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Double trouble Edmonds, Clark provide 1-2 punch
Two players who have helped the St. Louis Cardinals make it to the post-season are a pair of newcomers. Center fielder Jim Edmonds was traded from Anaheim just before the start of the season and first baseman Will Clark came over Baltimore right before the trading deadline. CNNSI.com's Ozzie Smith had a chance to sit down and talk with Clark and Edmonds at Busch Stadium about playing for St. Louis. Ozzie Smith: What was it like for [both of] you coming over here when you found out you were being traded here to the Cardinals? Will Clark: Well you had known coming in here as opposition that it's a very vocal crowd, they respected your abilities. They were very knowledgeable about baseball. To now be on the home side, and be with guys like Jim, it's an awesome feeling. Because when you go out there on the field you know that these 40-thousand or 45-thousand screaming fans are all behind you. Smith: You developed a relationship with the fans right away, that had to make it, make a little, the transition a little bit easier coming over. Jim Edmonds: It doesn't take a genius to come in here and learn what it's all about and learn how to play the game, and the fans accept you. That's what makes it all worth while. You go out here and you play hard, and these people stand up and cheer for you, and that's what makes it so much fun. I just heard it was a great place to play. I was scared to be, to move on but ever since Day One it's been nothing but the best. And golly I'm glad I signed a long-term deal, deal here, because I think this is it for me. Once I'm done here, I'm done for good. Smith: There doesn't seem to be any unhappiness about Jim Edmonds. Your personality has been wonderful here. Where did all of that come from? Edmonds: I haven't put a finger on it yet. I think I had some run-ins with the media in Anaheim. And I just didn't appreciate the way that they put the team down. And I was kind of vocal towards it, and when anything was wrong, it was my fault. So I took that responsibility. That was fine, and actually took a lot of heat off the players in Anaheim. I think right now, what you see is what you get. And I'm trying to prove everything wrong. And it's obvious that I'm not the kind of person I was made out to be in Anaheim. Smith: Did it take any pressure off of you getting a player like Will Clark to come in when he did? Edmonds: Whenever you bring another veteran leader into the lineup, or even into the clubhouse, I think it eases everybody's feelings toward trying to go out there and do too much. I know his first couple of days here, I was struggling at the time and I just watched him do everything so easy. It kind of clicked in how I was supposed to play the game all over again, and not really try to push too hard and not really try to prove that I have to do anything extra just to keep this team going. It kind of just made me relax more and just try to follow his lead. Clark: When I came over here it was still up in the air as to whether Mark [McGwire] was going to come back or not. And so my job coming in here was just, basically, to keep the seat warm and also fit in as being one of the guys. And because of guys like Jimmy, you know Eric Davis, Shawon Dunston, you know some of the veterans, it made that transition very easy. Just walked right in and was able to pick up where I left off as far as swinging the bat goes and it was felt like I was part of a family. Smith: Both of you guys are around Mark a lot. How does he feel about not being able to be an intricate part of all of this? Edmonds: I know the fact that he's frustrated. I know that he would love to be out there. Obviously the whole city would like him to be out there, but there's just things that are out of his control. He's going to have to do whatever he can to get in the lineup as a pinch hitter, or maybe even a DH. He's going to have to watch Will do his magic. Smith: Will, what type of mindset did you have going into these playoffs, being the playoff veteran on this club? Clark: I'm taking it as going out there on a daily basis. A short series coming up and, as you well know, anything can happen. So what you try to do, is you try to keep your enthusiasm up, but still keep your concentration, and go out there and do the things you've been doing all season long. Edmonds: We've been focusing on winning each series all year long and taking a short-term goal every time we go out there. And I think that's been a big key to our success. We can go out there and lose the first game of the series, and really push hard for the next two, and focus on winning that series. And I don't think anything is going to change for the playoffs. I think we've got to keep the same approach and our coaching staff has done a great job of keeping us together and keeping focused on that task. Clark: This is a team of, "Who's going to be the hero today?" It's a new guy every day. And sure enough, you're going to have guys like Jimmy who are going to be consistent throughout the long run, but there's somebody that steps up on a daily basis and that's what makes this a team.
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