This is our old blog. It hasn't been active since 2011. Please see the link above for our current blog or click the logo above to see all of the great data and content on this site.
«
»

More on Jim Edmonds

Posted by Andy on April 23, 2010

Jim Edmonds is off to a fast start with the Brewers after sitting out all of 2009. Not that long ago we had a good debate about his HOF candidacy. With more than 500 votes, the poll that went with that HOF post has him at 56-to-42 against his deserving the HOF.

Anyway, in looking more at Edmonds numbers I have concluded that he has had a really weird career. I'm going to post a long list here, of all players since 1901 to play in 1900 to 2000 games. Bear with me for putting a long table here, but pick up my commentary at the bottom.

Rk Player ▴ H G From To PA AB R 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Al Lopez 1547 1950 1928 1947 6607 5916 613 206 43 51 652 556 538 .261 .326 .337 .663 *2/453 BRO-BSN-TOT-PIT-CLE
2 Alfredo Griffin 1688 1962 1976 1993 7330 6780 759 245 78 24 527 338 664 .249 .285 .319 .604 *6/45 CLE-TOR-OAK-LAD
3 Amos Otis 2020 1998 1967 1984 8246 7299 1092 374 66 193 1007 757 1008 .277 .343 .425 .768 *8/79D5 NYM-KCR-PIT
4 Andruw Jones 1786 1930 1996 2010 7889 6935 1115 357 35 392 1181 795 1555 .258 .338 .489 .827 *89/D73 ATL-LAD-TEX-CHW
5 Benito Santiago 1830 1978 1986 2005 7515 6951 755 323 41 217 920 430 1270 .263 .307 .415 .722 *2/37D SDP-FLA-CIN-PHI-TOR-CHC-SFG-KCR-PIT
6 Billy Herman 2345 1922 1931 1947 8641 7707 1163 486 82 47 839 737 428 .304 .367 .407 .774 *4/53 CHC-TOT-BRO-PIT
7 Bob Bailey 1564 1931 1962 1978 7043 6082 772 234 43 189 773 852 1126 .257 .347 .403 .750 *573/D689 PIT-LAD-MON-CIN-TOT-BOS
8 Bob Elliott 2061 1978 1939 1953 8190 7141 1064 382 94 170 1195 967 604 .289 .375 .440 .815 *59/8764 PIT-BSN-NYG-TOT
9 Bobby Abreu 2128 1967 1996 2010 8488 7120 1277 488 56 258 1196 1258 1530 .299 .403 .492 .895 *9/D78 HOU-PHI-TOT-NYY-LAA
10 Bobby Murcer 1862 1908 1965 1983 7718 6730 972 285 45 252 1043 862 841 .277 .357 .445 .802 98/D7564 NYY-SFG-CHC-TOT
11 Brad Ausmus 1566 1951 1993 2010 7034 6220 714 269 34 80 605 627 1019 .252 .325 .345 .670 *2/3456 SDP-TOT-HOU-DET-LAD
12 Buddy Myer 2131 1923 1925 1941 8187 7038 1174 353 130 38 850 965 428 .303 .389 .406 .795 *465/79 WSH-TOT-BOS
13 Chet Lemon 1875 1988 1975 1990 7872 6868 973 396 61 215 884 749 1024 .273 .355 .442 .797 *89/D547 CHW-DET
14 Claudell Washington 1884 1912 1974 1990 7367 6787 926 334 69 164 824 468 1266 .278 .325 .420 .745 *978/D OAK-TEX-TOT-CHW-ATL-NYY-CAL
15 Clyde Milan 2100 1982 1907 1922 8312 7359 1004 240 105 17 617 685 197 .285 .353 .353 .706 *87/9 WSH
16 Dave Bancroft 2004 1913 1915 1930 8244 7182 1048 320 77 32 591 827 487 .279 .355 .358 .714 *6/457 PHI-TOT-NYG-BSN-BRO
17 Dave Kingman 1575 1941 1971 1986 7429 6677 901 240 25 442 1210 608 1816 .236 .302 .478 .780 37D59/1 SFG-NYM-TOT-CHC-OAK
18 Dave Martinez 1599 1919 1986 2001 6480 5795 795 238 72 91 580 567 893 .276 .341 .389 .730 8937/1D CHC-TOT-MON-CIN-SFG-CHW-TBD-ATL
