The Cardinals just suffered their worst loss of the offseason

St. Louis is known as a working-class city whose residents aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and put their noses to the grindstone. And while the city is far from perfect, many St. Louis residents are fiercely proud of their home and the successful history of their St. Louis Cardinals. So when former Cardinals star center fielder Jim Edmonds joined the team's television broadcast crew in 2016 voicing his respect of old-school baseball and displaying a rough-around-the-edges broadcast presentation, it seemed logical that Cardinals fans would fall head over heels for him.

Instead, much of Cardinals Nation took a strong dislike to Edmonds' broadcasting style, and after nine years, the Cardinals' TV station, FanDuel Sports Midwest, has parted ways with its most entertaining and informative broadcaster.

Never reluctant to share his opinion, Edmonds told viewers exactly what he thought of certain modern baseball trends, such as Christopher Morel's home run celebration. Some may have viewed him as a crank who needed to get with the times, but Edmonds' opinions oozed passion for the sport he spent 17 years playing.

Edmonds developed a reputation for long-winded anecdotes, occasionally talking over his broadcast partners to expand on his thoughts or simply mention a text message he had just received. His games lacked the pristine polish of fellow color commentator Brad Thompson, but they felt as though Edmonds was displaying his true personality, warts and all. 

There is nothing wrong with the way Thompson broadcasts games. He's professional and exudes an affable, self-deprecating personality, but he is unable to provide the insight into the game that Edmonds possessed because of their different levels of career success. Edmonds would frequently dive into nuances of hitters or outfielders and inform the viewer what that player was doing incorrectly regarding his swing or his outfield routes or wall-climb attempts, and it was always fascinating information.

Edmonds' knowledge, passion and personality made him the crown jewel in the Cardinals' booth. The Cardinals are already preparing to muddle through what could be a down season, but Edmonds' absence will put the kibosh on this writer's enjoyment of the season more than any losing streak ever could.