Edmonds to Have Shoulder Surgery

By MIKE DiGIOVANNA

April 20, 1999 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

TORONTO —

Several Angels privately seethed when center fielder Jim Edmonds told reporters April 7 that he wished he would have had his troublesome right shoulder repaired over the winter.

So you can imagine how perturbed the Angels were to discover Monday that Edmonds has opted to have surgery to repair torn shoulder cartilage, a procedure that will sideline him for at least four months, and perhaps the entire season.

“I’m not pleased, but we can’t do anything about it,” said General Manager Bill Bavasi, who has already lost pitchers Jason Dickson, Mike James and Pep Harris, probably for the season, and shortstop Gary DiSarcina until the All-Star break. “We just have to react to the pitch that’s been thrown at us and go from there.”

Had Edmonds reacted to what his shoulder was telling him last fall--and for the past three years, for that matter--he could have had surgery last October and been ready for the season.

But the two-time Gold Glove award winner, who had both knees operated on after the 1997 season, said he “didn’t feel like undergoing another surgery,” and figured he could again play through the discomfort. Now the Angels’ projected No. 2 hitter--as well as his team--is paying the price.

Edmonds, who has a partially torn labrum, reinjured the shoulder lifting weights the weekend before the season began. He opened the season on the disabled list, and his non-throwing shoulder has deteriorated for the past two weeks.

He felt discomfort hitting off a tee last week, and he was so sore after taking batting practice Monday that “he could not take his right hand and touch his left shoulder,” said Paul Cohen, Edmonds’ agent.

“As a player he wanted to gut it out, but it just got worse. Dr. [Lewis] Yocum [team physician] recommended surgery a week ago, because if he continues to play like he does, he could really create some problems. He could go from a partial tear to a full-blown tear.”

In a statement released by the Angels, Yocum suggested a complete diagnosis could not be made until after the operation but said rehabilitation would require a “minimum amount of. . . . roughly four months.”

By opting for surgery now--the procedure is scheduled Thursday--Edmonds, who was also found to have a ganglion cyst buried in a muscle behind his right shoulder, hopes to return on schedule. The four-month rehabilitation schedule would not have affected the Angels had Edmonds elected for surgery last fall.

Edmonds said he has played with shoulder pain “for the last three or four years now, at least,” and had minimized discomfort with a weightlifting program that strengthened the shoulder.

Cohen bristled at any suggestion Edmonds had let his team down by deferring surgery and said the outfielder simply can no longer swing without pain.

“This is not a kid who doesn’t dive on the field,” Cohen said. “He has given his body to this organization like nobody else.”

The surgery secures a lineup spot for Todd Greene, who has become a potent designated hitter with four home runs and 15 RBIs in the first 13 games.

But it also eliminates the surplus of quality outfielders that the Angels could have used to trade for a starting pitcher later this season. Garret Anderson will probably remain in center, and when first baseman Mo Vaughn comes off the disabled list--he’s expected to return Thursday--Darin Erstad will return to left field.

“I guess that takes care of all those rumors of trading Jimmy for a pitcher,” Cohen said.

Many speculated this spring that Manager Terry Collins would have trouble finding enough playing time to keep his four outfielders--Tim Salmon, Anderson, Edmonds and Erstad--as well as Greene happy. That will not be an issue, however.

“We have a situation now that points to the supposed folly of having four outfielders,” Bavasi said. “Everyone thought there would be a controversy, but if we would have traded one, we’d be in big trouble now.”

Edmonds will make $3.95 million this season, but won’t make the 320 plate appearances required for his 2000 option to vest at $4.65 million. That means the Angels will have the option of re-signing Edmonds after this season or letting him become a free agent.

There’s no denying the Angels are a superior team with Edmonds. He’s a far more accomplished center fielder than Anderson.

Edmonds, 28, also has a career .294 average, has hit 25 homers or more in each of the past four seasons, and while many of his teammates slumped last September, Edmonds hit .340 with five homers and 20 RBIs.

What’s more, Edmonds was considered one of the keys to the top of an Angel order that was expected to be one of baseball’s most formidable foursomes, with Erstad, Edmonds, Vaughn and Salmon.

“It hurts our depth, no doubt about it,” Bavasi said. “He’s a quality player with tremendous tools. . . . It’s frustrating, because you always like to put your best club out there.

“But then again, you look around baseball, and there are some bad injuries to a lot of good clubs. Injuries have taken some big bites out of a lot of teams. It does us no good to whine about it.”

Staff writer Bill Shaikin contributed to this report.

THE EDMONDS FACTOR

GAMES PLAYED

1995: 141 of 144 (97.9%)

1996: 114 of 162 (70.4%)

1997: 133 of 162 (82.1%)

1998: 154 of 162 (95.1%)

Totals: 542 of 630 (86%)

****

OFFENSIVE %

Comparing production of Edmonds and Mo Vaughn:

EDMONDS