Edmonds Grabs All Attention

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jim Edmonds has to hit about 600 home runs and make another truckload or two of spectacular defensive plays before he’s mentioned in the same breath as Willie Mays.

But the Angel center fielder and the former Giant great and Hall of Fame center fielder were mentioned in the same breath all over the Angel clubhouse after Tuesday night’s 6-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals before 14,774 in Kauffman Stadium.

Edmonds, who already has filled a few highlight reels in four seasons in Anaheim, made the best catch of his life in the bottom of the fifth inning, sprinting straight back to the warning track to make a full-extension, over-the-shoulder diving grab of David Howard’s drive with two on, two out and the score tied, 1-1.

The ball was nestled in the tip of Edmonds’ glove as he landed face first in front of the wall, but he held on after impact. Second baseman Luis Alicea was so astonished he hurled his glove into the air, and Royal fans gave Edmonds a standing ovation.

“That’s the best catch I’ve ever seen,” said Angel designated hitter Tony Phillips, a 38-year old in his 16th big league season. “Willie Mays doesn’t do stuff like that, I’m sorry.

“Not only was it a great catch, but it was a game-winner. If he doesn’t catch that ball, two runs score and the guy’s on third with a triple. You give [Royal ace Kevin] Appier a lead and he starts snorting, breathing fire. I swear, that’s the best catch I’ve ever seen.”

Right fielder Tim Salmon, who had the best view of the play, thought for sure the ball would hit the wall and was stunned when Edmonds, who has torn cartilage in his left knee but is playing through the pain, made the catch.

“Jim should have stood up and spiked it--that was six points right there,” said Salmon, whose two-run homer in the eighth, a 427-foot blast over the water fountain in left-center, sealed a victory that propelled the Angels into first place in the American League West for the first time since April 5.

“That was unbelievable. It was awesome. What a super catch. It’s got to be one of the highlights of the year.”

Alicea has seen the clip of Willie’s Wondrous Catch, Mays’ over-the-shoulder grab of Vic Wertz’s drive to the deepest part of New York’s Polo Grounds in the 1954 World Series, “but I don’t know if Willie Mays would have had this one,” he said.

“Jim was playing so shallow, but he turned on the turbos and dove for it. You see guys dive to the side, to the left or right, but diving directly over your head is tough to do, especially when you’re that close to the wall. That’s the play of the year.”

Before Edmonds ripped an RBI double to left-center field, giving the Angels a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth, home plate umpire Rocky Roe told Edmonds to step out of the box and watch a replay of the catch.

“It was just one of those things,” Edmonds said. “I turned and ran, looked over my head to see if I could find it, and there it was over the bill of my cap. I figured I might as well lay out for it because the game was on the line. The next thing I could think of was, ‘God, don’t let this thing fall out of my glove.’ ”

Edmonds sat up after the catch and had a huge grin on his face.

“I heard Salmon screaming, saw Luis throw his glove in the air, and DiSar [shortstop Gary DiSarcina] just had this blank look on his face,” Edmonds said. “I couldn’t figure out whether there was anything else I could do.”

Said Angel Manager Terry Collins: “The ball was directly over his head and he had to dive away from the plate. That shows you what kind of player he is.”