A Slugger or A Windmill: the cleanup spot
Jim Edmonds had a down year last year, but dont expect that to repeat.
2005 stats (average/home runs/runs batted in/stolen bases)
.263/29/89/5
predicted 2006 stats
.295-.305/35-40/100-120/10-15
offensive numbers for J.E. are harder to predict because one never knows where he is going to bat in the lineup. if he bats second (which i doubt), he would probably have the lower stat predictions. if he bats cleanup probably have a line of .300/38/110 /10. i think jimmy is best suited for the 5th spot in the lineup. he seems to be more comfortable there, or so says his production throughout his career (lboros over at viva el birdos did a study on jimmy and thats what they concluded and i trust them). he performs best offensively in the 5th spot, but i think tony will hit him cleanup because he likes the rightie/leftie/rightie/leftie pattern. i do not think that jimmy is on his decline phase, i think he still has about 2 to 3 very good years left in him. if he bats fifth in the order, his line should be as follows: .305/40/120/15 (or something close to this). you may think that im a little too optimistic about #15's production, your probably right because he is my favorite player. id like him to finish his career as a cardinal. if he can get at least two more gold gloves (he has 8 right know), get to 400 career home runs (he's at 331), raise his batting average to around .300 career wise (its .291 right now) and get to 1300-1500 career rbis (he's at 998), i think he should be a lock for the hall of fame. i know thats a lot of "ifs", but i have a lot of confidence in jimmy, so i have the right to be optimistic (at least in my opinion). later, the 5th spot, or as i and many other cards fans like to call it, the X-factor to the cardinals hopes of winning the 10th world series in franchise history.
2005 stats (average/home runs/runs batted in/stolen bases)
.263/29/89/5
predicted 2006 stats
.295-.305/35-40/100-120/10-15
offensive numbers for J.E. are harder to predict because one never knows where he is going to bat in the lineup. if he bats second (which i doubt), he would probably have the lower stat predictions. if he bats cleanup probably have a line of .300/38/110 /10. i think jimmy is best suited for the 5th spot in the lineup. he seems to be more comfortable there, or so says his production throughout his career (lboros over at viva el birdos did a study on jimmy and thats what they concluded and i trust them). he performs best offensively in the 5th spot, but i think tony will hit him cleanup because he likes the rightie/leftie/rightie/leftie pattern. i do not think that jimmy is on his decline phase, i think he still has about 2 to 3 very good years left in him. if he bats fifth in the order, his line should be as follows: .305/40/120/15 (or something close to this). you may think that im a little too optimistic about #15's production, your probably right because he is my favorite player. id like him to finish his career as a cardinal. if he can get at least two more gold gloves (he has 8 right know), get to 400 career home runs (he's at 331), raise his batting average to around .300 career wise (its .291 right now) and get to 1300-1500 career rbis (he's at 998), i think he should be a lock for the hall of fame. i know thats a lot of "ifs", but i have a lot of confidence in jimmy, so i have the right to be optimistic (at least in my opinion). later, the 5th spot, or as i and many other cards fans like to call it, the X-factor to the cardinals hopes of winning the 10th world series in franchise history.
