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.