19 Dave Philley 1700 1904 1941 1962 7000 6296 789 276 72 84 729 594 551 .270 .334 .377 .710 9873/5 CHW-TOT-PHA-CLE-PHI-BAL-BOS
20 Del Ennis 2063 1903 1946 1959 7940 7254 985 358 69 288 1284 597 719 .284 .340 .472 .812 *79/83 PHI-STL-TOT
21 Devon White 1934 1941 1985 2001 8080 7344 1125 378 71 208 846 541 1526 .263 .319 .419 .739 *89/7D CAL-TOR-FLA-ARI-LAD-MIL
22 Dick Groat 2138 1929 1952 1967 8179 7484 829 352 67 39 707 490 512 .286 .330 .366 .696 *6/543 PIT-STL-PHI-TOT
23 Dixie Walker 2064 1905 1931 1949 7666 6740 1037 376 96 105 1023 817 325 .306 .383 .437 .820 *987/3 NYY-TOT-CHW-DET-BRO-PIT
24 Donie Bush 1804 1945 1908 1923 8734 7210 1280 186 74 9 436 1158 346 .250 .356 .300 .656 *6/54 DET-TOT-WSH
25 Edd Roush 2376 1967 1913 1931 8156 7363 1099 339 182 68 981 484 260 .323 .369 .446 .815 *8/7394 CHW-IND-NEW-TOT-CIN-NYG
26 Edgar Renteria 2201 1997 1996 2010 8527 7654 1146 414 27 133 871 678 1085 .288 .345 .401 .746 *6/D3 FLA-STL-BOS-ATL-DET-SFG
27 Ellis Burks 2107 2000 1987 2004 8176 7232 1253 402 63 352 1206 793 1340 .291 .363 .510 .874 *89D7 BOS-CHW-COL-TOT-SFG-CLE
28 Fred Lynn 1960 1969 1974 1990 7923 6925 1063 388 43 306 1111 857 1116 .283 .360 .484 .845 *897/D BOS-CAL-BAL-TOT-DET-SDP
29 Gabby Hartnett 1912 1990 1922 1941 7297 6432 867 396 64 236 1179 703 697 .297 .370 .489 .858 *2/3 CHC-NYG
30 George Foster 1925 1977 1969 1986 7812 7023 986 307 47 348 1239 666 1419 .274 .338 .480 .818 *789/D3 SFG-TOT-CIN-NYM
31 Hal Chase 2158 1919 1905 1919 7939 7417 980 322 124 57 941 276 306 .291 .319 .391 .710 *3/4876195 NYY-TOT-BUF-CIN-NYG
32 Jack Clark 1826 1994 1975 1992 8225 6847 1118 332 39 340 1180 1262 1441 .267 .379 .476 .854 *93D/875 SFG-STL-NYY-SDP-BOS
33 Jason Giambi 1872 1959 1995 2010 8155 6638 1159 376 9 409 1331 1268 1395 .282 .405 .526 .931 *3D7/59 OAK-NYY-TOT-COL
34 Jason Kendall 2103 1981 1996 2010 8269 7247 993 379 35 75 709 687 646 .290 .369 .383 .752 *2/79D PIT-OAK-TOT-MIL-KCR
35 Jim Bottomley 2313 1991 1922 1937 8355 7471 1177 465 151 219 1422 664 591 .310 .369 .500 .869 *3/4 STL-CIN-SLB
36 Jim Edmonds 1896 1937 1993 2010 7759 6656 1218 421 25 383 1181 980 1679 .285 .377 .528 .906 *8/739D CAL-ANA-STL-TOT-MIL
37 Jim Fregosi 1726 1902 1961 1978 7402 6523 844 264 78 151 706 715 1097 .265 .338 .398 .736 *635/D74 LAA-CAL-NYM-TOT-TEX-PIT
38 Jim Gilliam 1889 1956 1953 1966 8321 7119 1163 304 71 65 558 1036 416 .265 .360 .355 .715 *457/983 BRO-LAD
39 Jim Sundberg 1493 1962 1974 1989 6898 6021 621 243 36 95 624 699 963 .248 .327 .348 .674 *2/7D TEX-MIL-KCR-CHC-TOT
40 Jim Wynn 1665 1920 1963 1977 8010 6653 1105 285 39 291 964 1224 1427 .250 .366 .436 .802 *897/D65 HOU-LAD-ATL-TOT
41 Joe Adcock 1832 1959 1950 1966 7304 6606 823 295 35 336 1122 594 1059 .277 .337 .485 .822 *37 CIN-MLN-CLE-LAA-CAL
42 Joe Medwick 2471 1984 1932 1948 8142 7635 1198 540 113 205 1383 437 551 .324 .362 .505 .867 *7/983 STL-TOT-BRO-NYG
