Jim Edmonds

James Patrick Edmonds, born June 27, 1970, in Fullerton, California, is a former Major League Baseball center fielder and later a sports commentator. Over 17 seasons (1993–2010), he played for the California/Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and Cincinnati Reds. Known for his glove work, he won eight Gold Glove Awards. He also hit .284 with 393 home runs and a .903 OPS. St. Louis fans nicknamed him "Jimmy Baseball" or "Jimmy Ballgame."

Edmonds’ parents divorced when he was young, and he split time between them. His father lived near Anaheim Stadium. He attended Diamond Bar High School in eastern Los Angeles County.

The Angels drafted him in the seventh round of the 1988 draft, partly because he injured his shoulder as a high school senior. He started in the minors with the Bend Bucks (A-Short Season), hitting .221 with no homers and 13 RBIs in 35 games. In 1989, with the Quad Cities Angels (Class-A), he batted .261 with one homer and four RBIs in 31 games. Moving to the Palm Springs Angels (High-A) in 1990, he played 91 games, hitting .293 with three homers and 56 RBIs. He stayed there in 1991, batting .294 with two homers and 27 RBIs over 60 games. Promoted to Double-A Midland in 1992, he hit .313 with eight homers and 32 RBIs in 70 games, then moved up to Triple-A Edmonton for 50 games, batting .299 with six homers and 36 RBIs. In 1993, with the new Triple-A affiliate Vancouver Canadians, he hit .315 with nine homers and 74 RBIs in 95 games.

Called up on September 7, 1993, Edmonds debuted on September 9, starting in left field against the Detroit Tigers at Tiger Stadium, going 0-for-4. His first hit came the next day, a pinch-hit double off Duane Ward in Toronto. He drove in his first run on September 14, singling off Seattle’s Roger Salkeld. In 18 games that September, he batted .246 in 61 at-bats.

Despite the Angels signing outfielders Bo Jackson and Dwight Smith, Edmonds made the 1994 Opening Day roster. He played sparingly early on, often pinch-hitting. His first major league home run came on May 11, a two-run shot off Texas’s Rick Helling. Through his first 50 games, he hit .328 with a .405 on-base percentage. By June, he became the primary left fielder after Jackson was benched and Smith traded. Midseason, media saw him as a top AL Rookie of the Year candidate. He finished the strike-shortened season at .273 with five homers and 37 RBIs, placing eighth in Rookie of the Year voting.

In 1995, after Chad Curtis left, Edmonds became the everyday center fielder. He emerged as a power hitter, surprising given his minor-league total of 29 homers and just five in his rookie year. He went homerless through 17 games, then hit six with an .857 slugging percentage over eight games from May 15–23. He made his first All-Star team in 1995, batting .291 with 13 homers and 52 RBIs at the break. He finished the season at .290 with 33 homers and 107 RBIs.

In 1996, Edmonds was one of the Angels’ best all-around hitters. On March 7, he signed a four-year, $9.5 million extension with a team option for a fifth year. Groin and stomach injuries sidelined him for a month starting May 25. He returned June 10 but sprained his thumb the next day, missing another month. Back on July 18, he went 2-for-5 with a homer against Seattle. He finished 1996 batting .304 with 27 homers and 66 RBIs.

By the mid-1990s, Edmonds was part of a four-outfielder group with Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, and Darin Erstad. To give all four regular playing time, the Angels traded designated hitter Chili Davis and first baseman J.T. Snow for pitching in the 1996–97 offseason. Edmonds stayed in center field while Erstad moved to first base.