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I think there is a reason that, as you put it, most GM's overlook his skills. I think they are more skilled and objective in evaluating talent than we FANS are. We're fans, we can cheer for the little guy underdog. GM's get paid to make objective decisions about talent, and they know there are players who can provide better numbers on a day in, day out basis.
06, I would never put Eckstein in the superstar category. I put him in the category of players I would pay to see. Are there shorstops who put up "better" numbers? Absolutely. GM's love them. Are there shorstops who look better and "project" better. Absolutely and the GM's love them.
Over the last 3 years I have learned a lot about minor league and professional baseball. I am betting that at every level of minor league ball Eckstein confronted Directors of Player Development who found reasons he could not succeed rather than than emphasizing his successes/plays/productivity. At every level, there were "objective" evaluators who talked about his "heart" rather than his skills. Even now, there is talk about his "heart" and size rather than what he does on the field and how productive he can be.
I imagine we both might be Giants fans. How many times did you hear Giant announcers comment on the Giants not doing the "little" things that win ball games. Hitting behind runners to advance them, getting runners in from 3rd with less than 2 outs, etc.
When you watch Eckstein, he is constantly hitting behind runners. He can execute the squeeze as well as anyone, even when everyone knows it is coming and positions for it. He does all the "little" things that win ball games but don't end up in the stat category we read in the newspaper. In a sense, there are 29 objective evaluators of talent who had a shot to sign him a few years back and their teams are sitting at home. Eckstein plays that brand of ball where he constantly places pressure on the opposition. When he played with the Angels, the Angels were winners. Moves to the Cards and the Cards are winners. Coincidence? Just seems to me that is a lot of coincidence in a game that prides itself on advance scouting, preparation, and experts who provide objective talent evaluation.
Let me pose the question this way: if you have a runner at 3rd and less than 2 outs, who would you rather have at the plate? Eckstein? Crosby? Isturis? Renteria? Those are the types of situations where you win ballgames. Failing to deliver in those situations are among the reasons the Giants and 29 other teams are sitting home watching and the Cardinals aren't.
I think it is time we start talking about Eckstein in terms of his skills and productivity, not his "heart" and "size." Personally, I think it is his skills/productivity that demonstrate this isn't a coincidence.
