Viva El Birdos Loves Jim Edmonds
(temporary text: This page links from Jim Edmonds' B-Ref page, which has been sponsored by a number of members here. Please share favorite memories, statistics, gifs, etc. of one of our favorite Cardinals. Arguments for his hall-of-fame induction would also be swell. This will be something of an archive, as it will be linked to from B-Ref long-term should we choose to continue sponsoring beyond this year, so remember that when posting. If you have suggestions for what else I should include up here, let me know in the fanshot I made about the topic a couple of days ago. Thanks!)
We love you, Jimmy Baseball! Thanks for everything!
Career: 17 seasons: .284/.376/.527, 393 HR, 1251 Runs, 1199 RBI, 8 gold gloves
As a Cardinal: 8 seasons: .285/.393/.555, 241 HR, 690 Runs, 713 RBI, 5 gold gloves
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I tip my cap to you a fink
and let me say this. I have watched Major League baseball for a great many years and I have never seen a center fielder I would rate above Jim Edmunds.
I have seen Dom DiMaggio, Jimmy Piersall, Paul Blair, Curt Flood and yes, back in the 80’s when Andruw Jones was at his peak and the Braves flooded the airways, I saw a lot of him. I have seen Jones caught napping a few times but I never saw Edmunds when his head was not in the game. Paul Blair, Curt Flood, Tori Hunter and Mc Clutchen of Pittsburg are great CF’s but I would not rate them over Edmunds.
Nobody could turn his back completely on a ball and track it by instinct better than Edmunds. Hope this gets your post back on a serious note.
by ridgesee on Feb 15, 2012 9:39 PM EST reply actions 4 recs
quote i found over at I70baseball.com
"80% of the earth’s surface is covered by water, the other 20% is covered by Jim Edmonds."
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Feb 16, 2012 7:12 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
This is the sort of image I think of when I think of Edmonds
he went up that wall like he had antigravity shoes on. It was like moving the centerfield fence back five feet when the other team was at bat More than any specific iconic moment, that gets at what I loved about watching the guy.
Edmond's acrobatics
I used to think that Terry Moore of the Cardinals (1930’s and 1940’s) was the most acrobatic center field ever——until Jim Edmonds came along , with his daily, dazzling catches.
by gus w on Feb 16, 2012 1:59 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Too easy
Arguments for his hall-of-fame induction would also be swell.
Average Hall of Fame CF line: .317/.394/.485 = .392 wOBA, 130 wRC+, 28 career fielding
Jim Edmonds Hall of Fame line: .284/.276/.527 = .383 wOBA, 130 wRC, +56.8 career fielding
Average HOF CF WAR stats: .00899 WAR/PA; 7.42 Peak WAR
Edmonds HOF WAR stats: .00848 WAR/PA; 7.02 Peak WAR
He’s barely below the AVERAGE Hall of Fame centerfielder, which according to my Hall of WAR say CF is by far the best position in the Hall with the highest standard. He SHOULD be a shoe-in for the Hall with his career numbers.
President of the Tyler Greene fanclub - Wikipedia Proof, Tumblr Page, and finally Baseball-reference
Twitter
by stlcardsfan4 on Feb 16, 2012 5:04 PM EST reply actions 14 recs
me too, let's inform the hall
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Feb 16, 2012 6:23 PM EST up reply actions
Typo in J. Ballgame's
OBP, should be .376.
by MdRedbirdFreak on Feb 17, 2012 9:35 AM EST up reply actions
Edmonds' combination of 40 home run power, a great eye at the plate, and above average defense
As well as a decently long career and postseason success should make him a shoe in.
livin fuzzy in a binary world
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 16, 2012 7:16 PM EST via Android app reply actions
And probably a shoo-in, as well.
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
Sign Mark Prior!
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Feb 23, 2012 2:23 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
One of my favorite home runs in Cardinals' history
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=19998633&c_id=mlb
Trade Westbrook
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Feb 16, 2012 10:09 PM EST reply actions 8 recs
fixed
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 2, 2012 7:08 PM EST up reply actions
I know it's probably sacrilege
But his catch as an Angel is my favorite of all of Edmonds’ catches.
