Is This The End of The Line for Jim Edmonds?

After what Jim Edmonds called the "worst April" of his career, we may be seeing the last of him in a Padres uniform...or any for that matter. He worked hard in the offseason to come back healthy and energized for another run, but couldn't even make it through Spring Training. That setback could end up costing him the season.

No one can say what would have happened had he been healthy all Spring Training, but you have to think he would have a higher average then .153 at this point and more than 3 extra base hits and 6 RBI.

On the Scott and BR show this morning, Kevin Towers told us that the Padres are going to be making some "moves" within the next few days, but that they would probably wait until after the Atlanta trip. He said that this is something they would rather do in person because this is a difficult situation and "could involve veteran
players." Sounds a lot like Jimmy.

He also said in reference to Edmonds that he has clearly "lost a step in the outfield," and I think we can assume that his hitting isn't pulling the wait.
KT was asked about Headley and he said he wasn't sure when he would come up, but when he did he would be playing every day. It sounds like things have been going well in the outfield even if his bat started out a little slow, but he said that "we know he will hit the ball, he is down there to play every day in the outfield."

Should we expect to see more of this
and less of the top photo?

I would say this move won't come yet, but probably won't be too far away.

Then we switched to Jody Gerut who Towers called "the hottest hitter we have right now," which seems like the obvious replacement for Edmonds, who I am sure would rather be cut then go to AAA. 14 year veterans don't get sent down to the minors.

As of yesterday, Gerut was hitting .326 with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, 21 runs, 16 RBI and 3 stolen bases. Sound like something we could use?

Towers also mentioned that Estes threw 7 solid innings and his fastball is up to speed. So we should expect to have him in the rotation within the next few weeks. I would guess that Germano will make his way to the bullpen and Ledezma may get a shot if Estes isn't quite ready.

There is still the possibility that Edmonds will stay with the team and Justin Huber or Paul McAnulty will go down, but it seems from KT's point of view like Edmonds is at the end of the line.

Estes Stoked To Be Back On The Mound

Sean Estes sounded like a great signing prior to the 2006 season, and he started out to that tune. He threw 6 innings in the second game of the season for 5 hits, 3 runs and 4 Ks. Nothing spectacular, and it ended in a loss to Jason Schmidt because he was lights out, but he looked solid. He looked like a great addition to a promising rotation.

Unfortunately that was the last game he pitched (4/5/06). He started out with a hurt elbow and they said he would be back in a few weeks, that was reassuring. Then it was a couple of months, and here we are in 2008 and he is finally throwing again.

His first trip to the rubber wasn't exactly what he imagined, but you can see why he would be a little excited and a little anxious.

"It's hard to do it when you get that first shot of adrenaline, but you need to keep the ball down,” Estes said after retiring two of eight batters in a 13-9 loss to the Kansas City Royals. “I was a little amped up.”


I think he will get the excitement and nerves under control after a month in the desert, and lets hope he starts as well as he did in '06, but follows this one up with a string of wins.

The pitching rotation seems pretty wide open at the moment. Of course we know that Jake and CY will be at the top, and Maddux will be in there somewhere, but we should have Estes (a non-roster invitee at this point), Randy Wolf, Mark Prior (when/if he makes it back from rehab), Clay Hensley and Tim Stauffer all competing for two more spots. What's that they say about competition?

Thanks to the Union Tribune for their help with the quotes and info.