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Jim Edmonds is basically getting the Play Now treatment from the San Diego Padres at this point. The Padres owe him some millions of dollars and he's hanging out in centerfield, apparently with his roller, inching after fly balls. If you believe Kevin Towers anyway. The Padres GM, who traded for Edmonds, went on air Tuesday morning and called out the 38 year old whiffmeister.

'I think he probably got a mulligan for the first two to three weeks just based on missing all spring,' General Manager Kevin Towers told XX Sports Radio on Tuesday morning. 'But, you know, certainly he's lost a step or two. I think that's been pretty obvious in the outfield, going back on balls, covering the gaps. And he just doesn't seem to have his legs underneath him (or) the bat speed with guys that have plus velocity.'

Sheesh. That's not even the dreaded vote of confidence. That's just a polite way of saying "please retire". And as Tim Sullivan points out, the team is now pinch hitting for him. In the ninth inning, which is, um, like saying that retiring thing only lacing it with expletives.

You almost have to wonder whether manager Bud Black sent [Callix] Crabbe up Wednesday night in Atlanta to play a percentage or to shame Edmonds into retirement.

Gimme a break though. Don't trade for a guy who's just so blatantly eroded, with tremendous incremental declines in every major offensive category over the past four years, and then get cheesed when he's not an All Star.

Miffed about his average? Really? Guy never hit above .311 in his prime. What were you expecting now, KT? Spiderman was great in his prime, and obviously one hell of a center fielder, but just because those days are clearly gone doesn't mean it has to be awkward. Stay classy, San Diego.