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Pirates Add David Eckstein To Front Office

By Connor Byrne | January 6, 2019 at 8:32am CDT

The Pirates have hired former major league infielder David Eckstein to serve as a special assistant for baseball operations, Adam Berry of MLB.com was among those to cover. He’s now in the same organization as his brother Rick Eckstein, who’s entering his first season as the Pirates’ hitting coach.

This is David Eckstein’s first front office role since his playing career ended in 2010, though he has garnered some coaching experience with the Angels, Diamondbacks and USA Baseball, as Berry points out. Pirates general manager Neal Huntington noted that the “intelligence, intensity and a unique drive and energy” of Eckstein “will be an asset for our Major League team and player development system as a teacher and mentor.”

Now 43, the diminutive Eckstein was known for getting the most out of his talent during his tenure as a big league second baseman and shortstop. A 19th-round pick of the Red Sox in 1997, Eckstein began making his mark a few years later in Anaheim, which claimed him off waivers from Boston in 2000. Eckstein debuted in 2001 and enjoyed a successful four-year run with the Angels, whom he helped take home their only World Series title in 2002. He then moved on to St. Louis, where he played from 2005-07, earned a pair of All-Star nods and collected 2006 World Series MVP honors as part of yet another championship-winning squad.

Eckstein divided the final three years of his career among Toronto, Arizona and San Diego, finishing with a .281/.345/.355 lifetime line, 35 home runs, 123 stolen bases and 16.8 fWAR in 5,705 plate appearances.

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Pittsburgh Pirates David Eckstein

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Market Notes: Dozier, Allen, Yanks, Tulo, Mets
View Comments (33)

Comments

  1. buccosfan :(

    4 years ago

    This is great, but are we sure he still can’t play shortstop?

    Reply
  2. Larry Leonardo

    4 years ago

    Major news on the trade rumor front.

    Reply
    • kodion

      4 years ago

      If you were as smart as you look, you’d expect this kind of news during the dog days of the off-season

      Reply
    • cubsfan2489

      4 years ago

      If you don’t like it delete your app and don’t be on here.

      Reply
    • brewcrewbernie

      4 years ago

      Major douche on the comment front.

      Reply
  3. dragqueen

    4 years ago

    welcome back David

    Reply
  4. leefieux

    4 years ago

    All the best front office types in the world won’t help if we continue our cheap, penurious ways. Thanks for Nutting, Bob.

    Reply
    • gozurman1

      4 years ago

      Was wondering how long it would be for a Nutting bash to be thrown in

      Reply
      • dragqueen

        4 years ago

        why wonder when you could have been the 1st like everyone else here wants to be.

        Reply
    • JD396

      4 years ago

      Pirates could sign Keuchel Machado and Harper and trade for Mike Trout and Corey Kluber and we’d hear about how Nutting and Huntington are sabotaging the minors and mortgaging the future

      Reply
      • seon_pierce

        4 years ago

        #Trudat

        Reply
    • Scott Kliesen

      4 years ago

      Penurious…now that’s a $5 word. Now I normally find myself supporting management, but if Pirates big moves this winter prove to be Chisenhall and Lyles, I certainly won’t.

      I believe this team, due to its pitching staff, has an opportunity to compete for a division title, if an investment is made to bring in a solid veteran SS, and/or a high upside reclamation SP. Paging Sonny Gray.

      I’m still hopeful the trades to bring in Archer and Kela were just the first steps towards improving this year’s team, not the only steps as many fans fear.

      Reply
  5. Vizionaire

    4 years ago

    as contact challenged as the angels are ecks should have been hired as the hitting coach. angels are shamelessly ignoring their own retired players.
    best of luck to you, david!

    Reply
    • jordanjee

      4 years ago

      Check out the Halos newest catching coach

      Reply
    • LosAngelesAngelesAngelesAngels

      4 years ago

      It does say he gained coaching experience with the Angels. So shamelessly ignoring? Haha

      Reply
    • murphydog

      4 years ago

      29 other teams “ignored “ him. Would have been 30 if it weren’t for his brother.

      Reply
  6. ellisburks

    4 years ago

    Where is Ken Tremendous and the FJM crew? We need you back for this one story!

    Reply
    • Owen National

      4 years ago

      Very gritty.

      Reply
  7. Pitches Love Velocity

    4 years ago

    One of the best 0-2 hitters ever. He had a great career because he was a pain when he had 2 strikes. Choked up on the bat, fouled pitches off left and right. I hope he becomes a hitting coach, Padres could certainly use him to mentor Margot and Urias especially.

    Reply
    • Vizionaire

      4 years ago

      absolutely agreed. shame angels don’t see it that way.

      Reply
    • Ruff Kuntry

      4 years ago

      Yeah, he would strike out very few times. Great contact hitter.

      Reply
  8. Ruff Kuntry

    4 years ago

    One of my favorite players when I was a kid. Then Altuve came along. One out of many reasons why baseball is the best sport. You don’t need to be big and tall to be a great player.

    Reply
    • Vizionaire

      4 years ago

      spud web may have a different opinion.

      Reply
      • Ruff Kuntry

        4 years ago

        Well, you got me there. Was he the short player in Space Jam? basketball is still a sport where tallness helps a great deal.

        Reply
        • Ruff Kuntry

          4 years ago

          Nope, I just looked it up. That was Muggsy Bogues.

      • LosAngelesAngelesAngelesAngels

        4 years ago

        1986 Slam Dunk contest winner haha

        Reply
  9. bruinlife33

    4 years ago

    David Eckstein is a winner. Any team that hss him will benefit from him

    Reply
  10. brockswipessecond

    4 years ago

    Best of luck, David! Loved watching you play when you were wearing the birds on the bat.

    Reply
    • Scott Kliesen

      4 years ago

      Hopefully he will tell Pirates the secret formula for Cardinals devil magic. Lord knows Pirates can use it.

      Reply
      • stubby66

        4 years ago

        Very gritty and showed the true meaning of family being important, this family is a class act.

        Reply
  11. ellisburks

    4 years ago

    Eckstein was a winner to the tune of a 701OPS and a 87 OPS plus and a 680 playoff OPS. Can I have 9 winners like him on my team?

    Reply
  12. FishyHalo

    4 years ago

    GREAT NEWS!
    Hope he has tons of success!

    Reply
  13. LosAngelesAngelesAngelesAngels

    4 years ago

    I play Sunday League Baseball. Til this very day when I get a walk I almost sprint down to first base. In honor of David Eckstein haha. One of the biggest hustlers I had the chance to watch play. Also he had a book signing years ago and I went to get a copy and an autograph. He’s even a better person. Love you X-factor!

    Reply

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