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TORONTO — David Eckstein is the latest player to audition for the Toronto Blue Jays' shortstop position, and when he takes to the field on opening day, he will become the 17th player to appear there since Alex Gonzalez started 153 games in 2001.
He will also be the leadoff hitter.
The Blue Jays reached agreement yesterday with the 33-year-old right-handed hitter on a one-year contract worth $4.5-million (U.S.). Eckstein will be in Toronto this morning undergoing a physical examination, and an announcement could be made today, according to a club source.
Globesports.com first reported the signing yesterday morning.
St. Louis Cardinals' David Eckstein holds his Most Valuable Player trophy after his team beat Detroit Tigers 4-2 to win the World Series in St Louis on Oct. 27, 2006. (Peter Newcomb/Reuters)
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Eckstein, the most valuable player of the 2006 World Series, hit a career-best .309, with three home runs and 31 runs batted in, and had an on-base percentage of .356, while walking 24 times and striking out just 22 times in 117 games last season.
Shortstop has been a black hole for the Blue Jays during general manager J.P. Ricciardi's tenure. Last year, the team seemed to settle on defensive whiz John McDonald, a popular veteran with limited offensive abilities. Eckstein is a more valuable offensive player who made $4.583-million this past year, and his signing pushes McDonald into a backup role. Eckstein will also supplant Reed Johnson as the Blue Jays' leadoff hitter.
The Blue Jays were also trying to finish a contract with catcher Sal Fasano after finding out this week that free-agent Paul Lo Duca had spurned them and signed with the Washington Nationals. Lo Duca was mentioned prominently in former U.S. senator George Mitchell's report on steroids in baseball yesterday, as was incumbent Blue Jays catcher Gregg Zaun.
Blue Jays president and chief executive officer Paul Godfrey said whether Zaun receives a suspension as a result of being named by former New York Mets batboy Kirk Radomski "is up to the commissioner's office."