43 Joe Sewell 2226 1903 1920 1933 8329 7132 1141 436 68 49 1055 842 114 .312 .391 .413 .804 *65/4 CLE-NYY
44 Lance Parrish 1782 1988 1977 1995 7797 7067 856 305 27 324 1070 612 1527 .252 .313 .440 .753 *2D/397 DET-PHI-CAL-TOT-CLE-PIT-TOR
45 Larry Gardner 1931 1923 1908 1924 7685 6688 867 301 129 27 934 654 282 .289 .355 .384 .739 *54/6 BOS-PHA-CLE
46 Larry Walker 2160 1988 1989 2005 8030 6907 1355 471 62 383 1311 913 1231 .313 .400 .565 .965 *9/387D45 MON-COL-TOT-STL
47 Lenny Harris 1055 1903 1988 2005 4289 3924 460 161 21 37 369 279 337 .269 .318 .349 .667 5497/36D81 CIN-TOT-LAD-NYM-MIL-FLA
48 Leo Cardenas 1725 1941 1960 1975 7402 6707 662 285 49 118 689 522 1135 .257 .311 .367 .679 *6/54D CIN-MIN-CAL-CLE-TEX
49 Lloyd Waner 2459 1993 1927 1945 8326 7772 1201 281 118 27 598 420 173 .316 .353 .393 .747 *87/945 PIT-TOT-PHI
50 Maury Wills 2134 1942 1959 1972 8304 7588 1067 177 71 20 458 552 684 .281 .330 .331 .661 *65/4 LAD-PIT-TOT
51 Mike Piazza 2127 1912 1992 2007 7745 6911 1048 344 8 427 1335 759 1113 .308 .377 .545 .922 *2D/3 LAD-TOT-NYM-SDP-OAK
52 Moises Alou 2134 1942 1990 2008 7913 7037 1109 421 39 332 1287 737 894 .303 .369 .516 .885 *798/D TOT-MON-FLA-HOU-CHC-SFG-NYM
53 Nap Lajoie 2521 1988 1901 1916 8256 7498 1083 510 101 50 1141 457 74 .336 .382 .451 .833 *43/657 PHA-TOT-CLE
54 Ozzie Guillen 1764 1993 1985 2000 7133 6686 773 275 69 28 619 239 511 .264 .287 .338 .626 *6/5347 CHW-TOT-ATL-TBD
55 Paul Blair 1513 1947 1964 1980 6673 6042 776 282 55 134 620 449 877 .250 .302 .382 .684 *8/97456 BAL-NYY-TOT
56 Pie Traynor 2416 1941 1920 1937 8293 7559 1183 371 164 58 1273 472 278 .320 .362 .435 .797 *5/63 PIT
57 Ray Durham 2054 1975 1995 2008 8423 7408 1249 440 79 192 875 820 1201 .277 .352 .436 .788 *4/D8 CHW-TOT-SFG
58 Reggie Smith 2020 1987 1966 1982 8050 7033 1123 363 57 314 1092 890 1030 .287 .366 .489 .855 983/5D47 BOS-STL-TOT-LAD-SFG
59 Richie Hebner 1694 1908 1968 1985 7016 6144 865 273 57 203 890 687 741 .276 .352 .438 .790 *53/D974 PIT-PHI-NYM-DET-TOT-CHC
60 Rick Monday 1619 1986 1966 1984 7162 6136 950 248 64 241 775 924 1513 .264 .361 .443 .804 *89/73 KCA-OAK-CHC-LAD
61 Shawn Green 2003 1951 1993 2007 7962 7082 1129 445 35 328 1070 744 1315 .283 .355 .494 .850 *93/87D TOR-LAD-ARI-TOT-NYM
62 Stan Hack 2193 1938 1932 1947 8506 7278 1239 363 81 57 642 1092 466 .301 .394 .397 .791 *5/3 CHC
63 Tim McCarver 1501 1909 1959 1980 6206 5529 590 242 57 97 645 548 422 .271 .337 .388 .725 *23/75D STL-PHI-TOT
64 Tommy Davis 2121 1999 1959 1976 7739 7223 811 272 35 153 1052 381 754 .294 .329 .405 .733 *7D58/394 LAD-NYM-CHW-TOT-OAK-BAL
65 Tommy Leach 1991 1996 1901 1918 8401 7383 1260 255 164 57 737 762 278 .270 .341 .372 .712 85/7694 PIT-TOT-CHC-CIN
66 Tony Pena 1687 1988 1980 1997 7073 6489 667 298 27 107 708 455 846 .260 .309 .364 .673 *2/395 PIT-STL-BOS-CLE-TOT
67 Will Clark 2176 1976 1986 2000 8283 7173 1186 440 47 284 1205 937 1190 .303 .384 .497 .880 *3/D SFG-TEX-BAL-TOT
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 4/23/2010.

