Carlos Beltran, Andruw Jones Get the Call to Cooperstown-But What About Jim Edmonds?
The Hall of Fame doors swung open for two elite outfielders on January 20, as Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones earned their place among baseball’s immortals. But while the spotlight rightly shines on their achievements, it also casts a shadow on another name that continues to linger just outside Cooperstown: Jim Edmonds.
Edmonds, one of the most electrifying center fielders of his era, saw his Hall of Fame candidacy end before it ever really began. Despite a stellar career that included eight standout seasons with the St.
Louis Cardinals, he fell off the ballot in 2016 after receiving just 2.5% of the vote in his first year of eligibility. That’s not just surprising-it’s baffling.
Let’s talk about what Edmonds brought to the game. Offensively, he was a force.
His OPS+ of 132 puts him well above league average and notably ahead of Jones’ 111. He posted a higher batting average and OPS, and while Jones had the edge in home runs and RBIs, Edmonds’ bat was a consistent threat in the heart of the lineup for nearly two decades.
He wasn’t just good-he was a middle-of-the-order anchor with pop, patience, and presence.
And then there’s the glove.
Edmonds was a human highlight reel in center field. His diving catches, wall crashes, and instinctive routes are etched into the memories of fans and opposing hitters alike.
Yet when it comes to the advanced defensive metrics that are increasingly shaping Hall of Fame debates, Edmonds doesn’t quite stack up-at least not on paper. His career Defensive WAR (dWAR) of 6.4 pales in comparison to Jones’ staggering 24.4, the highest ever for a center fielder.
That’s the stat that likely tipped the scales for Jones.
Jones’ defense was legendary. He didn’t just cover ground-he erased it.
Whether it was tracking down balls in the gap or making the routine look effortless, Jones set the standard for defensive excellence in center. And in an era where voters are leaning more and more into analytics, being the all-time leader in a key advanced metric carries serious weight.
But here’s where things get complicated. Defensive stats-especially those from earlier eras-don’t always tell the full story.
There’s evidence suggesting that Jones may have benefited from playing behind one of the greatest pitching staffs in MLB history. From 1997 to 2002, during Jones’ defensive peak, the Braves’ pitchers allowed the lowest batting average on fly balls in play and surrendered the fewest home runs in the league.
That matters. Fewer hard-hit balls and more predictable fly balls can make an outfielder’s job a little easier.
And Jones wasn’t alone in putting up strong defensive numbers. His fellow Braves outfielders-Kenny Lofton, Michael Tucker, Gerald Williams, and Brian Jordan-all posted positive dWAR figures during that time. That suggests the Braves’ outfield as a whole may have been helped by the environment they played in, not just their individual brilliance.
Still, none of this is meant to diminish Jones’ accomplishments. He earned his place in Cooperstown. But it does raise the question: If Jones is in, why isn’t Edmonds even on the radar anymore?
Edmonds may not have led the league in any one advanced stat, but his all-around excellence-at the plate and in the field-made him one of the most complete players of his generation. He didn’t just have a peak; he had longevity, consistency, and a knack for delivering in big moments. His career wasn’t built on one standout skill-it was built on doing everything well.
That kind of balance doesn’t always grab headlines or dominate leaderboards, but it wins games. And for a Hall of Fame that aims to celebrate the best of the best, it’s worth asking whether the bar is being set too narrowly.
The Hall of Fame is about more than just numbers. It’s about impact. It’s about the players who defined their era, who made fans stop what they were doing to watch, who left a mark on the game that still lingers long after they’ve walked off the field.
By that measure, Jim Edmonds deserves another look.