The Angels middle infield situation is a train wreck.
Maicer Izturis, out for the season with a torn tendon.
Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick, out of Wednesday’s game early with left-hamstring issues.
Potential middle-infield backup Chone Figgins held out of Wednesday’s game with a sore toe.
The Angels ended their 6-5 loss Wednesday with Sean Rodriguez at shortstop and Juan Rivera (yes, the outfielder) at second base –Â for the first time in his career.
The club needs help. This minute, and I can think of a nice little present they could give themselves.
By bringing back David Eckstein.
I give former colleague Michelle Gardner credit for thinking of this even before I did.
I would be Eck’s biggest fan — if not for Michelle, who covered him in high school in Florida and makes a point of seeing him every season.
The Angels let Eck go after the 2004 season, which never quite made sense. They signed Orlando Cabrera (three years, $24 million is the number that sticks in my head), who was flashier in the field but was only marginally more effective as a hitter — and cost them way more money than keeping Eck would have.
Eck played three seasons with the Cardinals, and was a key performer in their 2006 World Series championship.
Now he’s in Toronto, where he’s more or less forgotten by the new coaching staff, even though he is making $4.5 million this season.
I bet the Angels could get the gutty little gamer for little more than doing the out-of-contention Jays the favor of taking him off their payroll.
He can play shortstop (albeit without Cabrera-like flair), and of late he has been playing some second base — which makes him perfect for the Angels, who have issues at both positions.
Plus, Eck is/was beloved by Angels fans. Tony Reagins dealing for him would be well-received by the Rally Monkey Set, and his 100-percent-effort method of playing the game could only help the club’s already solid professionalism.
And using a veteran in the middle infield makes far more sense than bringing up Brandon Wood, former shortstop (who really is a third baseman) and expecting him to perform in the presure of September. Something David Eckstein has done almost every season in this decade.
Bring back Eck! Maybe fans could chant that, tonight. Unless Aybar and Kendrick aren’t hurt as badly as they seem to be.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Eugene Fields // Aug 28, 2008 at 8:10 PM
The Angels talked to Toronto about getting Eck. Since nothing has materialized, the Jays probably wanted too much
2 Joseph D'Hippolito // Aug 29, 2008 at 9:02 AM
Paul, I thought about the same thing regarding Eckstein. But there’s only one problem: Can he still play? He never had that much range to begin with, and he’s four years older, now. Besides, he was sitting on the bench in Toronto after the Blue Jays signed him to a free-agent contract (Eckstein’s hitting .274 but has only played 73 games as of Friday morning).
If the Angels traded for him, Eckstein obviously would play immediately (at least until Kendrick, Aybar or Figgins return to regular duty). But in terms of range and bat speed, is he any better than Brandon Wood or Sean Rodriguez, or anybody else the Angels might happen to get?
I happen to think that Pablo Ozuna might be a better pickup than Eckstein. Yes, he’s old (34) and he was batting .167 before the Dodgers designated him for assignment. But he would cost the Angels nothing (or, at least, nothing of value) and would provide defensive security at second base and shortston.
3 Eugene Fields // Aug 30, 2008 at 11:13 AM
I’m in favor of Scutaro – He’s still very serviceable and was one of the Angel-killers
4 Eugene Fields // Aug 31, 2008 at 1:53 PM
BTW – The Jays traded Eck to Arizona earlier today
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