My favorite memory of him, however, is his first series at Enron Field in 2000. He posted a .900/.923/1.800 series. Not too shabby.
The negative waves. Always with the negative waves...
Elation. Sadness. Mayhem. Champagne. Sleepless fury. - Joe Posnanski
I think this link will take you to the actual video of his Angels catch.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=20005631&c_id=mlb
Beer and Baseball. Baseball and Beer. It's not hard to reevaluate your priorities when you only have two.
by PugetSoundCardsAddict on Feb 17, 2012 2:06 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
And here is video of his 2004 NLCS catch (the still shot at the top)
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17819941&c_id=mlb
Beer and Baseball. Baseball and Beer. It's not hard to reevaluate your priorities when you only have two.
by PugetSoundCardsAddict on Feb 17, 2012 2:19 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Thanks!
I spent too long looking for that link last night.
The negative waves. Always with the negative waves...
Elation. Sadness. Mayhem. Champagne. Sleepless fury. - Joe Posnanski
This WS catch by Willie Mays
that was heralded for so many years, pales a little to me when compared with the Angel’s catch by Edmunds. In fact I don’t think I have ever seen any catch that doesn’t pale a little when compared to the Angels catch.
There are like a million amazing Jim Edmonds moments really. Especially in the playoffs.
One from the regular season that really sticks out in my mind was this time he was up in a high leverage situation. I think it was around 04-05, though I couldn’t say for certain. I’m pretty sure it was a home game, with men on base, and the Cards down a run or two, though I’m really hazy on the game situation details. It was an important PA in the game though. Edmonds had a full count on him, and the pitcher was pitching him away, away, away, not wanting to risk coming inside Jimmy’s wheelhouse. So, the pitcher puts his next pitch on the lower outside corner, and Jimmy fouls it off. The pitcher again tries to get him to ground out or K on a low and outside pitch, but Jimmy just fouls it off. There must have been about five or more fouled off pitches on the outer half like that, and a few to fill the count before that too. It was like Jimmy just was waiting for that guy to bring a pitch inside, and the guy knew it. Finally, after what feels like 15 full minutes of my adrenaline pumping on max with the game on the line, the pitcher brings this next fastball down and in on him. BOOM — Jimmy just CA-RUSHED that sucker into the RF stands to everyone’s delight and my personal awe and amazement.
It was obviously very silly, but I think this was the moment that I became convinced Jim Edmonds could just hit a HR whenever the fuck he wanted. I had seen him hit so many HRs right when the Cardinals most needed them, that this actually seemed plausible to me. It’s “clutch” moments like that, both at the plate and in the field, that make Jim Edmonds possibly my favorite Cardinal and ballplayer of all time.
Chief Economist of Tyler Greene Fanclub
Another reason I loved Edmonds I think was his reaction after such amazing moments.
It’s not a look of “Yea, I did it! I can’t be beat!” type of thing, that you might see on other athlete’s faces following a personally triumphant moment. It always seemed to convey personal excitement like, “That was AWESOME!”. An example would be his reaction after that crazy catch he made with the Anaheim Angels. I’m not saying one reaction is better than the other, but seeing his joyous reaction always seemed to resonate with the joy I felt as a fan during those moments.
Chief Economist of Tyler Greene Fanclub
by Cardinals645 on Feb 17, 2012 12:31 PM EST up reply actions
Btw, if anyone happens to also remember this game and/or know which game it was, please let me know!
Thanks.
Chief Economist of Tyler Greene Fanclub
by Cardinals645 on Feb 23, 2012 2:36 AM EST up reply actions
I assume you're talking about the June 10, 1997 game vs. KC
which is talked about in the current post in which you’re posting, right here. Just follow the link.
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
Sign Mark Prior!
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Feb 23, 2012 2:40 AM EST up reply actions
Oh, sorry, I should have specified.
I was wondering if anyone knew what game the HR I described was in, not his famous catch. Thank you though.
Chief Economist of Tyler Greene Fanclub
by Cardinals645 on Feb 23, 2012 3:07 AM EST up reply actions
Yes! I think that might be it!
Thanks!!!
