The St. Louis Cardinals are steadily preparing for the 2025 MLB season, hoping to secure a postseason berth after falling short last year. However, before the action begins, the team has come under fire from a former World Series champion.
Former outfielder Jim Edmonds recently admitted on 101 ESPN St. Louis that he hasn’t attended Cardinals spring training in the past couple of years. “I haven’t really gone down to Spring Training the last couple of years. It’s not fun anymore.” According to Edmonds, the experience has changed, and former players like him are no longer treated the same way. “They don’t make you feel like you’re wanted.”
Edmonds played for the Cardinals from 2000 to 2007, winning his only World Series ring with them in 2006. He was named an All-Star three times with St. Louis—four times in his career—and earned multiple Gold Glove awards as a key defensive presence for the team.
Players like Edmonds often attend the MLB spring training, which is completely normal for many players as a way to inspire new players and those who have been with the team for a while. They also take the opportunity to speak with other former players and the media.
Mark McGwire’s Visit Was Allegedly Rejected
According to Edmonds, a Cardinals player requested the organization bring Mark McGwire for a visit during Spring Training a couple of years ago, but they responded with a resounding no, saying, “we have everything we need.” Edmonds doesn’t understand why his former team’s management made that decision.
The Current Situation of the Cardinals
The team isn’t in a terrible situation, despite not making the playoffs in the last two recent seasons (2023 and 2024). They had two appearances in the World Series, winning one in 2011 and losing another in 2013 against the Red Sox. In the past six years, they have made four postseason appearances.
