I’ve already expressed my distaste for the Cubs forming a formal relationship with Jim Edmonds and it still happened anyway. So instead of throwing a fit about it, I’m going to sit back and watch this train wreck dissolve until it finally results in a forced marriage where I will get drunk for free at the reception and laugh all the way as it heads to a nasty and hilarious divorce.

As much as it pains me to say this, I am going to attempt to “like” Edmonds based only on his production numbers with the Cubs alone. You might be saying to yourself, “Well Kyle, isn’t every player’s popularity and likeability based on his stats?” To this I would partly agree. There is an obvious correlation, but there is also a lot of outside factors that go into liking a player. I’m sure Colin knows what I’m talking about with Ryan Theriot (I would put a link to one of Colin’s posts here but I think you can read just about any of them and you’ll see what I mean). Theriot doesn’t put up huge numbers but the masses still love him for some reason.

I also want to judge Edmonds only on his performance with the Cubs (we’re going to forget about that whole San Diego thing and I am going to consider it an extended spring training) because I want to remove my bias about him. Edmonds has done unforgiveable things to the Cubs in the past and it is not fair that I judge him on what he did under the payroll of another team (although I’ll never forget).

So instead of a fancy numerical system of judging how much I “like” Edmonds, I’m just going to use a simple point system that anyone could use. Fun.

Positive point actions
-Hits
-RBI
-Homers
-Sweet defensive plays
-Walks
-Not getting hurt
-Not screwing up team chemistry
-Solid OBP
-Never doing anything to offend Cubdom (especially if it involves the Cardinals)

Negative point actions
-Low batting average
-Strikeouts
-Hitting into double plays
-Dumb base-running plays
-Errors
-Getting hurt
-Messing with Zambrano’s pitching (I’m serious about this. I will hunt Edmonds down if he messes with Z’s head)
-Leaving runners on base
-Games the Cubs lose when he plays (They’ve been doing good without him and clearly he is the reason they will ever lose when Edmonds is in the lineup. Harsh I know, but whatever.)

So based on today’s performance (1-4, 0 RBI, 0 HR, 7 LOB, 1 K, 1 GIDP), things aren’t looking great. I’m not going to bust him for going 1-4 but I am a little concerned about the seven runners left on base. The Cubs did win however, so that helps him quite a bit.

Current Edmonds likeability rating (0-10, but it can go into the negatives): +2

ROADTRIP UPDATE #2: No Cubs news to report. Although on a Rockies note (I am in Colorado after all), I find it funny that local stores are still pushing “ROCKtober” gear. The World Series ended over a half a year ago dudes…let it go.