Meet a young workhorse, younger power prospect + unbeakable hitting records
Phillies Profile
RHP Jerad Joseph Eickhoff . . . 26 years old . . . Birthplace: Evansville, IN . . . Primarily a third baseman at Mater Del (IN) High School; 51 total innings as a pitcher . . . Drafted by the Cubs in 40th round (2010); did not sign; drafted by the Rangers in 15th round (2011) while pitching at Olney (IL) Central College, 10–4 record, 1.90 ERA, school-record 116 strikeouts in 88.1 innings, only 27 walks; signed by Derek Lee; $150,000 bonus . . . Acquired by Phillies from Rangers in the Cole Hamels trade (7/31/15) . . . (twitter: @Eickough19)
2016 In Review
Workhorse of the staff in his first full major league season, 11–14, 3.65 ERA, 1.16 WHIP in club-leading 33 starts, a career-high 197.1 innings . . . Recovered from a 2–8 start; won 5 of last 7 decisions . . . 6–7, 3.32 ERA at home . . . Finished with the 4th-lowest BB/9.0 IP ratio in among all NL starters (1.92) . . . Fourth Phillies pitcher over last 20 years with at least 33 stars and 3.65 ERA or lower, joining Cole Hamels (3x); Curt Schilling (2x) and Roy Halladay.
MLB Firsts
Debut: Beat the Marlins in Miami, 7–1, on 8/21/15; 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R
Batter: 2B Dee Gordon, lined out to LF
Strikeout: P Kendry Flores, 3rd inning
Five Questions
What is your favorite activity to do when you have a day off?
I like to go to the movies.
What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?
Power Ranger
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Anywhere that is not a busy city.
What is currently on your DVR?
The Walking Dead and Better Call Saul
Which actor would play you in a movie?
Kevin Costner
Hobbies
Golf and being outdoors
In Town
Comcast SportsNet will be holding its’ 7th Annual Shining Star Awards at the Vie on Wednesday, January 11. Jerad will attend the fund-raising event that benefits the March of Dimes.
Phillies Teenagers
Continuing a series previewing young Phillies minor leaguers. How young? Well, they played in their teens in 2016.
OF Jhailyn Ortiz . . . 18 years old . . . B-R, T-R . . . 6–3, 215 . . . Birthplace, Jarabacoa, DR . . . Signed as an international free agent by Sal Agostinelli, 7/9/15, to a $4 million contract. Ranked as the top international prospect by MLB.com . . . 2015: Made debut in the Florida Instructional League that September-October . . . 2016: Playing for the Gulf Coast League Phillies, slashed .231/.325/.434 in 47 games; 9 doubles, club-high 8 home runs (3rd in GCL) and 27 RBI, second-best on the team. Like many young power hitters, contact was an issue (53 strikeouts) . . . Among MLBpipeline’s top 30 Phillies prospects, ranked #20; highest scouting grade is power (60).
Unbreakable Records
Francis (Lefty) Joseph O’Doul played only two seasons in a Phillies uniform, 1929–30, but he had a huge impact in the club’s single-season record book for a hitter. Brace yourself.
Most Hits, Season
259, 1929. Chuck Klein came close the following season, getting 250 hits, which is second-best. In more modern times, Richie Ashburn had 221 in 1951.
Highest Batting Average
.398, 1929. The previous Phillies record was .378 by Elmer Flick in 1900. Again, Klein is second, .386, in 1930. O’Doul “slumped” to .383 that season. Highest average in last 60 years, .350 by Ashburn in 1958.
Safe to say these two records will never be broken. Book it.
In addition, O’Doul also set a National League record by reaching base 334 times (254 hits, 76 walks, four hit-by-pitches) in 1929. Strikeouts, just 19. Truly amazing numbers. Even more impressive, the season then was only 154 games compared to the current 162 games. Lefty played in all 154.
Originally a promising pitcher, arm injuries forced him to become a full-time hitter in 1928 when he was with the New York Giants. He finished an 11-year career that included five different teams with a .391 average. Born in San Francisco, Lefty suffered a stroke in November 1969 and died shortly thereafter at age 72. He owned O’Doul’s Sports Bar. It remains a San Francisco landmark and popular dining spot.
