David Eckstein

In today's power game, David Eckstein's type goes widely unnoticed. He was a slap hitter, occasionally hitting .300, good on the bases, and quick in the field. A small man with very little power (35 career home runs in ten MLB seasons), Eck nonetheless provided much value for his teams and deserves to be remembered. 

David Mark Eckstein was born on January 20, 1975, in Sanford, Florida. As a youth, he played four seasons for his local high school, Seminole High in Sanford, and additionally played legion ball on the side. In 1994, he walked onto the Florida Gators, where he achieved much success both at bat and at shortstop. He led the team to a third place finish in the 1996 College World Series and was drafted by the Red Sox the following year. After four years in the minor leagues, he made his MLB debut for the Anaheim Angels on April 3, 2001. 

As the shortest player in baseball (5'6"), nobody expected Eckstein to be a star when he first came up. However, he defied expectations and grabbed the Halos' shortstop job, batting .285 with 29 stolen bases in 153 games while leading the American League in both hit by pitch (21) and sacrifice bunts (16) for a fourth place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting. To prove that he was the real deal, he batted .293 and scored 107 runs in 2002 (again leading in hit by pitch and sacrifices), helping the Angels to their first World Series title and finishing 11th in the MVP balloting. He continued to shine after he left the Angels in 2004, making his first all-star team as a St. Louis Cardinal in 2005 and his second in 2006. He struggled with injuries for much of that season but put it together down the stretch, helping the Cardinals win the pennant. He batted .364 with four RBI's as the Cards dispatched the Tigers in five games, and was named World Series MVP. 

Eckstein had one last big season in 2007, batting .309, but from there his career began to decline. Having made his debut at 26, he was already well into his 30's and bounced from team to team. Still a productive player, he played his last game on October 3, 2010. 

While David Eckstein was not the biggest man on the baseball field, he certainly made his mark. He was a good hitter, a fine fielder, and a joy to watch. While he may not be a Hall of Famer, he should be remembered by today's fans. 

Amazing Baseball Quote #9

"Don't worry about giving up three home runs to Joey Gallo. If you had given up three singles to him, then you'd have a problem." - Anonymous 

He probably chose to stay anonymous on purpose. I'm sure this quote is a joke, but it is a good one. 

WHY I THINK MICKEY VERNON SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK MICKEY VERNON SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Mickey Vernon was the AL’s top first baseman during his prime. A seven time all-star and two time batting champion, Vernon starred on both offense and defense. At the plate, he collected 2,495 hits, including 490 doubles and 120 triples, and had four seasons over .300. In the field, four time fielding champion Vernon was, in the words of Baltimore Orioles executive Jack Dunn, “the only man in baseball who could play first base in a tuxedo, appear perfectly comfortable, and never wrinkle his suit.” He was especially adept at turning double plays, turning two 2,044 times in his career, more than anyone else in MLB history, at any position. 

James Barton Vernon was born on April 22, 1918, in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. He acquired the nickname Mickey as a small child. There was no baseball team at his high school, so he played several years in Legion ball. Being a lefty, he knew he couldn’t play infield, so he decided to focus on first base. Vernon received a baseball scholarship from Villanova University, but only played one year at the college. He was signed by the St. Louis Browns in 1937 and played a season in their farm system. The Senators picked him up in 1938 and he was with their big club by 1939. He had his breakout season in 1941, batting .299 with 93 RBI’s. He followed up with another strong season in 1942 (.271, 86 RBI’s, 25 stolen bases) and hit .268 in 1944 before being called into military service with the U.S. Navy. When he returned in 1946, Vernon was better than ever. He batted .353 with 51 doubles, leading the AL in both categories, and finished fifth in the MVP Award voting. Vernon struggled in 1948, which resulted in his trade to the Indians. He had an all-star season in 1949 (.291 - 18 - 83), and like the Prodigal Son returning home, the Senators got him back and enjoyed the AL’s finest first baseman for the next several years. Vernon had the best season of his career in 1953, slashing .337/.403/.518 with 15 homers and 115 RBI’s, winning his second batting crown and finishing third in the MVP voting. He followed up with another stellar season in 1954, hitting a career high 20 homers and driving in 97 runs, and hit over .300 in each of the next two seasons. Vernon returned to Cleveland in 1958 and made his final all-star team at the age of 40, but started to wind down his career after that. He played his last MLB season in 1960, appearing in nine games as a pinch hitter, making him baseball’s 13th four decade player. Having come up one of the youngest players in the game in 1939, he retired in 1960 as the oldest. Vernon later managed the Senators for a few years, posting a .373 winning percentage in parts of three seasons. He also coached for 14 years with four different Big League clubs. He finished up his career in 1988 as a scout for the Yankees. 

