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Mark Eichhorn

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Full Name: Mark Anthony Eichhorn Primary Position: P
Height/Weight: 6' 4"/200 First Game: August 30, 1982
Birthdate: November 21, 1960 Final Game: September 14, 1996
Birthplace: San Jose, California MLB Experience: 11 years
Bat/Throw: Right/Right
Rate this Player
3.11
(9 votes)

Contents

  • 1 Biography
  • 2 Statistics
    • 2.1 Pitching Stats
    • 2.2 Fielding Stats
    • 2.3 Batting Stats
  • 3 Transactions
  • 4 Trivia
  • 5 Video Gallery
  • 6 Picture Gallery
  • 7 See Also
  • 8 Categories

[edit] Biography

Born on November 21, 1960 in San Jose, California, Mark Eichhorn (Mark Anthony Eichhorn) played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves, California Angels and Baltimore Orioles over the course of his 11 year career.

Selected with the 30th overall pick in the 1979 draft by the Jays, Eichhorn did not break into the bigs until August 30, 1982 -- and would not play again again for over three seasons. Originally drafted as a starter, Eichhorn suffered a shoulder injury in 1982, which caused him to lose much of the velocity on his fastball. Eichhorn modified his delivery and converted to a reliever. Quoting the May 5th, 1986 edition of The Sporting News, Bluebird Banter explains:

Dr. Frank Jobe revealed that Eichhorn had a strained shoulder muscle. At the suggestion of Blue Jays pitching coach Al Widmar and coach John Sullivan, who had managed in the Kansas City organization and had helped Dan Quisenberry develop as a reliever, Eichhorn altered his delivery. He went from three-quarters motion to throwing from down under. "Once I changed my delivery it was like I was resting my shoulder," he said. "It gave my arm a year of rest. Then, as it got stronger, I brought the angle of my delivery up to throwing side-arm."

Eichhorn's rookie year -- 1986 -- was also his best. He won a team-high 14 games (tied with Jimmy Key and Jim Clancy) and led the team with 166 strikeouts, while putting up a 1.72 ERA in 157 innings pitched. Interestingly, Eichhorn did not win the 1986 ERA title, as he had not pitched the required 162 innings to qualify. Instead, that honor went to Roger Clemens and his 2.48 ERA. Manager Jimy Williams offered Eichhorn the opportunity to throw five "meaningless" innings in order to qualify (he could have given up over fourteen runs and still won the title), but Eichhorn refused. He nevertheless finished third in Rookie of the Year voting (behind winner Jose Canseco and runner-up Wally Joyner) and garnered two points in Cy Young voting.

The next season, Eichhorn made 89 relief appearances, tying an American League record. However, success was fleeting for Eichhorn, who -- after tinkering with his delivery to compensate for a weak move to first -- found his effectiveness waning. This, combined with the fact that right-handed batters adjusted to his breaking ball, caused Eichhorn's superlative 1986 season to stand out amongst a career of mediocrity.

Eichhorn found himself unwanted by 1989. The Atlanta Braves purchased him at the beginning of the season, but after a sub-par year, he found himself looking for work. He signed a minor league deal with the California Angels and won an open spot in the bullpen. In April, he posted a 1.04 ERA in seventeen and a third innings -- a return-to-form that Eichhorn claimed came from re-adding a forkball to his repertoire. In 1991, the numbers buttressed this claim, as he posted a 1.98 ERA in 81.7 innings (albeit with a greatly reduced K/9 from 1986). The Angels traded him to the Blue Jays during the 1992 season, where he earned a pair of World Series rings.

Eichhorn finished his career with a solid season in the pen for the Baltimore Orioles followed by an injury-riddled 1996 season with the Angels. He retired after the season.