I've set the default sorting to name, but remember that you can click any column heading to re-sort the list.

So we have here 67 players who played in between 1900-2000 games, excluding further games that active players will appear in. Plus, two players (Lajoie and Leach) played some before 1901 and those years are not included here.

You can play along at home at re-sort the table above in the following ways:

  • Sorting by hits, Edmonds is in the bottom half of the pack at #38 out of 67. His hit total is similar to those of Claudell Washington, Chet Lemon, and Benito Santiago. Those guys were not bad players, but it's certainly not HOF company. Incidentally, the guy with the fewest hits in this group is Lenny Harris, who of course appeared in many games as a pinch-hitter. He had a similar number of games and similar BA to Jack Clark but almost 800 fewer hits than Clark due to a much smaller number of plate appearances. Many of the other players towards the bottom of the list were catchers, whose game totals may have been boosted by coming in as a late-inning defensive replacement without getting a full game's worth of PAs. Paul Blair fits that bill as well.
  • Sorting by OPS, Edmonds is 4th overall, behind only Walker, Giambi, and Piazza. This isn't too meaningful, though, as its partially a product of the era in which Edmonds played. After all, the top 8 guys all played as recently as 2000. This sort of search doesn't calculate OPS+ which is too bad because I suspect Edmonds would be further down the list.
  • Sorting by strikeouts, Edmonds and Dave Kingman are way out in the lead. Interesting, in fact, that in a similar number of games and PAs, Edmonds and Kingman have similar RBI totals, despite Edmonds playing in a higher-offense era.
  • Looking at triples, do you believe that in a similar number of games, Edmonds has fewer triples than Lance Parrish, Tony Pena, Brad Ausmus, and Jim Sundberg? Wow.

