Young Angels farmhand Jim Edmonds described life in the minor leagues, and the transition from high school to pro ball to The Moline Dispatch in May 1989.
Edmonds had been taken by the Angels in the seventh round of the draft out of Diamond Bar High School in California and played 1989 at single-A Quad City.
"It's been getting much better, but it's been a struggle to adjust to what professional baseball is all about," Edmonds told The Dispatch then. "It was a big-time change from being on top at the high school level to facing everyone equal or better at this level."
Edmonds eventually fully adjusted - and went on to a long career in the game that continues into 2024. His playing career saw him play in the major leagues over 17 seasons, make All-Star games and the World Series. He's since become a broadcaster.
Edmonds' career began that year in 1988, taken by the Angels out of Diamond Bar.
Edmonds started with the Angels at short-season Bend. He made Quad City in 1989, then high-A Palm Springs in 1990. He saw AA Midland and AAA Edmonton in 1992.
In September 1993, he made California. The outfielder threw out a crucial runner at home in his debut, The Associated Press wrote.
"When I finally saw it, I just grabbed, and tried to make a nice throw home," Edmonds told The AP. "Luckily, (catcher) Greg Myers saved me, and made a nice play."
He saw 18 games that year and 94 the next. In 1995, he saw 141 games, made his first All Star Game and even garnered some MVP talk in April as he led the majors in August in runs scored and RBI, The Orange County Register wrote.
"I'm just trying to score as many runs and drive in as many as I can," Edmonds told The Register. "It's no big deal really."
Edmonds stayed with the Angels through 1999. He hit over .300 twice and hit more than 20 home runs four times, including 33 in 1995.
He then moved to the Cardinals in a trade for 2000. He promptly hit .295, 42 home runs. He then stayed with the Cardinals for eight total seasons, and played in the 2004 and 2006 World Series.
He helped them get to the 2004 series with a NLCS Game 6 12th inning home run that forced the deciding Game 7.
"It was a fastball up," Edmonds told The AP after that home run. "I was just trying to be short and quick."
Edmonds stayed with the Cardinals through 2007. He then played with the Padres and Cubs in 2008. He last played in 2010, between the Brewers and the Reds.
He ended his career with 2,011 games played, 393 home runs and a .284 average. He made the 2016 Hall of Fame ballot, getting 2.5 percent of the vote.
Edmonds then went into broadcasting, working as an analyst for Cardinals game for a decade, continuing in 2024.
- Moline Dispatch, May 14, 1989: Young Angel had to age fast
- Pasadena Star-News, Associated Press, Sept. 10, 1993: Angels' Magrane stops Tigers
- Moline Dispatch, Orange County Register, Aug. 21, 1995: MVP momentum swings toward Edmonds
- Fort Myers News-Press, Oct. 21, 2004: Astros' bullpen pitches better...
Made the Majors:1,402-32.2%-X
Never Made Majors:2,952-67.8%
10+ Seasons in the Minors:352
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