Edmonds heading to San Diego

[clevername]

If anything, Edmonds could have taught him for a year which would be a bigger gain than the prospect we got.

other than the sentimental reasons, that's the biggest problem I have with the trade. Even if Rasmus came up and took the starting job from Jimmy or platooned with him, he could have gained quite a bit of knowledge, advice, and leadership from arguably the best CF of the past decade. That may not have tangible worth...but I think the worth is there.

That's the biggest reason I thought they should keep him. And it wasn't just Rasmus. I think Ankiel won't be as good as he could have been.

excellent point. Hadn't thought about Ankiel as well.

[clement]

Why can't money "saved today" be spent tomorrow?

I was just about to post this, but you beat me to it.

And I agree with everything Fat_Strat is saying.

Jimmy may very well end up being worth the $6 or $7 million we're saving in this deal, though even the Padres have to know that there's a chance he won't be. But we have a backload of outfielders. We want not only to make room for Rasmus, but also for Barton, Ludwick, Ankiel, and Duncan. And we need pitching much more than we need all these outfielders. I'd much rather have us part ways with Jim Edmonds (as much as I love the guy and will always remember what he did for this franchise) than give up on one of these young guys (given the overall state of the team).

[Fat Strat]

Some of you guys can call my feelings on this as sentimental/wishy-washy all you want; but let me ask you this:there was substantial time/dollars invested in Ankiel, but didn't his homer in his first game back make it worth it?..even if he wouldn't have panned out after that great moment, special memories like that, and ones from Jimmy is why I love this game.

While I can justify the trade and like the trade, I would also like to echo this. I will miss Edmonds in CF. It's a "star-power" hole that's not easily filled on this club. I loved Jimmy, loved watching him run in the OF. Loved watching that smooth swing. Loved watching him drive balls the other way and out of the park. I loved complaining about how awkwardly he went after every high fastball that he was thrown, only to miss, do that little grimace because his shoulder hurt.

Edmonds was a great Cardinal, right up there with the best of all-time. It's sad to see him go like this, and he'll be missed.

[fulldeck]

Same highlight video, different links.

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseacti ... d=11214397

http://cards4life.vodpod.com/video/299563-jim-edmonds

[fanforever]

http://padres.scout.com/2/711559.html

Ranked 10th in the San Diego Padres minor leagues by MadFriars.com, David Freese has done nothing but hit since entering the system as a ninth-round pick out of South Alabama.
A California League postseason All-Star, the third baseman batted .302 with a team-high 152 hits in 2007. In 128 contests, Freese collected 31 doubles, six triples, 17 homers, 104 runs scored and 96 RBIs.

Grady Fuson, the Padres’ vice president of scouting and player development, told Freese of the deal.

“I talked to I talked to (Cardinals general manager) John Mozeliak briefly and he told me ‘congratulations,’” said Freese.

While Freese has no idea where he will be headed once he enters the St. Louis chain, he plans on heading down to their facility in January to begin working out with his new team.

“I am going to take everything I have learned from the Padres,” Freese said. “I am thankful for everything the Padres have done for me.”

And his goal of reaching the majors is the same. Stuck behind Kevin Kouzmanoff and Chase Headley at the hot corner, the trade may have not come as a surprise, despite his foray into catching during the Padres fall Instructional League.

Given his penchant for the clutch hit, Freese looks at this as a new opportunity.

“I think it is a plus,” he said. “Being behind two great players like Kouzmanoff and Headley – I can move forward. I have heard great things about the Cardinals. Getting (to the majors) is the main key.

Being traded for a centerfielder the caliber of Jim Edmonds is also nothing to sneeze at.

“He is going to be tracking down balls in the gap for the Padres,” Freese said.

Edmonds, 37, underwent right shoulder and foot surgery prior to the 2007 season and has one of his least productive seasons as a professional.

Edmonds hit .252 with 12 home runs and 53 RBIs in 117 games. His batting average, runs scored, home run and RBI totals had declined each of the last three seasons.

His best season came during the Cardinals World Series run in 2001 when he hit .301 with 42 home runs, 111 RBIs and 102 runs scored.

[fanforever]

From VEB http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/

jim edmonds stands 10th on the all-time franchise leaderboard in on-base percentage (.393), 7th in slugging (.555), 6th in ops (.948), 4th in homers (241), and 7th in walks (645).

the trade is bitter medicine, but it's necessary. the cards should have let edmonds walk last year, or simply picked up his one-year option; the extension was a mistake, and they're acknowledging as much. they're getting on with the overdue business of letting go of the past. since taking the reins mozeliak has jettisoned five position players from the 2006 championship team --- all of them over age 30 --- and created opportunities for younger players who might or might not pan out. it's not pretty, it's not exciting, it's not fun. but it's the right direction.

here's a breakdown of the cards' centerfielders last season:

AB H 2B 3B HR RBI AVG OBP SLG
edmonds 352 88 14 2 12 49 .250 .324 .403
others 285 85 16 1 7 36 .298 .338 .435


the cards paid edmonds a lot of money last year to play worse than his understudies; smart organizations don't do things like that. as a group, st louis centerfielders posted a .747 ops in 2007; the holdovers are capable of matching or exceeding that production. the team hasn't lost anything in terms of present value; the money they would have paid edmonds can now be put toward upgrading somewhere else.

i'm too old to be terribly sentimental about these things; edmonds was a noteworthy player, and i'm grateful for the thrills he provided. he's part of a proud tradition stretching back to 1982, when a never-heard-of-him player named willie mcgee took over in centerfield. since then the cardinals have had just 3 centerfielders: mcgee, lankford, and edmonds. colby rasmus has a chance to extend that reign of excellence.

mozeliak's facing the future, not the past. brave man; thankless task.

[fanforever]

[/youtube]

[Leroy]

I say we trade Albert too. We might get a AA guy for him.

[fanforever]

I say we trade Albert too. We might get a AA guy for him.

Hey Leroy

What was it that Ron Burgundy said about San Diego?

[Leroy]

I say we trade Albert too. We might get a AA guy for him.

Hey Leroy

What was it that Ron Burgundy said about San Diego?

I never saw that.

Try to stay sane in your 105 days of you know what!