Jim Edmonds--is the tank completely empty?
by cubfever7 on May 10, 2008 9:59 AM CDT
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PrintI began to harbor a lot of ill toward the Cardinals the last 7 years or so, and it was never there before (thanks to their announcer, some has shifted to Cincinnati now).
The player I loved to hate the most was their showboat center fielder, who patented running just fast enough to make as many over the shoulder catches as humanly possible. This increased his flair for the dramatic and gave the appearance of higher degree of difficulty which apparently everyone bought since he has 8 gold gloves (as I shake my head in wonder).
I prefer an Andruw Jones approach; run full blast to the right spot, stop and make it look like an easy catch.
But now that he's out there....hmmmm...left hand hitting former gold glove CF with power who made a killer throw to nail a guy at the plate a couple nights ago. Plus: he's cheap! SD's Kevin Towers and the Cards in general don't make many mistakes on players though, and this was REALLY giving up early. Is he completely done? Or is he worth a flyer on the Cub bench in place of another role player?
Many say that not playing Felix every day is a HUGE mistake; getting Edmonds would compound that mistake. It's Saturday morning and it's time for some coffee talk; discuss amongst yourselves (what was her name on SNL? Linda Richman?). She would tell you that Edmonds running in the outfield is like buttah.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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yea edmonds is done
i think he’s been starting to lose it the last couple years. He had a great career if he decides to finish
by columbusOHcubsfan on May 10, 2008 10:02 AM CDT reply actions
My Opinion
My opinion is that is isn’t the player he used to be, and he probably shouldn’t be in center any longer. His hitting has stunk this year, though I’m surprised it’s been this bad. I dunno, I would like to see an AL team take a chance in him as a backup LF or something, but I doubt it will happen. Maybe if he would agree to a minor league deal?
As for Edmonds on the Cubs? If it was 5-10 years ago, sure! Sadly, it’s not. So there is no way I’d sign Edmonds now.
I’m usually saddened when great players have to hang it up because they physically can’t “go” anymore… but that’s just part of the game.
Good luck Edmonds!
If you look at his stats for the last three years
He just keeps dropping off. He’s done.
my owner buys me the expensive cat food, but i'll just eat this dvd shrinkwrap and that bug over there
by dr stabbingworth on May 10, 2008 10:27 AM CDT reply actions
I completely...
agree with that. He’s just gonna get even worse this season. Even if the Cubs were to play Felix Pie in center every day, he’d still be better than Edmonds.
by wrigleyrocker12 on May 10, 2008 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions
The Cubs used to do a lot of this kind of thing...
... in the Wrigley ownership era—bring in faded stars who were 100% done when signed. I remember Jack Brickhouse getting so excited on TV in 1981 to announce that the Cubs had signed someone who was going to really help them.
That was Bobby Bonds. He got hit by a pitch and had a broken hand in his first game as a Cub, then hit .215 the rest of the way.
Signing Edmonds would be a Wrigley-era stupid mistake, a waste of time, effort and a roster spot. He is D-O-N-E, done.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
Al--please refrain from couching your opinions. :c-)
BBWAA's name should be changed to "Power in the hands of Fools"
LOL
One other thing… it doesn’t matter to me who a player played for or how much I hated him then. If he could help the Cubs, bring him on.
Edmonds can’t, but I’d take any Cardinal, White Sox, Met, whoever, if they could help.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
I just couldn't...
...stomach the idea of the this guy e-v-e-r being in a Cubs uniform—-utility aside, even if a back-up. Please, please, please no. – TL
Thanks for the flashback!
I was beginning to think that I imagined the whole “Bobby Bonds Era”
by bluekoolaide on May 10, 2008 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions
Absolutely, positively,
D-O-N-E. He’s through. He has been worse than miserable. He cannot even field his position any more. The downfall has been absolutely dramatic…
Which makes one wonder…...
I’ll let you fill in the blank.
by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 10, 2008 2:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Trust me he is BEYOND AWFUL
I am probably the only OTHER person on this blog ( besides smooth guy) who watches
A LOT of Padre games ( not just when Maddux pitches). Edmonds to quote the New York
Post in another matter is TOAST. If it where just that his hitting was bad he might be worth a
shot but his fielding is actually WORSE THAN SORIANO. Something bad has happened to
him and he is totally and utterly finished, not worth league minimum, not worth a minor
league stint not worth ANYTHING.
by Doggie Stalker on May 10, 2008 11:03 AM CDT reply actions
Same opinion here
I also watch a lot of Padres games and Towers/Alderson know what they are doing. The Padres are in deep poop in center field so that tells you how sure they are that Edmonds is completely done.
So maybe Jacque Jones
ends up a Padre? They don’t spend, and he’s from SD…..
"Is there anything he can't do?" ~Len Kasper, 4/5/08, on Kosuke Fukudome
Here is my thoughts: Offer a minor league contract
In fact I would have a standing offer to both Lofton and to Edmunds of a minor league contract. If Edmunds really wants to make one more stab at MLB baseball for a contender than he would take up the minor league contract, go down to AAA for a month or so and get himself straightened out.
Then if the Cubs see that by June 15th Pie is not being the answer this year, then they send Pie back to AAA to get right for the final push and bring up Edmunds. What would it cost, the league minimum?
Riding the AAA bus could do Edmunds some appreciative motivation.
Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."
wouldnt mind
if they did this with lofton, because he still could have the potential to play at a high level. But I wouldn’t even think about it with edmonds….he’s past his day and I don’t see anything left in his tank.
