OK, maybe that’s stretching it, but Jim Edmonds seems to have a genuine appreciation for the history and electricity of the Cub culture and sought the Cubs out as much as they pursued him. He said one of the things he missed after getting that trade to San Diego in the off-season was “the excitement from the crowd.”
“And obviously the minute I walked into [Wrigley Field Wednesday] night [for a physical], the excitement was there. That’s what I’m looking foward to.”
That’s not all.
The guy who helped the red-menace Cardinals reach the 2004 World Series and win it in 2006 mentioned “World Series” three times in his first talk with Chicago reporters Thursday.
He also said he was “scared” of the reception he might get from Wrigley fans initially, but added, “I’m just going to go out there and do everything I can, and hopefully I can get them on my side eventually and play well.”
Most interesting, he said when he asked the Cardinals to trade him after last season — when they told him he wasn’t in their everyday plans — he asked about a trade to the Cubs. “But they didn’t think that would be a very good option at the time,” he said. “So I’ve always admired this ballpark and this team and just wanted to see what it would be like to be on this side one time.”
So does that soften any of the built-up natural animosity toward the guy? Do you buy it? And do any of those sentiments matter, whether they’re genuine or not?