Mickey Vernon was considered one of the biggest stars in the game during his time, but is largely underrated nowadays. A lot of people glance over Vernon’s name in Hall of Fame debates, taking one look at his hitting stats without taking them into account. On the surface, his .286 average and 172 homers look modest for a first baseman, but his numbers need a closer look to be truly understood. He played 14 of his 20 Big League seasons in Washington’s cavernous Griffith Stadium, which dramatically affected his power numbers. Out of his 172 career home runs, he hit 115 of them on the road, and might have had 250 homers in a more hitter friendly park. While Vernon’s bat had some significant pop, he wasn’t known as a power hitter, instead capturing two batting titles and three times leading the American League in doubles. He collected 2,495 hits and could have surpassed 2,750 if he hadn’t lost two years during the war. A consistent run producer, he had eleven seasons with 80 or more RBI’s, driving in over 1,300 runs in his career. Vernon was such a feared clutch hitter that the great Satchel Paige himself thought highly enough of him to announce that “If I was pitching and it was the ninth inning and we had a two run lead with the bases loaded and Mickey Vernon was up, I’d walk him and pitch to the next man.” Despite his batting prowess, Vernon stood out most on defense, leading the league in fielding four times and turning 2,044 double plays, making him the first of only three first basemen with over 2,000. His 168 double plays in 1949 are the eighth most of all time, and his 158 in 1953 rank 17th. 

All in all, Mickey Vernon is a very good Hall of Fame candidate. He was a dangerous hitter and one of the best fielding first basemen of all time. I am not sure that he necessarily belongs in Cooperstown, but his career certainly deserves a closer look. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,409 season high: 154 in 1947 and 1952 

At Bats career: 8,731 season high: 621 in 1942 

Hits career: 2,495 season high: 207 in 1946 

Doubles career: 490 season high: 51 in 1946 led AL: 51 in 1946, 43 in 1953, 33 in 1954 

Triples career: 120 season high: 14 in 1954 

Home Runs career: 172 season high: 20 in 1954 

Runs Scored career: 1,196 season high: 101 in 1953 

Runs Batted In career: 1,311 season high: 115 in 1953 

Stolen Bases career: 137 season high: 25 in 1942 

Walks career: 955 season high: 89 in 1952 

Strikeouts career: 869 season high: 66 in 1952 

Batting Average career: .286 season high: .353 in 1946 led AL: .353 in 1946, .337 in 1953 

On Base Percentage career: .359 season high: .403 in 1946, 1953, and 1956 

Slugging Percentage career: .428 season high: .518 in 1953 

Total Bases career: 3,741 season high: 315 in 1953 

Sacrifice Hits career: 80 season high: 15 in 1949 

Fielding Percentage career: .990 season high: .994 in 1951 and 1955 led AL 1B: .991 in 1950, .994 in 1951, .993 in 1952, .992 in 1954 

Double Plays career: 2,044 season high: 168 in 1949 led AL 1B: 122 in 1941, 158 in 1953, 144 in 1954 

Putouts career: 19,819 season high: 1,438 in 1949 led AL 1B: 1,438 in 1949, 1,376 in 1953, 1,365 in 1954 

