If Edmonds makes the team, will he decide to stay?; Latest-- Edmonds added to the 40-man roster (reply #54)

[logan82]

Sounds like Edmonds might still think he is a starter or at least the big half of a platoon. This was a worry I have had about him for a while. I wouldn't mind him on the team as a backup corner outfielder. I wouldn't be to happy with him in center or full-time in any position. A platoon with Hart is the biggest role that wouldn't bother me.

If the Brewers can't assure him of playing time or at-bats and just want him to be ride the bench and back up all three outfield positions, Edmonds might balk, and as he often has put it this spring, "Go back to taking my kids to school and playing golf."

"I still have a wait-and-see attitude," Edmonds said. "I don't know what they're going to say or how I'm going to react.

"(If the team offers a job), that's when judgment day will come and I'll have to make a tough decision then."

 

[trwi7]

I'd platoon him with Hart. I'd have no problem with that at all.

 

Also, that's kind of Bush League of him if he wanted to comeback, the Brewers gave him a deal and let him come to camp to fight for a job, they tell him he wins the job but since he's not satisfied with the role he's given he's going to back out and retire again leaving the Brewers to find another backup outfielder?

[Ando Calrissian]

+1 trwi7. I just finished reading the article and came by bf.net to see what folk had to say. You took the words right out of my mouth. Once a Cardinal, always a Cardinal.

[JimH5]

I agree with some of the sentiments expressed here.

He ought to know by now what is required of being on a MLB roster. It's a 7 or 8 month sacrifice and you have to miss out on stuff. Sorry for his daughter that her dad can't make it to her birthday party. It's just part of the deal. It goes with the million dollar paychecks and the fame. And having the other 4 or 5 months completely free to spend with your family.

And to even call it a hardship is such an overstatement. With people working multiple jobs, military families losing a parent for long stretches at a time (or in some tragic cases, forever), people working far from home. . .Baseball-reference says Edmonds has made over $85 million in his career. I think he can spring to have his daughter and a hundred of her closest friends travel to Milwaukee or wherever for a little cake in the afternoon, and then he can still make it to the park in time for that night's game.

[JohnBriggs12]

Nobody would be talking about a platoon if Hart were swinging the bat better this spring.

 

That being said, nothing Edmonds is doing is screaming starter either. For most non-roster guys, a .259 BA, with 9 K's in 27 AB, would get you a "thanks for coming, here's your airline ticket home". I'd take Gerut over him. As for Edmonds, I say thanks but no thanks, and give Jermaine Dye a call. I know Dye can't play much OF anymore, but for a bench bat and a guy who could back up at 1st, I'd rather have Dye. Yes, he had a bad second half last year, but Dye's a guy who's been given up for dead before and after this tough offseason, he's got a lot to prove.

 

By the way, is anyone else less than impressed by what Inglett is doing?

[sveumrules]

I didn't like the Edmonds move from day one for a few reasons. One, the Cardinal aspect. Two, with the four outfielders we had as givens to make the team our 5th OF should have a pretty minimal role throughout the year. Three, Edmonds has always been a starter or at least the lefty half of a platoon so he is not accustomed to that role despite his veteran status in a way that maybe a Gabe Kapler was.

 

With the way the OF is currently set up I'd give Gerut a start a week each in CF and RF against better righties. Braun certainly isn't coming out for defense or a pinch runner and neither would any of Gerut, Gomez or Hart most likely as the marginal gain is almost negligble. That leaves very little time for a 5th OF who would be limited almost strictly to pinch hitting and extreme spot starts, and again that just doesn't seem like the role Edmonds wants nor would be well suited for success in.

[BREWCREW5]

As for Edmonds, I say thanks but no thanks, and give Jermaine Dye a call. I know Dye can't play much OF anymore, but for a bench bat and a guy who could back up at 1st, I'd rather have Dye. Yes, he had a bad second half last year, but Dye's a guy who's been given up for dead before and after this tough offseason, he's got a lot to prove.

Why call Dye? So he can turn the Brewers down for a second time in his lifetime? His options are probably pretty limited, but with his ego, I am certain he thinks a more favorable team will eventually need him.

[Funketown]

If the Brewers don't give a grizzly veteran like Edmonds 500 PA's, they are clearly being a disrespectful, unclassy organization. Edmonds probably just couldn't stomach playing for an organization that is such a disgrace to baseball.

[Oldcity]

And this chump wears #15.

[RockCoCougars]

Sounds like posturing to me in the event he doesn't make the team. If he's that he didn't make the roster, he will make the "choice" to retire.

[monty57]

I hope the Brewers get this cleared up quickly. If he's only with the Brewers this spring to showcase himself for other teams, I'd hope they'd drop him or at least stop giving him much playing time, as they'll need to figure out who will fill the 5th OF/backup CF spot (especially with Iribarren now gone).

 

I've been calling for a Hart / Gerut "soft platoon" for quite a while, and when Edmonds was signed, I figured that he would be given that spot, with Gerut rotting on the bench. However, Edmonds has been playing mainly CF this spring, so he may not want to play corner OF, and I don't see the Brewers sitting Gomez for Edmonds... at least not unless he has a horrible month or so to start the season. I still think Edmonds will be on the Brewers' opening day roster, and if used correctly, he could be a good addition to the team. However, if he is planning on refusing the job, the Brewers need to cut ties with him quickly, figure out who their 5th OF will be, and get Gerut some PT in CF over the next few weeks. They'll need someone who can be a backup CF, and I really don't want to see them have to bring Cain up for that role. That would be the same mismanagement they pulled on Gamel last season.

