An Argument in Support of Signing Jim Edmonds: It's Driving Cardinals Fans Crazy
From Bernie Miklasz, writing in Thursday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
The idea of the greatest center fielder in Cardinals history stumbling in wobbly pursuit of balls hit over his head is depressing. The reality that Jimmy will be teammates with Carlos Zambrano — who plunked him twice in a raucous game at Wrigley back in 2004 — makes no sense...
"He feels like he has something left to give this game," Cardinals outfielder Skip Schumaker said. "I'm happy for him. I still think he can play. I don't think he was ready to hang it up yet."
And then Schumaker said something that stings:
"I think he could have picked a few different teams he could have played for." That's right, Jimmy Baseball wanted to be a Cub. He didn't have to be a Cub — he volunteered...
I asked my pal Will Leitch, the editor of deadspin.com and a passionate but reasonable lifelong Cardinals fan. "I don't think Jim understands what this means," Leitch said. "By signing with the Cubs he may be thinking he's getting back at Cardinals management. But the fans who loved him — we're the ones who will feel this. The fan base is forever."
So let's move ahead to July 4 (when the Cubs will open a three-game series in St. Louis) ...
"Can we really give Edmonds a standing ovation when he's wearing a Cubs uniform? Can we really do that? I'm not sure we can," Leitch said. "Any other uniform, sure. It's easy. But THAT uniform? "And if we do give him a standing ovation, he'd better strike out and sit down."
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