Belleville News-Democrat Logo

FSM's chats with Ozzie Smith and Jim Edmonds are a gem | Belleville News-Democrat

×
  • E-edition
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Archives
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • All News
    • Metro-east News
    • MetroLink crime database
    • Business
    • Congressional shooter
    • Crime
    • Belleville News
    • Education News
    • Violation of Trust
    • Sometime in the Night
    • Then I Knew
    • O'Fallon Progress
    • Highland News Leader
    • State|Region News
    • Nation|World News
    • Politics and Government
    • Scott Air Force Base
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Public Salaries
    • Send Us Your Photographs
    • All Sports
    • Cardinals
    • Cheap Seats Blog
    • Blues
    • Colleges
    • High Schools
    • Recruiting
    • Chiefs
    • High School Football
    • High School Baseball/Softball
    • High School Basketball
    • Send Us Your Photographs
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • All Living
    • Metro-east Living
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Horoscopes
    • Health Sections
    • Ask Heidi
    • Special Sections
    • Records
    • Contests
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Celebrations
    • Send Us Your Photographs
    • All Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Glenn McCoy
    • Letters/Sound-off
    • Submit a Letter
  • Obituaries

    • Today's Hot Deal
    • Today's Circulars
    • Service Directory
  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
    • Homes
    • Local Homes for Sale
  • Legals
  • Place Ad
  • Mobile & Apps

Cheap Seats

Cheap Seats

FSM's chats with Ozzie Smith and Jim Edmonds are a gem

Scott Wuerz - Belleville News Democrat

    ORDER REPRINT →

May 18, 2014 01:36 PM

I'm really enjoying the Fox Sports Midwest series featuring former St. Louis Cardinals greats Ozzie Smith and Jim Edmonds.

It's a great glimpse into what happened behind the scenes with some of the greatest Redbirds teams in history. It's also a very interesting look into how those excellent Cardinals prepared themselves and played the game.

We've heard a lot of Ozzie's stories before because when he was here he was the undisputed star of the Redbirds. Still, if you asked Ozzie to tell you a little bit about baseball, he could talk all day -- and all night -- and it would be fascinating the whole time.

But Jim Edmonds played in the shadow of Mark McGwire and Albert Pujols when he was in St. Louis. So I believe he is undervalued as a player both on and off the field.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to Belleville News-Democrat

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Edmonds is a ballplayer's ballplayer. With apologies to Curt flood -- who I never saw play -- and Willie McGee -- who was an excellent outfielder in his own right, I don't think I ever saw a better outfield defender. Edmonds was fearless in the outfield. He covered so much ground it was ridiculous, always knew where he was going with the ball and had an incredible knack for throwing out runners at the plate.

It's neat to hear Edmonds talk about how he watched the catcher call for the pitch type and location and applied that information to his studying of hitters' tendencies and the way they swung the bat on a particular pitch to be moving even before the batter made contact. His attention to the details made a good player great and separated him from the guys you see standing in the outfield like they're waiting for the bus more than they're waiting for a pitch.

I believe, just as firmly as others have opposed the suggestion, that Edmonds deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, he played at the same time as Ken Griffey Jr. and Junior was a flashy player who got a lot of attention from the national sports press. Griffey hit 630 homers, which made him stand out, nevermind that so many of them came in the cozy Seattle Kingdome.

But Edmonds put up offensive statistics similar to Hall of Fame outfielder Duke Snider with a .284 career average, 393 homers and 1,199 runs batted in. If you're talking about a corner outfielder, those numbers might not do it. But that kind of offense is very rare from an elite defensive centerfielder. 

Edmonds is the author of two of my top 10 favorite plays by Cardinals. One an offensive play when he hit the winning home run in Game 6 of the 2004 National League Championship Series. The other was the defensive play he made the next game to rob the Houston Astros of a big inning in Game 7 when he laid out to catch Brad Ausmus' line drive into left center. The play, in my opinion, saved the game and sent the Redbirds to the World Series for the first time since 1987.

Another asset Edmonds offered was his incredible eye for the game. He had a knack for noticing when pitchers tipped off their deliveries -- both Cardinals pitchers and hurlers for opposing teams.

I'm not sure if he'd be interested in such a thing. But Edmonds would make a heckuva major league coach. And if he desires to do so, I sure hope it's for the Cardinals.

  Comments  

Videos

Some Cardinals fans wonder why the team won’t chase big-time free agents

Shooter injures multiple people at Aurora, IL industrial park

View More Video

Trending Stories

Legislation would make marijuana legal in Illinois and treat it ‘how we treat alcohol’

February 14, 2019 05:00 AM

The Latest: Police say workplace gunman was being fired

February 15, 2019 10:02 PM

It’s been vacant for 11 years. Now this developer has plans for Belleville’s former Walmart

February 15, 2019 05:00 AM

Second student charged in connection with loaded gun brought to Belleville West

February 14, 2019 06:17 PM

Three charged with armed home invasion in O’Fallon

February 14, 2019 04:15 PM

Read Next

Cheap Seats

Brett Cecil got pumped, and that’s good news for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2019

By Scott Wuerz For the News-Democrat

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 15, 2019 08:55 AM

Relief pitcher Brett Cecil showed up to spring training with the STL Cardinals in great physical shape, and that could improve the team’s bullpen during the MLB baseball season and get team back to playoffs.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to Belleville News-Democrat

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE CHEAP SEATS

Cheap Seats

Is John Mozeilak on the hot seat? He should be if the Cardinals don’t win in 2019

February 13, 2019 08:38 AM

Cheap Seats

What roster changes will we see the St. Louis Cardinals make during spring training?

February 11, 2019 09:04 AM

Cheap Seats

Baseball will ruin the game if it adds the DH to the National League

February 08, 2019 09:03 AM

Cheap Seats

These are the five things that have to go right for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2019

February 06, 2019 08:41 AM

Cheap Seats

What the St. Louis Cardinals did right — and wrong — this offseason

February 04, 2019 08:40 AM
How stupid does John Mozeliak think St. Louis Cardinals fans are?

Cheap Seats

How stupid does John Mozeliak think St. Louis Cardinals fans are?

February 01, 2019 10:08 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Place a Classified Ad
  • Advertise With Us
  • Shopping
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story