Edmonds heading to San Diego

[planet planet]

We hear the signal now, loud and clear. Why not just say we're rebuilding?

[Cronos]

Godspeed, Jimmy Ballgame. You'll be missed.

[skmsw]

Holy crap...I assume this is official?

I know Edmonds didn't have a lot of value, and I hope San Diego's taking his contract...but this better be some amazing third baseman prospect.

(chuckle) hold onto your hat --

the prospect turns 25 in April and has not reached AA. Scouting: can't hit a curve.

Cards known to be paying at least $1mm in salary but no info yet as to how much (trade awaiting league approval because the cash involved is >$1mm).

Holy crap indeed.

[Bo Hart]

I don't understand the point of this. I'm sure I'm just going to sound like an echo, but here are my reactions:

Salary dump? No, it's not. Edmonds if off the books after this season, and it's not like we're going to throw money at anyone out there.

Decent return? A 24-year-old that hasn't played above A-ball doesn't seem like a guy with much upside.

I don't get it. Edmonds is a fan favorite. Maybe he'll rebound and have a solid season? No, I don't think we'll contend, but even if he doesn't bounce back, what's the loss? It's not like his contract will prevent us from getting someone this year. And besides, he's off the books after this year anyway.

[Cronos]

Holy crap...I assume this is official?

I know Edmonds didn't have a lot of value, and I hope San Diego's taking his contract...but this better be some amazing third baseman prospect.

(chuckle) hold onto your hat --

the prospect turns 25 in April and has not reached AA. Scouting: can't hit a curve.

Cards known to be paying at least $1mm in salary but no info yet as to how much (trade awaiting league approval because the cash involved is >$1mm).

Holy crap indeed.

Yeeeeeaahhhhhhhhh....I don't get this. I don't know nearly as much about the prospects game as everyone else on here does, but even I know that a 25 year old fresh out of high A ball is next to nothing in return for Edmonds. Edmonds must have really wanted out and/or the ownership really want to get rid of him, neither of which scenarios really make sense.

There aren't going to be too many familiar faces on Opening Day, are there?

[mikechamp]

Edmonds love for StL is apparent, especially with his opening of his restaurant not too long ago. Perhaps after he retires he'll become a part of Cardinals baseball again?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if, once Edmonds retires, we see him tutoring Cardinal OFs in Jupiter along with Larry Walker.

I know that's certainly my hope.

edit - I think the earlier point of David being blocked by Headley is a good one, and might be getting a little overlooked in this discussion. From all I've read, this Headley kid is supposed to be something. Maybe being stuck behind him isn't as bad as it may appear.

[greenback44]

Let's put it this way on Freese: ZiPS projects a 250/324/381 line in his age-25 season and CHONE projects a 234/298/350 season (minor league park factors are a pain that way). Take him out of Petco and the numbers slide up a bit, but that's still not much of a contribution. He'll have to get much better at an advanced age for prospects.

[Spider John]

We hear the signal now, loud and clear. Why not just say we're rebuilding?

THat's what I'm asking myself. Why all the BS propaganda?

[mikechamp]

Maybe we just freed up some money to take a run at Prior.

(ducks)

[clement]

Well we obviously have a new GM and a new direction.

I'm gonna miss Jim Edmonds a lot, but honestly it wasn't fun watching him struggle and play in pain last year. If 2008 was going to be more of the same, my sentimental value would rather be with the good years, and not watching him play in frustration in his final 2 years.

I think that this trade is also largely similar to what arguments were being made about why we didn't try to keep Eckstein for a year. Moz is treating 2008 as a "see what we have" year. He wants people like Ankiel, Ludwick, and Barton to play and demonstrate their value or lack thereof.

I also think that he has something else in the works either with a free agent or a trade to obtain a long-term pitcher. Not an ace mind you, but I think adding a solid #3 to the rotation would be much more valuable than keeping Edmonds for another painful year... and if dumping $5 or $6 million of salary helps to make that move, then it might be worth it. Who that starting pitcher is, I have no idea though.

As to the value of this Freese guy, seems like there's a lot of conflicting information out there. He might be worthless, in which case I'm a little surprised and disappointed we couldn't get more. (I'd have rather eaten even more of his salary and gotten a better prospect than just dump all of the money). Maybe the Cards scouts know something more than the basic stuff, which is looking at his age, his career progression, and projecting his numbers-to-date into some hypothetical season he would have if he played at Petco in 2008.

Sentimentally I'm sad, but I don't think this is necessarily a bad move from a future team development point of view.