This is really the opposite of scary. There are certain positions where everything can go well into your mid-to-late 30’s and then you fall off the cliff. Ask Ellis Burks, Steve Finley, and Vada Pinson about how center field skills can suddenly disappear. Why then do the Cubs sign Jim Edmonds?
Because they’re scared. Reed Johnson isn’t stopping the gap like you would hope. And Felix Pie? How can you respect a dude who suffered from testicular torsion. Also, he’s only 23. Lou Pinella has dingleberries older than Felix Pie.
I mean, how else do you explain that people expected more from Felix Pie? Don’t believe me?
PECOTA
Pie: .291/14/53/13/.344/.479
Edmonds: .240/9/33/2/.327/.415
Shandler
Pie: .285/14/54/18/.334/.461
Edmonds: .246/11/50/0/.340/.406
All that, and Edmonds can’t hit lefties either. I understand that Felix Pie is young, and maybe a stopgap would be of good value. I understand that Reed Johnson’s back problems will not bring his awesome 2006 back. But here’s the thing.
Jim Edmonds is worse than Felix Pie. Even now, he is a downgrade. And he’s not even a platoon partner. Pie’s a lefty bat too.
It’s moves like this that allow me to hope even if my team is essentially dead.
