MLB great trashes team after being let go: ‘Not the same organization’

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Things can change quite a bit over the course of 20 years, sometimes for the worse.

Jim Edmonds certainly feels that way about the St. Louis Cardinals after it was announced that the MLB great would not be back in the broadcast booth for this coming season.

“It’s not fun anymore,” Edmonds said on ESPN 101’s The Morning After radio show when talking about his exit from FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, formerly known as Bally Sports Midwest.

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Edmonds spent eight seasons of his MLB career playing for the Cardinals and, after his retirement, 12 with their broadcasting team. He is an inductee of the organization’s Hall of Fame and was an integral part of the team’s 2006 World Series championship.

However, Edmonds pulled no punches when talking about the current state of the organization.

“They don’t make you feel like you’re wanted to be around the stadium,” he said. “Everybody’s great … it’s just not the same. It’s not the same organization. It’s not fun to be around.”

Edmonds, a four-time all-star and eight-time Gold Glove winner, had already been considering quitting as a broadcaster for the team when he received a call from his boss.

“My boss called me the other day and I didn’t answer the phone,” Edmonds said. “I called him back the next day and I said, ‘The reason I didn’t answer the phone yesterday was because I really didn’t know what to say about this year — I’m not really sure I’m going to come back.’”

“He goes, ‘I called to tell you that we don’t know if we’re going to have you back this year.’

“That is so awesome, you just made my decision for me,” Edmonds responded.

It wasn’t just the Cardinals organization that felt the wrath of Edmonds. The legend said he is no fan of the faster pace of games – something that generally has been seen as a positive by fans.

“The game is so fast right now, you don’t even have time to talk. They don’t need two people in the booth. It’s just commercial after commercial,” Edmonds said. “It’s not the same anymore.”

During his 17-year MLB career, Edmonds hit for a .284 batting average with 393 home runs and 1,199 RBIs. While his most notable time came with the Cardinals, he also spent seven seasons with the Angels and had stints with the Cubs, Brewers, Padres and Reds before retiring in 2010.

He says he has turned his attention away from baseball, seemingly getting into agriculture.

“I’m going to take my talents out here to Tennessee and learn how to be a gardener and a farmer,” he said.