Assists career: 1,448 season high: 155 in 1949 led AL 1B: 155 in 1949 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-also finished ninth in the AL MVP Award voting in 1954, 21st in 1956, and 23rd in 1955 

-made both the AP all-star team and The Sporting News all-star team in 1953 

-beat Al Rosen in the 1953 batting race by less than a thousandth of a point, with Rosen thrown out by half a step in his last at bat of the season, depriving him of a Triple Crown 

-hit for the cycle on May 19, 1946 

-led the MLB in hit by pitch in 1943 (10) 

-led the AL in extra-base hits in 1954 (67) 

-led the AL in putouts at any position in 1949, 1953, and 1954 

-led AL first basemen in games in 1947 (154), 1949 (153), 1954 (148), and 1955 (144) 

-holds AL career records for total chances, putouts, games at first base, and assists from first base 

-turned two triples plays in his career (on September 14, 1941 and May 22, 1953) 

-his 155 assists from first base in 1949 are the 14th most of all time 

-ranks seventh in career putouts at any position 

-among MLB first basemen, ranks fourth in career games, seventh in putouts, and 11th in assists

WHY I THINK BILL FREEHAN SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK BILL FREEHAN SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Bill Freehan was truly one of the greatest catchers who ever lived. Playing in what historians call the second dead ball era, Freehan popped 200 career home runs, posting double digit home run totals in nine straight seasons (out of eleven overall), including 25 in 1968, the “Year of the Pitcher.” He also flirted with the .300 mark for a couple seasons, and posted a solid .262 career batting average. While he hit in the middle of the order for some great Tigers teams in the 1960’s and 1970’s, he was better known for receiving the ball than hitting it. 

Famously described as “the thinking man’s catcher” by Sports Magazine in 1968, Freehan was “an unusual blend of brawn and brains.” He was a fixture behind the plate for Detroit for 15 seasons, combining a strong arm with good pitch framing skills. Freehan had a good caught stealing percentage of .369 across his career (including an AL high .531 in 1964) and led AL catchers in putouts six times, showing the kind of effect he had on his pitchers. A five time Gold Glove winner, Freehan was also a three time fielding champion, and retired with the highest fielding percentage of any catcher in history. His stellar combination of offense and defense led to eleven all-star selections, including seven starts. 

William Ashley Freehan was born in Detroit on November 29, 1941. He was quite a relief to parents Ashley and Helen, for he was their eldest son. He starred on the soundlots as a child, catching almost everybody’s attention. Although his family moved to St. Petersburg when he was 14, he went back to Detroit to play sandlot ball during the summers, and the Tigers first scouted him at 15. With their eye firmly upon him, Freehan attended the University of Michigan and batted .585 as a sophomore in 1961, which earned him a one way track to the Major Leagues. He shot through the system and was with the big club by the end of the season, hitting .400 with four RBI’s in four games. He established himself as Detroit's number one catcher in 1963 and was a top ten MVP candidate by 1964, hitting .300 (sixth in the AL) with 18 home runs and 80 RBI’s. He was an all-star for the next ten seasons and led the Tigers to two postseasons. His best season was 1968, when he batted .263 with 25 homers and 84 RBI’s en route to a second place finish in the MVP voting. The winner? One of his pitchers, 31 game winner Denny McLain. Together they helped the Tigers win the World Series, triumphing over the Cardinals. Freehan caught all seven games, making the final putout in Game 7 when opposing catcher Tim McCarver popped up. 

Freehan had several more solid seasons after 1968. In 1971, Freehan hit .277 with 21 homers and 71 RBI’s. He led the Tigers to the league championship series in 1972, hitting .250 with a homer and three RBI’s in a three game loss to the Oakland A’s. Freehan had a tough year in 1973 (110 games, .234 batting average) and some people thought he was done at 31. He rebounded with a big season in 1974, hitting .297 with 18 homers and 60 RBI’s. He made his last all-star team in 1975 and retired in 1976 after hitting .270 with five homers in a reserve role. 