[pete]

This whole thing probably came out of him chatting with AW and talking about how he missed his family. Extrapolating that into he may be planning on turning down the team or refuses to play a position or demands playing time seem excessive to me.

[Mass Haas]

They had a perfectly appropriate 5th outfielder (right-handed bench bat as well) in Jason Bourgeois, who would have been thrilled in that role. Looks like Bourgeois may indeed break camp with the Astros.

[dadofandrew]

A handful of AB's mean nothing.

 

I'm sure there will be similar players on the waiver wire if Edmonds decides he's done...which you think he'd know by now.

[jwill535]

While it is fun to rip him, I am going to play devils advocate here and say that I would act the same way his is right now. At this point in his career and life, he doesnt really need baseball or the money and just wants to play. If he isnt going to get the playing time he wants with Milwaukee, then so be it and he leaves. Yes he is being a bit selfish, but at this point in his career he has earned that right, like many of those have done before him.

[logan82]

I think it would be pretty crappy on Edmonds' part if he backed out or took a bad attitude if he was a backup. He should have known coming in he would be a bench player.

 

Found this in TH's blogtoday.

 

When I told Macha that Edmonds said in an interview with Anthony Witrado

that he hasn't decided to accept a job offer if one is extended, he

seemed taken aback. I asked if the commitment between player and club

works both ways and Macha said, "I'd agree with that."

[RockCoCougars]

They had a perfectly appropriate 5th outfielder (right-handed bench bat as well) in Jason Bourgeois, who would have been thrilled in that role. Looks like Bourgeois may indeed break camp with the Astros.

What exactly did you see in Bourgeois that you liked? I thought that he was brutal, and looked completely lost at the plate. Going further, considering the #5 outfielder last year at this time was Chris Duffy, I think that Edmonds is definitely a step up, no matter how old he is.

[trwi7]

I think it would be pretty crappy on Edmonds' part if he backed out or took a bad attitude if he was a backup. He should have known coming in he would be a bench player.

Agreed. And if he didn't know and it was a big concern of his, would it have hurt to ask how much playing time he might be able to get?

[TooLiveBrew]

Meh, if Edmonds wants out, it really won't be that big of a deal imo. If he'd just pout on the bench anyway I doubt he'd be productive. To get out of the contract, would he have to formally retire, and if so how would that affect his ability to get a job with another team?

 

I'd much rather see the team do what's best for itself long term & not cave to a whiny vet that thinks he's still in his prime.

[AJAY]

I don't have a problem with a guy missing his family and wanting to be sure about what he is getting into. I can understand that. Obviously I would have preferred to hear that he is super-excited about coming back and is fully committed . . . but I guess he is human. People do change their minds.

 

I do hope he makes the team, and I hope he wants to play and is happy here. Milwaukee is an awesome place, and I hope his family decides to join him here during the season. It can be a win-win for everyone.

[sveumrules]

Macha was posed that question the other day and he said it would be difficult not to use an eight-time Gold Glove center fielder in center field.

Thats from the latest McCalvey mailbag. Why would Edmonds who posted -1.8 and -14.1 in 2007 and 2008 (at least he was at 0.0 in 2009) in CF over Gerut who has posted a 5.8 and 1.8 in 2008 and 2009? Oh yeah, and he's seven years younger. And played in the Major Leagues last year.

I mean Griffey has a boatload of Gold Gloves too, maybe Wakamatsu will write him in at CF when Gutierrez needs a day off.

[monty57]

From Adam McCalvy's article:

 

So let's assume that the Brewers indeed offer Edmonds the lone opening on their 40-man roster -- it would be something of a surprise if they did not -- and he accepts. How might he be used?

 

Macha was posed that question the other day and he said it would be difficult not to use an eight-time Gold Glove center fielder in center field. But Edmonds has also seen action at both outfield corners -- he started in right field on Sunday -- and has also played first base. Since Casey McGehee is now a fixture at third, that would make Edmonds the primary backup to Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder.

 

Macha cautioned that he is "still evaluating" Edmonds, but there were early signs that this was not going to be a replay of last spring's Trot Nixon experience. The first was in a March 3 intrasquad game, when Edmonds worked a long at-bat against Brewers left-hander Manny Parra. The bat speed, it was clear, was still there.

 

"He still has his strike-zone discipline," Macha said. "He's drawn some walks. He's gotten on base. You know how I feel about guys getting on base in front of our [middle of the order] guys. If Rickie [Weeks] is going to be the leadoff man, it's nice to have a left-handed hitter there with the ability to put the ball in the hole and have some patience at the plate."

 

Edmonds should get some more clarity this week. He can elect free agency beginning Thursday if he's not added to Milwaukee's 40-man roster. The Brewers happen to have one open spot.

 

I'll place my bets that Macha will give Edmonds at least 1/3 of the starts in CF, and probably will be in a straight platoon, giving him about 75% of the starts since he's LH.

[logan82]

Edmonds in CF would be a huge mistake in my opinion. He hasn't even been as good in CF as Gerut has. Edmonds 2006-2008 in CF 7.6, -2.3, -23.3 UZR/150. Gerut 2008-2009 UZR/150 12.2, 9.6.

[trwi7]

I agree it would be a mistake to put Edmonds in CF, but do you really think Macha isn't going to? He's probably going to look at Gold Gloves from 10 years ago to determine it.

[logan82]

I think Macha will play him in CF quite a bit which I have posted previously. Just like he played Kendall almost every day at catcher.