WHY I THINK JIM EDMONDS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JIM EDMONDS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Jim Edmonds was one of the greatest defensive outfielders of all time, winning eight career Gold Gloves, six straight from 2000 - 2005, and posting a fielding percentage five points above the league average (a significant number for an outfielder). He was also a great power hitter, connecting for almost 400 home runs with a lifetime slugging percentage of .527. He was also a fine contributor to many great teams, as he was productive for the final 16 years of his career and played in seven postseasons, driving in 42 runs in 64 games. Jim Edmonds started his career with the California Angels in 1993 and exceeded rookie status in 1994, batting .273 in 94 games. In 1995, Edmonds hit 33 home runs with 107 RBI’s (the first of four seasons with as many RBI’s) and followed up with 27, 26, and 25 homers in the three seasons that followed. Edmonds also had two .300 seasons during that span out of five total. He set the Angels’ single season record for runs scored (120; since broken) in 1995. In 1999, Edmonds missed much of the season with injuries, and was traded to the Cardinals in 2000 because the Angels had four all-star outfielders and none particularly wanted to DH. In 2000, Edmonds had one of the best seasons of his career, batting .295 with 42 homers and 108 RBI’s. He hit no fewer than 28 homers in any season until 2006, when he played in only 110 games but helped the team to the World Series title with four RBI’s in the five game Series. He batted .311 in 2002 and .301 with 42 homers and 111 RBI’s at the age of 34 in 2004. That season, he powered the Cardinals in the NLCS, winning Game 6 with a walkoff home run and saving Game 7 with the above catch. In 2008, he was traded to the Padres, but was released after 26 games. The Cubs picked him up and he gave them 19 homers in 85 games. Edmonds did not play in the Majors in 2009 but played a bit for the Brewers and Reds in 2010, batting .276 with 11 homers (including one in his final MLB at bat) in 86 games. Jim Edmonds was a fantastic power hitter, an amazing centerfielder, a postseason hero, a clean power hitter in the steroid era, and a remarkably consistent player for his entire career. He was amazing in every phase of the game. For all of his skills and great longevity, Jim Edmonds has earned his spot on The Cooperstown Advocate. He really should have received a higher honor, a plaque in the Hall of Fame, by now. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,011 season high: 154 in 1998 

At Bats career: 6,858 season high: 699 in 1998 

Hits career: 1,949 season high: 184 in 1998 

Doubles career: 437 season high: 42 in 1998 

Triples career: 25 season high: 4 in 1995 

Home Runs career: 393 season high: 42 in 2000 and 2004 

Runs career: 1,251 season high: 129 in 2000 

Runs Batted In career: 1,199 season high: 111 in 2004 

Stolen Bases career: 67 season high: 10 in 2000 

Walks career: 998 season high: 103 in 2000 

Strikeouts career: 1,729 season high: 167 in 2000 

Batting Average career: .284 season high: .311 in 2002 

On Base Percentage career: .376 season high: .420 in 2002 

Slugging Percentage career: .527 season high: .643 in 2004 

Total Bases career: 3,615 season high: 320 in 2004 

Sacrifice Hits career: 10 season high: 2 in 2007 

Fielding Percentage career: .989 season high: .998 in 2005 

Double Plays career: 68 season high: 10 in 1994 led NL CF: 4 in 2002 and 2007, 5 in 2003 

Putouts career: 4,930 season high: 402 in 1995 

Assists career: 160 season high: 20 in 1994 led AL CF: 9 in 1997 led NL CF: 12 in 2001, 11 in 2002 and 2004 

DO YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Jimmy Ballgame”, “Jimmy Baseball”, and “The Jibmaster” 

-he, Albert Pujols, and Scott Rolen were nicknamed the “MV3” for their great 2004 seasons 

-had a career batting average of .333 with a .429 on base percentage in four all-star games 

-finished eighth in the AL Rookie of the Year Award voting in 1994 

-finished fourth in the NL MVP Award voting in 2000, fifth in 2004, 17th in 2002, 26th in 2005, and 27th in 2003 

-finished 14th in the AL MVP Award voting in 1995 

-won a Silver Slugger award in 2004 

-won seven career Player of the Week awards and one Player of the Month award 

-set the Cardinals’ single season record for home runs by an outfielder in 2000 and tied it in 2004 

-had 13 career postseason home runs 

-led all NL outfielders with 4 double plays in 2007 

-among MLB centerfielders, ranks 24th in career double plays and 29th in assists 

-also played 57 games at first base, 62 in leftfield, 48 in rightfield, 21 as a DH, 124 as a pinch hitter, and six as a pinch runner 

-was elected to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014