Brewers sign Jim Edmonds to minor league deal, big league invite

[Ennder]

I guess I don't know where the "he's done" thing comes from. He was fine in 2008 as a 38 year old. He didn't like the offers he got last offseason so he took the year off and now he wants to play again. I doubt he's fallen so far that he's not at least a decent bench bat.

More importantly even if he has fallen that far they should be able to tell before he makes the big league club so the risk isn't all that high.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Because it's a low risk signing, I don't have a big problem with this. However, taking a year off at Edmond's age in a game that relies so much on timing is never a good thing. I'd be mildly surprised if he'd put up a .750-ish OPS even if he were protected from lefties.

 

It seems like Melvin's throwing a bunch of crap at the CF wall and hoping something sticks. The issue with that type of problem solving is that usually, the only thing you end up with is a wall that smells like crap.

[logan82]

Edmonds shouldn't be playing CF for us at all. I have no problem with him coming in and being a platoon partner with Hart or a bench guy. Much more than that would be a very bad idea in my opinion. I would still prefer Gross.

[StearnsFTW]

I don't understand how anyone could be against this move. The only downside, as has been mentioned, is that Edmonds is kind of a turd.

 

Baseball-wise though, this has a chance of really paying off. I've seen him described as "done" and his bat "stinking" in 2008. Now, he may be done, but he crushed rhp in 2008 to the tune of a ~.925 OPS. That is precisely what this team needs. And if he is done, who cares? He doesn't cost anything. And to the poster who's worried about ST at bats, if that's an issue for you, I don't know what to tell you.

 

As far as what this means, I think this relates much more to Hart than it does to Gomez or Gerut. I don't see Edmonds playing 100 innings in CF. I think it means Hart's butt will be on the bench vs a lot of rhp, which I am very much in favor of.

 

I see this as the perfect final move before ST. Great job, Doug!

[joepepsi]

Worst case, he doesn't make the 25-man. Best case? We get an OPS in the .900 range, and Corey Hart or Carlos Gomez find themselves riding the pine because Edmonds hits too darn good to pull out of the lineup!

The problem is he has to make the 25 man by March 20-something. So if he, Heether, and Iribarren are all having good Springs, they'll have to make the decision two weeks before Opening Day.

[pmallon]

Edmonds: Brewers told me I'd get a chance to play everyday against right-handers, and I'd get a chance to play when corner OF get days off. http://twitter.com/tmckernan/status/8371034621

Not sure what to make of this. Braun doesn't take many days off. If I'm corey hart it would make me wonder about my future with this team.

[lukevan]

To me that quote means he's going to be playing CF everyday against RHP. Which for some reason doesn't really bother me.

[Roderick]

Worst case, he doesn't make the 25-man. Best case? We get an OPS in the .900 range, and Corey Hart or Carlos Gomez find themselves riding the pine because Edmonds hits too darn good to pull out of the lineup!

No, the worst case scenario is that he shows just enough in spring training (or other OFs stink up ST) that he is kept on the team, gets the contract and then proceeds to stink during the real season and is held on to and played too much by Macha.

 

Edit: I see Joepepsi already hit on this thought

[Funketown]

To me that quote means he's going to be playing CF everyday against RHP. Which for some reason doesn't really bother me.

I guess it all depends on how he can play in center, but it would not surprise me if he's 30 - 35 runs worse than Gomez in center over the course of a season. Braun will probably not get too many days off, if any, so Edmonds would probably only play LF if Braun were to get injured. If that's accurate that the Brewers told Edmonds he'd play every day against righties, I wonder if this whole thing is more directed at Hart.

 

I just don't see Edmonds having any value as a platooning center fielder. Even if he hits .260/.360/.540/.900 against righties, his lack of range in center will likely take it all back.

 

Again, if Edmonds has completely lost it, it will be evident in spring training. If he can truly hit righties to the tune of .260/.360/.540/.900, then he may well have some value to the Brewers in RF and as a late inning pinch hitter.

[clancyphile]

Edmonds: Brewers told me I'd get a chance to play everyday against right-handers, and I'd get a chance to play when corner OF get days off. http://twitter.com/tmckernan/status/8371034621

Not sure what to make of this. Braun doesn't take many days off. If I'm corey hart it would make me wonder about my future with this team.

Either Hart or Gomez are gonna be short on PT if Edmonds does well and/or they don't do well.

[TooLiveBrew]

I really hope Edmonds is viewed as a corner option, & not a CF option. I think he was always a bit overrated in center, and at age 40 there's just no way he'd be a plus defender. He's probably not even average at this point. However, he probably would be able to be an avg. corner OF defender. This is all about RF, imho. I really agree with the notion that Hart could be dealt by ST.

