At the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, Eckstein was a walk-on player for coach Joe Arnold's Florida Gators baseball team in the fall of 1994; he later earned an athletic scholarship. A standout in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), he was a first-team All-SEC selection in 1995 and 1996, a first-team All-American in 1996, a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection (1995–1997), and the first two-time Academic All-American in Gators baseball history. Eckstein was a member of the 1996 Gators squad that finished third in the College World Series. He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2007.[2][3]
Eckstein also played for the Harrisonburg Turks of the Valley Baseball League in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Professional career
Anaheim Angels
Eckstein was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 19th round of the 1997 MLB draft,[4] and spent 4 years in the Red Sox minor league system, reaching Triple-A during the 2000 season, before being designated for assignment by Boston on August 14. Two days later, Eckstein was selected off waivers by the Anaheim Angels.[5]
Eckstein spent the rest of the 2000 season with the Angels Triple-A affiliate, the Edmonton Trappers, where he hit .346 with 3 home runs and 8 RBIs in just 15 games.
Entering the 2001 season, Eckstein earned a spring training call-up, and eventually earning a spot on the Angels' Opening Day roster. He made his major league debut on April 3, 2001, against the Texas Rangers, where he was the starter at second base and went 1 for 3, with his first hit coming against Kenny Rogers. Through his first month in the MLB, Eckstein appeared in 28 of the Angels' 31 games, and batted .318 with 1 home run, which eventually earned him the full-time starting job at shortstop,[6] which he held for the remainder of the season.
Eckstein finished his rookie campaign with a .285 batting average with 4 home runs and 41 RBIs in 153 games. He finished fourth in American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award voting, behind Ichiro Suzuki, C.C. Sabathia, and Alfonso Soriano.[7]
During the Angels' 2002 championship year, he led the major leagues with three grand slams, including grand slams in back-to-back games against the Toronto Blue Jays, one of which was a game-winning grand slam leading the Angels to complete the sweep over Toronto, at a time when the Angels were 7–14. After the sweep of the Jays, the Angels went on to win 20 of their next 23 games.[8] For the 2002 season, Eckstein hit .293 with 8 home runs and 63 RBIs in 152 games, he also led all of Major league baseball in hit by pitches (27) and sacrifice hits (14). He earned 24 votes in American League (AL) MVP voting, finishing in a tie with Nomar Garciaparra for eleventh place.[9]
The 2003 season was a down season for Eckstein as he hit just .252 with 3 home runs and 31 RBIs as the Angels failed to qualify for the postseason and defend their title. 2004 was much of the same for Eckstein as he hit .272 with only 2 home runs and 35 RBIs, however the Angels were able to win the AL West and qualify for the postseason, where they were swept in 3 games by the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 ALDS, with Eckstein batting .333 in 12 at-bats.
St. Louis Cardinals
At the end of the 2004 season, Eckstein was part of a "shortstop merry-go-round," in which three free agent shortstops swapped teams: Édgar Rentería went from the Cardinals to the Boston Red Sox, Orlando Cabrera went from the Red Sox to the Angels, and Eckstein went from the Angels to the Cardinals.[10] Eckstein signed a three-year, $10.25 million contract with the Cardinals on December 23, 2004.[11]
Cardinals shortstop Eckstein signs autographs before a game against the Houston Astros on May 30, 2006.
Eckstein was a fan favorite in St. Louis, who considered him to be a "pesky" hitter[13] (he choked-up on the bat about two inches[14]). On Mother's Day, May 14, 2006, Eckstein was one of more than 50 hitters who brandished a pink bat to benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation.
A member of the 2006 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, Eckstein was named the World Series MVP. Following a 0-for-11 start in the first two games of the World Series, Eckstein went 8-for-22 with four RBI and scored three runs in the series, including going 4-for-5 with three doubles in Game 4.[15][16] The World Series victory with the Cardinals made Eckstein one of few[quantify] starting shortstops who have won a World Series in both the American and National Leagues.
Eckstein was brought back in front of over 47,000 fans to throw out the first pitch of Game 6 of the World Series in St. Louis on October 27, 2011.[17]
On January 15, 2009, he signed a discounted one-year contract with the San Diego Padres on the condition that he would play primarily second base.[21] On August 22, 2009, the San Diego Padres extended Eckstein's contract through 2010.[22]
Eckstein did not join a team for the 2011 season. In June, it was reported that he received offers from the Padres and other teams, but opted to not play baseball. He officially retired on January 22, 2012.[23]
After his older brother, Rick, was hired after the 2018 season as the hitting coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates,[28] David was hired in February as a special assistant in their baseball operations department.[29] He left the position before the 2021 season.[30]
Career highlights
Holiday Inn Look Again Player of the Year (2006)
2-time World Series Champion (2002 Anaheim Angels, 2006 St. Louis Cardinals)