If I hear Kenny Lofton's name one more time I'm going to scream, I swear.
What’s the obsession with an over the hill player who can’t play center field? Where are we supposed to play him?
NO.
See above comment. T-O-A-S-T.
by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 10, 2008 2:43 PM CDT up reply actions
Ivy...
... go take a look at his career stats and the very clear trend that they’ve taken the last four seasons… still think motivation has anything to do with it?
DmL
maybe not, but there is always this chance once a professional has hit a plateau
that then trends down. The question is what can be done to change that trend? Certainly physical capabilities erode over time, that is the aging process. But it is a thought.
Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."
As Hawk on The Southside Would Say...
... he GDone!
Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!
Worth investigating
Nobody suggests that Jim Edmonds would be a starting option. Lou Piniella keeps insisting he wants more left-handed power and Edmonds fits that bill. So yeah, I’d give him a tryout, kick the tires and see if it makes sense to bring him in here.
Lou, stop being obstinate...bat Soriano # 6.
Or sign Barry Bonds
although where the heck he would play on our team, I don’t know. Then again, I don’t know where Kroeger would play.
Kroeger doesn’t have power. The 21 HR he hit last season is completely out of whack with the rest of his career. Mostly he hit around 10-15 while playing in extreme hitters parks.
It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8 lbs. 1 oz.
by Josh Timmers on May 10, 2008 3:43 PM CDT up reply actions
He probably has more power than Edmonds right now.
You’d move Dome to center and probably Soriano to right if you brought Bonds in. Which I wouldn’t anticipate, but the Cubs are purportedly looking for a lefty corner outfielder that has some real pop in his bat.
yeah, but he played today.
4-5, two headfirst slides into home… Soriano was the player of the game. Just wanna make sure Blue Mike sees this… :P
2008: The year we put it all together.
by drewishdrewid on May 10, 2008 7:03 PM CDT up reply actions
The Cubs desire for a lefty power hitter...
...has nothing to do with Soriano, and everything to do with “lineup balance” and “protecting” A-Ram.
I agree...
Micah Hoffpaur is also healthy. Edmonds hasn’t been himself for tha last three years.
by crazymountain on May 11, 2008 9:56 AM CDT up reply actions
No.
Before his release, Edmonds might have been the worst player in all of MLB. Which, is hard to believe, honestly.
But he was awful and will be continue to be awful if somebody wants to take a chance.
Somebody else in this thread has said ‘riding the buses’ of the minor swill inspire him.
You can’t ‘inspire’ if the body can’t do it any longer. Besides, why should the guy embarass him self further? He’ll announce his retirement next week. Print it.
Move on.
by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 10, 2008 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions
Imagine five years ago
if someone would have told you that you’d rather have augie ofreakinjeda in your lineup than Jim Edmunds.
I would have bet alot of money against that one......baseball what a game.
Felix Pie must play everyday!
why not
after all, it’s someone else’s money, right Blue Mike…
There’s NO POINT in doing this. Edmonds is done.
2008: The year we put it all together.
by drewishdrewid on May 10, 2008 7:02 PM CDT up reply actions
Even if we wanted him
...he wouldn’t want us. I don’t remember where I read it, but Edmonds said that he would never play for the Cubs because he’s afraid of running too hard into the brick outfield wall. That’s why he played first base pretty frequently when the Cards were in town.
The tank is empty
there’s setiment on the bottom, the fuel filter is clogged and the fuel pump has just burned out…
Remember the concussions?
Edmonds was lucky that his career wasn’t absolutely over at that time; brain injuries are not to be trifled with. Every game he got since then was a bonus.
That’s two Cub tormentors out in quick succession: Edmonds and Matt Morris.
Vote for experience -- Woody for closer 2008!
Kenny Lofton...
... [ pause for a cwyers scream ] ...
I would agree that Kenny Lofton is not a good fit for the Cubs, but it wouldn’t surprise me if somebody does sign him at some point this season. I think it’s entirely within the realm of possibility that Lofton still has something left in the tank and could provide a spark or two to a team in the right situation.
I get no such feeling for Edmonds. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Think Willie Mays, circa 1973 (his last season, with the Mets). He’s done.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Dunno about Lofton.
Teams seem to be trending away toward mediocre veterans and toward younger, cheaper replacements. The amount of aging vets that have ended up released so far this season is just shocking to me.
Maybe he does end up somewhere this season. But it’s just as likely that he’s played his last game.
There are quite a few players...
... who had decent-to-very good years in 2007, older players like Lofton, who are sitting home this year, and the reason is exactly what cwyers says.
I think Lofton’s done.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
If his tank isn't empty...
...his fuel injectors are clogged. Either way, this guy is done.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
Why do some
people on here want to get players who are past their prime or have had injuries most of their career? That’s like putting a piece of used bubble gum in a hole in the dam to try and stop the leak. It doesn’t work.
From your keyboard to Hendry's eyes
However, it looks like Lou might be pushing for some washed-up Edmonds action...
They are exploring the possibility, according to some in the know.(snip)
Asked about the possibility of a left-handed bat being added, Piniella said, “We’ll just have to see what happens.”
"Is there anything he can't do?" ~Len Kasper, 4/5/08, on Kosuke Fukudome
He's done
I’d call Fuld up before even thinking about Edmonds
Well, Next Year is here .. and Jack's century's gotta end some time .. GO CUBBIES!
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