Chief Economist of Tyler Greene Fanclub
by Cardinals645 on Feb 25, 2012 2:48 AM EST up reply actions
d-dee's .gif
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Feb 18, 2012 9:06 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
you should link to the actual comment
but also, I’m looking for a video of the play
SIGN ROYO
by Notorious PSC on Feb 18, 2012 5:24 PM EST up reply actions
unfortunately i don't know how to link to a comment
it does/did have the gif and now is below … thanks d-dee
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!" ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Feb 19, 2012 10:06 AM EST up reply actions
if you hover over the time posted, right click and select copy link location
SIGN ROYO
by Notorious PSC on Feb 19, 2012 10:22 AM EST up reply actions
thanks .. just tested man that's easy
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Feb 20, 2012 9:47 AM EST up reply actions
i have the ones that i used to make the gifs if that helps
"I still don’t understand what commercial is better than having me on tv" – Chris Carpenter
2011: Boog would've count 78
here you go - awesomeness


"I still don’t understand what commercial is better than having me on tv" – Chris Carpenter
2011: Boog would've count 78
by d-dee on Feb 18, 2012 5:47 PM EST up reply actions 9 recs
Thanks d-dee
I could watch that first one for hours
Beer and Baseball. Baseball and Beer. It's not hard to reevaluate your priorities when you only have two.
by PugetSoundCardsAddict on Feb 18, 2012 10:14 PM EST up reply actions
everyones favorite

Swing and a high drive to center field...GET UP BABY...GET UP BABY, GET UP...OH YEAH - Shannon, Gm 6
by OurSaviorAaronMiles on Feb 19, 2012 6:29 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
His helmet is orange.
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
Sign Mark Prior!
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Feb 23, 2012 2:29 AM EST up reply actions
After the 2001 NLDS in which the Diamondbacks bested the Cardinals 3-2 en route to a World Series championship,
the clubs again faced one another in the 2002 NLDS. Unfortunately, the defining play in that series proved to be the villain Cintron ending Rolen’s season by barreling into him as Rolen attempted to field a groundball. That being said, the Cardinals destroyed the defending champs in that series, sweeping them 3-0. The series featured one of my favorite Edmonds moments.
Game 1 pitted Randy Johnson against Matt Morris. After Fernando Vina reached base to lead off the game and Eli Marrero hit a sacrifice fly, Edmonds dug in against one of the greatest left-handed starting pitchers in the history of the game. Johnson was at the peak of his powers, as well, which made this one of those thrilling matchups that elevates the postseason tension to another level. Edmonds bested The Big Unit by absolutely crushing a home run into right-center field. This put the Cards up 2-0.
Even though the Diamondbacks would tie the game at 2-2 and the Cards would go on to win 12-2, that home run off of Johnson was incredible. Whether or not the feeling was true, the homer seemed to bloody Johnson (who would surrender 6 runs in 6 IP) and set the tone for the series. I wish video of the homer survived on MLB.com, but I haven’t been able to find it.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
I can't believe I'd forgotten about this
Jimmy Ballgame 2000 Gold Glove Award Commemorative Bobblehead. It was a promotional giveaway during the summer of ’01. Saw a lot of Edmonds that summer as I was interning for Boeing by day, and watching baseball by night. (excuse the lousy photo quality).

> tebow
I wanted to pull some links together about this, but haven't taken the time.
Anyway, the leadership that he displayed in 2006 was a highlight for me. The game ball stuff and rallying the guys in the locker room. He really seemed to step up and drive that team through the playoffs.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Feb 29, 2012 12:35 AM EST reply actions
Definitely. And please do put the links together sometime in the future! For posterity! For Jimmy!
Leave favorite memories of Jim Edmonds here
Jim Edmonds is one of my favorite players of all time.
I loved watching him play. I loved his swing, his defense and his flair for the dramatic. My dad compared him to Bob Cousy, a player who knew how to entertain the fans, and was a showboat, but he did it without negatively affecting his stellar play.
Yet, one of my favorite memories was during the time period when he was out with a concussion. During an interview, he was asked what he was doing with his time off. His response:
“Well, I find myself reading a lot of books.”
Mike Shannon: "That strikeout was brought to you by...by...well, I don't know what it was brought to you by!"
John Rooney: "It wasn't brought to you by anything Mike."

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