Freehan’s case for the Hall of Fame is actually quite strong. He played for 15 years in the Majors, all for the Tigers. Freehan was an eleven time all-star, a five time Gold Glover, and received MVP votes in six seasons. He finished second in the MVP voting in 1968, third in 1967, and seventh in 1964. He retired with a career fielding percentage of .9933, which was the best mark ever by a catcher until Don Wilson surpassed him in 2002. Freehan also worked well with his pitchers, catching 114 shutouts in his career. He broke Elston Howard’s AL single season records for total chances and putouts in 1967 and added to them in 1968. He was also a good hitter, with six seasons of 18 or more homers and a career OPS+ of 112. All this makes for a pretty good case. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Hall of Fame needs more catchers. Bill Freehan is one who ought to be inducted. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,774 season high: 155 in 1967 and 1968 

At Bats career: 6,073 season high: 540 in 1968 

Hits career: 1,591 season high: 156 in 1964 

Doubles career: 241 season high: 26 in 1971 

Triples career: 35 season high: 8 in 1964 

Home Runs career: 200 season high: 25 in 1968 

Runs Scored career: 706 season high: 69 in 1964 

Runs Batted In career: 758 season high: 84 in 1968 

Stolen Bases career: 24 season high: 5 in 1964 and 1966 

Walks career: 626 season high: 73 in 1967 

Strikeouts career: 753 season high: 72 in 1966 

Batting Average career: .262 season high: .300 in 1964 

On Base  Percentage career: .340 season high: .389 in 1967 

Slugging Percentage career: .412 season high: .479 in 1974 

Total Bases career: 2,502 season high: 245 in 1968 

Sacrifice Hits career: 38 season high: 7 in 1966 

Fielding Percentage career: .993 season high: .997 in 1970 led AL C: .996 in 1966, .997 in 1970, .995 in 1973 

Double Plays career: 196 season high: 55 in 1974* led AL C: 15 in 1968 

Putouts career: 11,235 season high: 1,133 in 1968 led AL C: 865 in 1965, 898 in 1966, 950 in 1967, 971 in 1968**, 821 in 1969, 912 in 1971 

Assists career: 813 season high: 83 in 1968 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .369 season high: .531 in 1964 led AL C: .531 in 1964 

Pickoffs career: 24 season high: 4 in 1969 

*Freehan turned 49 of his 55 double plays in 1974 at first base. His single season high as a catcher was 15 in 1968. 

**Freehan made 162 of his 1,133 putouts at first base. His single season high as a catcher was 971 in 1968, which led AL catchers (and set a new AL record). 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-brother in law of Dan O’Brien 

-was a four time The Sporting News all-star and an AP all-star in 1968 

-homered in the 1969 all-star game 

-led the AL in caught stealing in 1968 (38) 

-led the AL in intentional walks in 1967 (15) 

-led the Majors in hit by pitch in 1968 (24) and topped the AL in 1964 (8) and 1967 (20), accumulating 114 in his career 

-was hit by a record three pitches in one game on August 16, 1968 

-hit three home runs in one game on August 9, 1971 

-led AL catchers in games caught in 1965 (129), 1967 (147), 1968 (138), and 1971 (144) 

-threw out Hall of Famer Lou Brock attempting to steal in the third inning of Game 5 of the 1968 World Series and blocked him from the plate in the fifth inning 

-among MLB catchers, ranks 26th in career games caught, 42nd in fielding percentage (min. 500 games caught), and 17th in putouts 

-also played 164 games at first base, one in leftfield, one in rightfield, seven as a DH, 74 as a pinch hitter, and five as a pinch runner

NOTICE XV

    As I prepare for my book, I will gradually be revising and republishing some of my older player articles. However, I still have a few players left that I haven't already written about. In order to distinguish between the originals and the revised drafts, I will make note of it whenever I republish an old one.