I Am Still Avoiding the Jim Edmonds Bandwagon
June 2, 2008 – 3:18 pm Posted by jason in » MLB, morality
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So, here’s my dilemma. I mentioned it a few weeks back on my personal blog, and Bryan linked to it. My simple problem is this, in syllogistic fashion:
A: I like the Chicago Cubs
B: Fans of the Cubs do not like Jim Edmonds.
C: Jim Edmonds is now a member of the Chicago Cubs.
A and B are true, therefore C means Cubs fans’ heads are exploding across the U.S.
Up to this point, it’s been a good year. The Cubs are dominating the National League, are unbeatable at home, have the best record in the Major Leagues, and may actually be headed to the World Series…100 years since their last Series win. It’s a dream season. It’s poetic. This makes us fans happy. Except there’s a dark, flopping, frosted-hair cloud on our sunshiny day. His name is Jim.
The first couple of weeks of the Jim Edmonds Experience were not too bad. Jimmy made a few spectacular plays in center field — not even that suspiciously floppy — but was a total bust at the plate. He continued his .100 hitting ways, even in Cubbie Blue. Which is why San Diego cut him. Cubs fans enjoyed booing him every time he came to the plate to strike out, ground out weakly, dramatically dive to avoid an inside pitch that didn’t come within 18 inches of hitting him, and pout when the ump called a third strike. We expected this. And the Cubs were still winning, so we kind of enjoyed his failure. A few more days of this, we reasoned, and the Cubs would cut him, too.
But then he started hitting. He’s 6 for his last 14 at-bats. He hit a big home run last Thursday. He’s got 5 RBI in the last three games. He’s hitting like the Jim Edmonds we used to hate when he was a Cardinal. He’s helping the Cubs win.
I don’t know what to do. I still roll my eyes and let loose a deadbeat, unenthusiastic “Yay” when he gets a hit. I still secretly enjoy him getting an out. But I want the Cubs to win. And Jim Edmonds is a Cub. Still.
I am confused. Still.
Help me. I’m not just a bad Christian for deeply disliking a fellow human, but I’m a bad baseball fan for rooting against a player on my team. Who will rescue me from this body of death?
4 Responses to “I Am Still Avoiding the Jim Edmonds Bandwagon”
By jason on Jun 3, 2008 | Reply
He’s 2-for-4 with 2 RBI tonight. Sigh.
By christian on Jun 3, 2008 | Reply
Unbeatable at home… except for when the Brewers come to town.(4-2 at Wrigley and counting…)
GO CREW!
By Zeke on Jun 3, 2008 | Reply
I don’t think it makes you a bad person, just a true Cubs fan. See, if your team cuts a guy loose I feel like it is still ok to semi-root for him like I am sure many Cardinals fans are rooting for Edmonds. But I’m sure that as many times as he’s put the hurting on Chicago fans, those memories don’t go away just because he’s wearing a Cubs uniform. I sympathize with your plight.
Of course, I don’t know truly what that feeling is like. Can’t envision my team (the Orioles) “stealing” a player away from the Yankees or BoSox unless he was past his prime and Angelos could offer him a grossly overpaid contract.
By bryan on Jun 3, 2008 | Reply
yeah, if Posada or Giambi wound up in a Red Sox uniform I think i would become bipolar. I could totally see myself rooting against them, except when it meant the Red Sox might lose.