[edit] Statistics

[edit] Pitching Stats

Year Team G GS W L ERA K R ER CG SHO SV IP H HR BB IB WP HBP
1982 TOR A 7 7 0 3 5.45 16 28 23 0 0 0 38 40 4 14 1 3 0
1986 TOR A 69 0 14 6 1.72 166 32 30 0 0 10 157 105 8 45 14 2 7
1987 TOR A 89 0 10 6 3.17 96 47 45 0 0 4 127.2 110 14 52 13 3 6
1988 TOR A 37 0 0 3 4.18 28 32 31 0 0 1 66.2 79 3 27 4 3 6
1989 ATL N 45 0 5 5 4.35 49 36 33 0 0 0 68.1 70 6 19 8 0 1
1990 CAL A 60 0 2 5 3.08 69 36 29 0 0 13 84.2 98 2 23 0 2 6
1991 CAL A 70 0 3 3 1.98 49 21 18 0 0 1 81.2 63 2 13 1 0 2
1992 TOR A 23 0 2 0 4.35 19 15 15 0 0 0 31 35 1 7 0 6 2
1992 CAL A 42 0 2 4 2.38 42 19 15 0 0 2 56.2 51 2 18 8 3 0
1992 TOT A 65 0 4 4 3.08 61 34 30 0 0 2 87.2 86 3 25 8 9 2
1993 TOR A 54 0 3 1 2.72 47 26 22 0 0 0 72.2 76 3 22 7 2 3
1994 BAL A 43 0 6 5 2.15 35 19 17 0 0 1 71 62 1 19 4 1 5
1996 CAL A 24 0 1 2 5.04 24 17 17 0 0 0 30.1 36 3 11 3 0 2
Total NL 45 0 5 5 4.35 49 36 33 0 0 0 68.1 70 6 19 8 0 1
Total AL 518 7 43 38 2.88 591 292 262 0 0 32 817.1 755 43 251 55 25 39
Total 563 7 48 43 3.00 640 328 295 0 0 32 885.2 825 49 270 63 25 40

[edit] Fielding Stats

Year Team POS G GS INN PO A ERR DP TP PB SB CS PkO AVG
1982 TOR A P 7 7 38 1 3 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 1.000
1986 TOR A P 69 0 157 16 21 0 1 0 1 15 5 0 1.000
1987 TOR A P 89 0 127.2 2 30 1 2 0 0 32 4 0 .970
1988 TOR A P 37 0 66.2 5 13 0 1 0 0 6 1 0 1.000
1989 ATL N P 45 0 68.1 9 17 0 1 0 0 9 4 1 1.000
1990 CAL A P 60 0 84.2 7 16 0 0 0 1 4 3 2 1.000
1991 CAL A P 70 0 81.2 4 18 0 2 0 0 3 3 0 1.000
1992 TOR A P 23 0 31 0 8 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1.000
1992 CAL A P 42 0 56.2 5 11 1 0 0 1 3 2 0 .941
1992 TOT A P 65 0 87.2 5 19 1 0 0 1 6 2 0 .960
1993 TOR A P 54 0 72.2 7 18 0 1 0 0 8 3 0 1.000
1994 BAL A P 43 0 71 3 19 0 1 0 1 4 1 0 1.000
1996 CAL A P 24 0 30.1 2 6 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 1.000
Total P 563 7 885.2 61 180 2 9 0 5 95 27 3 .992

[edit] Batting Stats

Year Team G AB R H HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 2B 3B BB SO HBP SH SB IBB GDP
1982 TOR A 7 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1986 TOR A 69 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1987 TOR A 89 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1988 TOR A 37 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1989 ATL N 45 2 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
1990 CAL A 60 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1991 CAL A 70 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1992 TOR A 23 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1992 CAL A 42 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1992 TOT A 65 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1993 TOR A 54 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1994 BAL A 43 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1996 CAL A 24 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total NL 45 2 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
Total AL 518 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 563 2 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0

[edit] Transactions

  • Selected by Toronto Blue Jays in the 2nd round of the free-agent draft (January 9, 1979 - signed May 18, 1979).
  • Sold by Toronto Blue Jays to Atlanta Braves (March 29, 1989).
  • Released by Atlanta Braves (November 20, 1989).
  • Signed by California Angels (December 19, 1989).
  • Traded by California Angels to Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Rob Ducey and Greg Myers (July 30, 1992).
  • Granted free agency (October 29, 1992).
  • Signed by Toronto Blue Jays (January 6, 1993).
  • Granted free agency (November 1, 1993).
  • Signed by Baltimore Orioles (December 14, 1993).
  • Granted free agency (November 8, 1995).
  • Signed by California Angels (February 6, 1996).
  • Granted free agency (October 10, 1996).

