Jose Oquendo will take time to rehab his right knee (file photo/Bill Greenblatt, UPI)
A day after the Cardinals announced that 52-year old third base coach Jose Oquendo was taking a medical leave of absence, he spoke with the media in Jupiter, FL. and it not sure when or if he’ll return to the club as a Major League coach. His immediate plans are to stay in Florida, where he lives during the offseason, to rehab from two knee surgeries he’s had since the offseason.
“Maybe this is the start,” Oquendo said. “I don’t know yet. I can’t tell you what I’m going to do two, three months from now.”
Manager Mike Matheny and the Cardinals organization tried to convince Oquendo to stay on board, but he was non-committal.
“To not be able to hit fungoes or help out or whatever, that’s killing me,” Oquendo said. “These couple weeks have been killing me, limping out there to talk to them. I think this is the best for everybody to have somebody instead of me just halfway being able to do things.”
Oquendo asked if this is retirement
