Nats welcome Eckstein to coaching staff
Imagine this, you're in Columbus coaching under manager Tim Foli for the Clippers in Triple-A. Then you get a phone call from former NY Mets manager Davey Johnson to help out with Team USA in the Beijing Olympics, where you win a Bronze medal.
Instead of going back to Columbus when you return, you get another phone call to help with the Nationals in Washington for the remainder of the season. Well, that's exactly what happened to Rick Eckstein.
Who is Rick Eckstein? That's the question a lot of people are asking. Let me introduce him you to . He's the guy who just experienced a pretty incredible journey.
Rick never played a game in the Majors, or Minors for that matter. He played baseball at the University of Florida, but that's as far as he got. He coached at the collegiate level at Florida and at the University of Georgia.
Before becoming the hitting coach for the Columbus Clippers this season, Eckstein was the hitting coach with Triple-A Memphis in the St. Louis organization. He spent three seasons, 2004-06 in the Nationals system, including 2006 with Triple-A New Orleans, which was the teams' Triple-A affiliate until 2007. In 2005, he was with short-season, Single-A Vermont and in 2004 with Double-A Harrisburg.
Eckstein then served as bullpen coach for Team USA in the inaugural World Baseball Classic prior to the 2006 season. He also coached professionally in Minnesota and Tampa Bay and was invited to assistant coach with Tony LaRussa at the 2005 All-Star Game. His brother David, who has been in the Majors since 2001, is currently a shortstop for Toronto.
Prior to tonight's game against the Dodgers, Eckstein talked about his whirlwind season and his time coaching Team USA.
Audio: Columbus Clippers Hitting Coach Rick Eckstein talks about coaching in the Olympics
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