[edit] Trivia

  • Attended Cabrillo College
  • Signs baseball cards with "Phil 4:13", a reference to verse thirteen of the book of Philippians: "I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
  • His changeup was rated as one of the best of all time by the Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers. Per one 1987 source, the baffling key to Eichhorn's success was that he threw the ball unexpectedly slowly.

[edit] Video Gallery

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[edit] Picture Gallery

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[edit] See Also

  • Named #40 of the Top 100 Blue Jays by Bluebird Banter (April 6, 2006)
  • Named #74 of the Top 100 Angels by Halos Heaven (December 11, 2005)
  • Named the sixth best relief pitcher of the 1990s by Baseball Prospectus (October 16, 1999)

[edit] Categories

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This page was last modified 01:21, 27 November 2007. Content is available under the GFDL.

Categories: Athletes | Baseball Players | Retired Athletes | Retired Baseball Players | Pitchers | Athletes with the Last Name Eichhorn | Baseball Players with the Last Name Eichhorn | Athletes with the First Name Mark | Baseball Players with the First Name Mark | Athletes Born in November | Baseball Players Born in November | Athletes Born on November 21 | Baseball Players Born on November 21 | Athletes Born in 1960 | Baseball Players Born in 1960 | Athletes Born in November 1960 | Baseball Players Born in November 1960 | Athletes Born on November 21, 1960 | Baseball Players Born on November 21, 1960 | Athletes Born in San Jose, California | Baseball Players Born in San Jose, California | Athletes Born in California | Baseball Players Born in California | Toronto Blue Jays Players | Atlanta Braves Players | California Angels Players | Baltimore Orioles Players | 1982 Toronto Blue Jays Players | 1986 Toronto Blue Jays Players | 1987 Toronto Blue Jays Players | 1988 Toronto Blue Jays Players | 1989 Atlanta Braves Players | 1990 California Angels Players | 1991 California Angels Players | 1992 Toronto Blue Jays Players | 1992 California Angels Players | 1993 Toronto Blue Jays Players | 1994 Baltimore Orioles Players | 1996 California Angels Players | Baseball Players who bat Right Handed | Baseball Players who throw Right Handed | Athletes Who Debuted in August | Baseball Players Who Debuted in August | Athletes Who Debuted on August 30 | Baseball Players Who Debuted on August 30 | Athletes Who Debuted in 1982 | Baseball Players Who Debuted in 1982 | Athletes Who Debuted in August 1982 | Baseball Players Who Debuted in August 1982 | Athletes Who Debuted on August 30, 1982 | Baseball Players Who Debuted on August 30, 1982 | Athletes Who Played Their Last Game in September | Baseball Players Who Played Their Last Game in September | Athletes Who Played Their Last Game on September 14 | Baseball Players Who Played Their Last Game on September 14 | Athletes Who Played Their Last Game in 1996 | Baseball Players Who Played Their Last Game in 1996 | Athletes Who Played Their Last Game in September 1996 | Baseball Players Who Played Their Last Game in September 1996 | Athletes Who Played Their Last Game on September 14, 1996 | Baseball Players Who Played Their Last Game on September 14, 1996 | Baseball Players Who Debuted with Toronto Blue Jays | Players with 5 years experience in the Major Leagues | Baseball Players with 5 years experience in the Major Leagues | Players with 10 years experience in the Major Leagues | Baseball Players with 10 years experience in the Major Leagues | Players with at least 100 Games | Players with at least 200 Games | Players with at least 300 Games | Players with at least 400 Games | Players with at least 500 Games | Pitchers with at least 100 Walks | Pitchers with at least 200 Walks | Pitchers with at least 162 Innings Pitched | Pitchers with at least 250 Innings Pitched | Pitchers with at least 500 Innings Pitched | Pitchers with at least 25 Wild Pitches | Pitchers with at least 25 Hit Batsman | Pitchers with at least 100 Earned Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 200 Earned Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 100 Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 200 Runs Allowed | Pitchers with at least 500 Hits Allowed | Pitchers with at least 50 Games | Pitchers with at least 100 Games | Pitchers with at least 150 Games | Pitchers with at least 200 Games | Pitchers with at least 250 Games | Pitchers with at least 300 Games | Pitchers with at least 400 Games | Pitchers with at least 500 Games | Baseball Players Who Debuted at age 21

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