Jim Edmonds Announces Retirement

This Date in Cardinal History
February 18, 2011

Jim Edmonds Announces Retirement
 

Veteran center fielder Jim Edmonds, one of the premier defensive outfielders of his generation and a cornerstone of the St. Louis Cardinals’ resurgence in the early 2000s, announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on this date in 2011.

Edmonds, 40, had reported to spring training on a minor league contract in hopes of extending his career, but lingering injuries and the cumulative toll of 17 major league seasons led him to step away from the game.

Acquired by St. Louis prior to the 2000 season, Edmonds quickly became the anchor in center field during the club’s “MV3” era alongside Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen.

Over his career, Edmonds posted a .284 batting average with 393 home runs and 1,199 runs batted in. He was selected to four All-Star Games with St. Louis and earned eight Gold Gloves overall, six in a Cardinals uniform.

His postseason résumé remains etched in franchise history — most notably the dramatic Game 6 walk-off home run in the 2004 National League Championship Series and his role on the 2006 World Series championship club managed by Tony La Russa.

Edmonds played the game with intensity and flair, turning difficult chances into signature moments and providing middle-of-the-order power to complement elite defense.

On February 18, 2011, the curtain closed — not with ceremony, but with quiet resolve. A ballplayer knowing his time had come.

And for nearly a decade in St. Louis, center field belonged to him.

Research Sources - HistoryofCardinals.com

Creator: ELSA | Credit: AFP/Getty Images