Related posts:

    Jim Edmonds’ Hall of Fame chances

This entry was posted on Friday, April 23rd, 2010 at 1:29 pm and is filed under Season Preview. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

9 Responses to “More on Jim Edmonds”

  1. Pitchers Hit Eighth Says:
    April 23rd, 2010 at 1:33 pm

    Yeah, but this chart also doesn't include diving catches made after purposely lolly-gagging after a fly ball... 😉

  2. Andy Says:
    April 23rd, 2010 at 1:36 pm

    Heh--I did mention this in the original post.

  3. Johnny Twisto Says:
    April 23rd, 2010 at 2:29 pm

    Edmonds is 9th in OPS+ (8th if you disregard Lajoie).

  4. Andy Says:
    April 23rd, 2010 at 2:32 pm

    How did you figure that, JT?

  5. Adam Says:
    April 23rd, 2010 at 2:58 pm

    Check out the analysis of Jimmy's hall of fame changes on BeyondtheBoxscore and Play a Hard Nine. They certainly changed my mind. I now 100% think he belongs in the hall of fame. Take a step away from your initial judgement, look at his numbers, remember he was a center fielder, and though not as great defensively as it initially seemed, a pretty damn good defensive center fielder. Sure, he was no Ken Griffy Jr...but who was?!? He is right on par with Duke Snider and had a better peak that Kirby Puckett.

  6. Baseball In-Depth Says:
    April 23rd, 2010 at 4:39 pm

    He's 104 hits away from 2000, 17 HR away from 400 and has a .285 average. As of right now, there have been only 14 players to become eligible for the Hall of Fame with a .285 average, 400 HR and 2000 hits (Aaron, Ruth, Mays, F. Robinson, Mantle, Foxx, T. Williams, Ott, Murray, Gehrig, Musial, Yaz, B. Williams, Snider) and they're all in the Hall of Fame. We'll have to wait and see about the more recent retirees (Bagwell, Palmiero, Bonds, Piazza, F. Thomas).

    It's an interesting call, because he had 8 gold gloves, but only placed in the top 5 in MVP voting twice. This unexpected resurgence makes it a possibility, and if he gets to 400 home runs and keeps his average up, I think he has a good chance someday.

  7. Raphy Says:
    April 23rd, 2010 at 4:39 pm

    Regarding 4.- Andy just include it in your search.
    http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/aHQNG

  8. Kahuna Tuna Says:
    April 23rd, 2010 at 5:40 pm

    The Angels never seemed to know exactly what to do with Edmonds as a hitter, did they? They batted him fifth a plurality of the time in 1994 (85 OPS+), primarily second in 1995 and 1996 (129 and 137 OPS+, respectively), all over the order in 1997 but in the fourth spot (175 PA) slightly more than second (149 PA) (123 overall OPS+), most often third in 1998 (123 OPS+), and second a majority of the time in an injury-shortened 1999 (95 OPS+). LaRussa moved him around in the order a fair amount too, but gradually transitioned him from the third slot in 2000-2002 to the fourth and fifth slots for the rest of Edmonds' time as a Cardinal, in line not only with the Cards' personnel but with what we perceive now to be Edmonds' primary offensive qualities — good XBH power, little speed, lots of walks and strikeouts. It's worth noting that Edmonds' BB/PA rates went from 8.7% in 1998 to 12.0% in 1999, his last year in Anaheim, to 16.0% in 2000. His BB/PA rate was at least 14.5% every year from 2000 to 2005, coinciding with his best seasons in St. Louis (and was a very good 15.1% during his only season in Chicago).

    Did Edmonds just finally have it all come together in St. Louis, or did the Angels coaching staff have a less clear vision of the offensive potential that he could achieve?

  9. Johnny Twisto Says:
    April 23rd, 2010 at 6:20 pm

    La Russa had the magic beans.

«
»