after his first cup of coffee (May 28-June 8), his pop has been even more impressive.