Mike Trout’s catch trumps Jim Edmonds’ catch, says former Angel Tim Salmon

Tim Salmon was in right field for one of the greatest catches in Angels franchise history, when center fielder Jim Edmonds, after a lengthy run, made a full-extension diving grab, with his back to home plate, of David Howard’s drive to the warning track in Kansas City in June 1997.

Salmon was also in Angel Stadium for Mike Trout’s latest web gem, when the center fielder propelled himself several feet over the wall with his right hand and robbed Jesus Montero of a three-run home run in the fourth inning of Saturday night’s 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

He rated Trout’s catch slightly above Edmonds’.

“I think the significance of the win, the timing of the play in the game, definitely trumps what Jimmy did,” said Salmon, who is on the Fox Sports West broadcast team. “But the pure level of difficulty was off the charts for both catches. It’s hard to quantify.

“I can appreciate what Mike did. In spring training, you goof around trying to make those catches, but all the timing mechanisms that have to be in place to make that catch … you can’t even simulate it. To see it actually happen, you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s what it looks like.’ ”

Trout said he thought Saturday night’s catch was better than the spectacular play he made in Baltimore in 2012, when he raced the gap in right-center and leaped high above the wall to rob J.J. Hardy of a homer.

“The one in Baltimore, I was running full speed and jumped,” Trout said. “This one, I actually climbed the wall and got as high as I can. It was a timing thing. …

“The biggest thing about climbing the wall is getting to the right spot where the ball is gonna be. When you take your eye off it and climb the wall, have to be in right spot at the right time.”