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Hochman: Which Paul DeJong will be in the batter's box for the Cardinals in 2021?

In this case, anyway.

That’s because the statistic OPS — on-base percentage plus slugging percentage — is a reliable way to determine a player’s prowess. An OPS of .800 is a good goal for a middle-of-the-order guy. And in the past three years, Paul DeJong’s OPS totals have been .746, .762 and .671.

Now, there is a lot to like about DeJong. He’s become a brilliant defensive shortstop, he’s got some pop, he’s a well-respected teammate and, frankly, he’s just a nice guy.

But four years into his career, if we’re to believe he’s an .