Top 100 Angels: David ECKSTEIN #35
by Rev Halofan on Feb 12, 2009 6:00 PM PST
in 100 Top Angels
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Print#35 DAVID ECKSTEIN, shortstop (2001 - 04)
Post-2005 Ranking: 27 - Read that DAVID ECKSTEIN essay.
Franchise Win Shares Rank: 73 (40 Regular Season Win Shares)
Highest Franchise Record Ranking: 11.2 AB/K in 2,500+ PA - 4th All Time
Hisghest Single Season Ranking: His 142 singles in 2002 is tied for 9th All Time
The "sparkplug" really wasn't here that long and as Orlando Cabrera and Even the Izturis/Ayabr duo have shown, his defense was not rareified. But the king of the intangibles and making due with what you have made a mark on the Angels faithful and the franchise as well. Wildly popular as a player, he will likely go down in history as the most anamolous player of what will certainly be known as the steroid era.
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Down the Earth.
I will never forget when he won his 2nd WS with the Cards, Eckstein won the MVP and was receiving his new car with the award. The announcer asked him something about if he needed a new car or what he liked to drive and Eckstein, completely baffled, just said that he had never owned a new car before. It was like a contestant on the price is right. Totally un-savvy with the media. Loved it.
I feel like that just sort of a small example of how Eck isn’t about money or fame or whatever. Dude just wants to play ball.
oh and btw…I think its “anomalous” not “anomolous.”
by BryanHarvey'sMoustache on Feb 12, 2009 7:10 PM PST reply actions
Agree
We can all say what we want about him and makes jokes about his height, but in the end, he’s one that beautifully exemplifies a baseball player.
IIRC, he gave the Chevy to his brother because he couldn’t drive stick. Classic.
replacement level analysis
Didn't he also mention ...
that upon going back home to Sanford, FL he would have to start taking out the trash again? That was a funny thing I heard.
by Downing Rules on Feb 12, 2009 8:01 PM PST up reply actions
oh man that's awesome.
Didn’t catch that. Love this guy.
by BryanHarvey'sMoustache on Feb 12, 2009 8:09 PM PST up reply actions
David Ekstein represents many good things in sports and life in general.
Like Brain Downing, he wasn’t born with the raw talent to spend 10+ in the majors. Like Downing he constantly worked harder to make himself a better player.
One of my all-time favorites…
by sothball on Feb 12, 2009 8:12 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Bingo......well said
12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.
by norcaliangelsfan on Feb 12, 2009 9:45 PM PST up reply actions
Where is Bobby Knoop?
He is my all time fav Angel. he was 44 and now its 35 no sign of him? lets go
Welcome to HalosHeaven. Where were not afraid to Sacrifice GMJ for a well pitched Game
by WillGoAngels27 on Feb 12, 2009 8:30 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
The X-Factor
The best thing about Eck is how much he totally pisses off A’s and Mariner’s fans (those of a bent towards numerology), along with the firejoemorgan.com guy.
True story. When he played here, he lived in Newport Beach. He didn’t have a computer. He would regularly go to the Newport Public library and use a computer there to get online. Imagine. David Eckstein hanging for hours at the library surfing the ’net on a public computer.
The best
was the year he lead the majors in grand slams. David freakin’ Eckstein, hit more grand slams (3) in one year than anyone else. Amazing.
We were there for Eckstein's second slam ...
… on April 28, 2002. Riger turned two that day so all five of us were at the Big A. By the 14th inning we had moved over to first row terrace box seats on section 221 looking down the third base line. At first I thought it would only be a long flyout to left to end the game. The ball continued to carry into the old Angel’s bullpen in left field off a walk off gland slam off of Pedro Borbon. What I had forgotten about that game was Tim Salmon’s lead off home run off of Kelvim Escobar to tie the game 4-4 in the last of the ninth. An aside: it is a treat at BaseballReference.com that when you click “Teams” on the left side of the home page you go to the Team Encyclopedia page and “Anaheim Angels, see Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim” is listed at the very top so Angel fans do not have to scroll down.
Is there anybody here at Halos Heaven who saw David Eckstein hit all three of his 2002 grand slams at the Big A? My all time leaders for grand slams at games I have been to are Vladimir Guerrero and Juan Rivera with two each.
Haven't seen a grand slam
but I was there to see Benji Molina hit a triple in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Twins in ’02 which is probably a bigger rarity than a grand slam.
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