Eric Eckenstahler, a former standout pitcher for Illinois State from 1996-2000, made his professional debut for the Detroit Tigers on Monday, September 9, in Minneapolis, Minn., against the Twins. The 6-foot, 7-inch left-hander pitched two innings in relief, giving up only one hit, no runs and striking out four.
Eckenstahler was called up from the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens on Saturday along with eight of his teammates. He was called from the bullpen in the seventh inning of Mondays game after starter Mike Maroth gave up back-to-back doubles to lead off the inning.
I was very nervous, Eckenstahler told MLB.com reporter Todd Lorenz in an interview Monday following the game. With it being my Major League debut, it was kind of unexpected and its kind of tough to pitch with your knees trembling and shaking. But I tried to go out there and throw strikes and do what I did in Triple-A.
While with the Mud Hens, Eckenstahler went 2-4 with a 4.43 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 67 innings. As much as he took advantage of his playing time at the Triple-A level, he admits that he will try to do whatever it takes to stay at the major league level.
Every team is looking for left-handed pitchers out of the bullpen and I know thats a need this team (Detroit) has right now, continued Eckenstahler. If thats a job they want me to do, then thats the job Im willing to do. Whatever it takes to get it done. Long relief, short relief or just as a situational pitcher. Whatever they want me to do is what Im willing to do.
As a Redbird, Eckenstahler still holds some spots in the record books, including pitching the most career complete games (16) and recording the most strikeouts (313) in a career in ISU history. The former All-MVC first-team pitcher and Scholar-Athlete also has the fourth highest career total for innings pitched (291.0), fifth most career victories (19), and the third most career starts (46).
