GatewayRedbirds.com

Posted: **March 24 07, 5:37 pm**

sorry if posted:

JUPITER, Fla. — Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds expects to make his Grapefruit League debut Sunday afternoon against the Baltimore Orioles, giving the four-time All-Star a week of game competition to prepare for the team's season opener April 1 against the New York Mets.

Calling it a "crossroads," Edmonds said his surgically repaired right shoulder and second left toe have improved as camp has progressed, leading to Sunday's expected appearance.

"It's time to get ready for the season," Edmonds said Friday morning after hitting against guest instructor Larry Walker. "I don't think the soreness will ever go away completely, but it's something I'm going to have to deal with, I guess."

Edmonds' conditioning work with strength coach Pete Prinzi has caused him general body soreness. However, swelling in the toe that caused him so much pain during the postseason has subsided. The right shoulder that made it so difficult for him to extend for outside pitches last season no longer constricts him.

In his debut Sunday, Edmonds probably will face pitchers making at least their sixth appearance of camp. He has yet to face live pitching. He acknowledged Friday that the game will become faster in a hurry.

"It's definitely a challenge," Edmonds said. "There's not much time left (to spring training). I'm not expecting anything. It's not like I have the benefit of getting back in there three or four weeks ago. That wasn't possible this spring."

Team medical supervisor Dr. George Paletta said earlier this week that Edmonds probably would get clearance to open the season on the active roster.

Manager Tony La Russa met Friday morning with Edmonds before heading to Port St. Lucie for an exhibition against the New York Mets. Both said the better test would be how Edmonds recovers from Sunday's outing than his performance itself.

"I can go out Sunday and everything be fine, but it won't mean much if I can't go back out there on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday," he said. "If I can get in there for a good part of the next week, I'll take it."

La Russa already has conceded right fielder Juan Encarnacion would open the season on the disabled list as he recovers from wrist surgery. La Russa has emphasized that he would not push Edmonds if he experienced a "hiccup" at any time during what Paletta has called an "aggressive" rehab.

Edmonds opened the 2003 season after taking only eight at-bats that spring. He finished the season with a .275 average, 39 home runs and 89 RBIs.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports ... enDocument

Posted: **March 24 07, 5:43 pm**

Cool. I swear Edmonds does this on purpose.

Posted: **March 24 07, 5:46 pm**

I would love to get a repeat of 2003.

Posted: **March 24 07, 7:17 pm**

If you aren't biting your nails down to the very last bit when he takes the field and bats for the first time, you have no soul.

Posted: **March 24 07, 7:49 pm**

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Posted: **March 24 07, 7:58 pm**

Reading that article,... scares me. Anyone starting to wonder whether it would have just been wiser to pick up Edmonds option rather than sign him for the extra year? (i know many of us were wondering that at the time too)

Posted: **March 24 07, 8:05 pm**

clement wrote:Reading that article,... scares me. Anyone starting to wonder whether it would have just been wiser to pick up Edmonds option rather than sign him for the extra year? (i know many of us were wondering that at the time too)

I still think it was a risk worth taking.

1. Although he's lost a step in CF, he's still better than most CF.
2. He's getting up there in age, but his offensive skillset should age better than those with "old baseball" skills.
3. You can hide a slip in offensive production in CF better than other positions.
4. He's not blocking anyone and there's no better candidate in sight.

The downside of course is that he's more injury prone.

Posted: **March 24 07, 8:06 pm**

clement wrote:Reading that article,... scares me. Anyone starting to wonder whether it would have just been wiser to pick up Edmonds option rather than sign him for the extra year? (i know many of us were wondering that at the time too)

yeah we are actually paying him more this year with the new contract than if we had just picked the option. the extension didnt make a whole lot of sense to me other than we were rewarding him for his career here.

Posted: **March 24 07, 8:52 pm**

Walt signed him to the extra year because Rasmus won't be ready next year. We would be forced to go out and find a center fielder for 1 year next year if we had not signed him. Edmonds can still play. I look for a good year out of him

Posted: **March 24 07, 9:02 pm**

There's a Rany Jazayerli (sp?) interview on a Royals blog where he explains that it's not so ridiculous to lock up players like Gil Meche for the type of money he got because it could be cheap in the long run.

Had they just picked up the option and Edmonds produced well this season, they would've been forced to pay up more for next year. And as haltz has pointed out numerous times, Edmonds posted a .947 OPS against righties in 2006, meaning he's still a very effective hitter even at 36.

GatewayRedbirds.com

Edmonds is set to play (sunday)

Edmonds is set to play (sunday)