STL MLB Player of the Week #8

I remember the name Juan Eichelberger from my youth and didn’t know he was born in the STL. Juan was a right-handed pitcher who played 7 seasons in the bigs. Juan Tyrone Eichelberger was born October 21, 1953 in STL. However, he grew up in San Francisco and attended Balboa High School (isn’t this school real close to Ghirardelli Square?). Following graduation in 1971 he attended UC Berkley where he played ball. In the 1975 amateur draft he was drafted in the 1^st round (19^th pick) by the San Diego Padres. He debuted with the Padres on September 7, 1978 and for the rest of the season had a 10.80 ERA. He spent four more seasons with the Padres where he pitched 432 innings, went 20 and 25, had an ERA of 3.88, 212 SO, and 213 walks. He was traded with one other player to Cleveland on November 18, 1982 for Ed Whitson. He spent one year with the tribe and was 4 and 11, had a 4.90 ERA, 56 Ks, and 59 walks. The Tribe released him on April 1st, 1984 (not an April fools joke). He went on to play with the Brewers, Pirates, ended his career with Atlanta. His final game was June 20,1988. Following the Majors he played one season in Japan with the Yakult Swallows. His career stats were a 26 and 36 record, pitched in 125 games, 603.1 innings, ERA of 4.10, 281 Ks, and 283 walks. The Chicago Cubs drafted his son Jared in 2001 as a right-handed pitcher. Together they now run the youth baseball-training program Baseball ASAP in San Diego, CA.

1981 Topps #478. Sweet A$$ Old school Padres' uni. Let's not mention the even older old school facial hair!