[clancyphile]

Think of it this way:

 

vs. RHP:

2b: Weeks

3b: Gamel

lf: Braun

1b: Fielder

cf: Hart

rf: Edmonds

c: Zaun/Lucroy

ss: Escobar

 

vs. LHP:

2b: Weeks

ss: Escobar

lf: Braun

1b: Fielder

rf: Hart

3b: McGehee

c: Zaun/Lucroy

cf: Gomez

[clancyphile]

I really hope Edmonds is viewed as a corner option, & not a CF option. I think he was always a bit overrated in center, and at age 40 there's just no way he'd be a plus defender. He's probably not even average at this point. However, he probably would be able to be an avg. corner OF defender. This is all about RF, imho. I really agree with the notion that Hart could be dealt by ST.

Hart shouldn't pack his bags yet. I think it comes down to how Gomez and Hart do. If Gomez stinks while Hart does well, then Hart plays center, as he did for a bit in 2005, and Edmonds plays right. If Hart stinks, and Gomez does well, Gomez is in center, Edmonds is in right.

[TooLiveBrew]

If Gomez is getting benched against RHP, Gerut should be in CF, not Hart.

[thebruce44]

Hart shouldn't pack his bags yet. I think it comes down to how Gomez and Hart do. If Gomez stinks while Hart does well, then Hart plays center, as he did for a bit in 2005, and Edmonds plays right. If Hart stinks, and Gomez does well, Gomez is in center, Edmonds is in right.

I think theres about a 0.5% chance Hart plays center unless it is a huge emergency. He can't even play RF well.

[jhart05]

Corey Hart cannot play CF. I would not want to see him there for any significant length of time.

 

I sat in RF for about 25 games in 2008.

 

He does not read the ball coming off the bat very well, and does not get a good jump on the ball.

 

Just because a guy is fast does not mean he can play CF.

 

Remember he spent most of his minor league career at 1B/3B. Didn't play OF 'till he got to AAA.

[TheCrew07]

If Gomez ends up just a platoon player then the Hardy trade makes even less sense, what a disaster that would be.

[BREWERPRIDE]

Jim Edmonds said he is "coming to Milwaukee to play CF"

 

http://www.insidestl.com/.../Fridays-Show-Audio.aspx

 

Listen to the Segment 4 piece.

 

Dont mind the radio guys, they are morons.

[UeckerAddict]

I'm so rarely right, but I feel a bit vindicated after everyone rolled their eyes when I proposed this signing.

What makes you think my eyes aren't still rolling?

I didn't like the idea when you proposed it and I like it less now.

Don't much care. There's only one person I really wanted to agree with me. His name is Doug and he isn't on this board. I just think we needed an insurance policy for the Gomez/Hart/Gerut situation. If Edmonds doesn't work out, big deal, he was cheap and the Brewers end up in the same situation in the OF that everyone was anticipating anyway.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'm sure Edmonds still considers himself a CF, it'd be hard not to after playing your career there. On top of that, his $$ value is higher in CF. However, I hope the Brewers are intelligent enough to recognize that he is not a CF anymore, and should only be an emergency option there.

[BREWERPRIDE]

But he thinks he is going to play CF, and we want him to play RF, wont that cause a problem.

[TooLiveBrew]

It shouldn't... the monetary value in his contract seems largely tied to performance incentives. He might prefer playing in CF, but I'm sure he'd prefer making more money than not. I just hope the Brewers aren't stupid enough to cater to the whims of a 40-yo that hasn't played since 2008.

[BREWERPRIDE]

Yeah true.

 

And I agree, I dont want him to boss them around, because in the interview it just sounds like he has nothing to lose and he will just retire if he doesnt play what he wants to play, I could be wrong though, idk.

[Dragonbait]

I just hope the Brewers aren't stupid enough to cater to the whims of a 40-yo

 

That'd make the Brewers the 2nd team in the state to do that....

 

If Edmonds is getting significant playing time... I feel there would be many many things going wrong.

[And That]

I detest Jim Edmonds, but I hope he helps the Brewers. I have three takeaways from this:

 

-A quote from this TH blog on the signing from Melvin: "I talked to someone who saw Edmonds recently and said

he's in great shape." Did Melvin also confirm Edmonds still has four limbs? I find it interesting that Melvin apparently never talked to Edmonds about this, and in followup stories, I haven't seen any quotes from Edmonds either. Is he reclusive, on vacation, or just not quite happy enough to get a paycheck from Milwaukee to talk about it?

 

-As it relates to my distaste of Jim Edmonds, I take great humor in the fact that Luis Cruz has a 40-man spot and Edmonds does not.

 

-While Edmonds' defense in CF is likely subpar, I wouldn't mind seeing Gomez start the year and take a few months in AAA. Edmonds' defense 4-5 days a week wouldn't sink the Brewers' chances for the playoffs. Gomez should probably be given a shot this year at some point, though.