Juan Eichelberger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Juan Eichelberger
Eichelberger with the Cleveland Indians in 1983
Pitcher
Born: (1953-10-21) October 21, 1953 (age 71) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: September 7, 1978, for the San Diego Padres
NPB: April 9, 1989, for the Yakult Swallows
Last appearance
MLB: June 20, 1988, for the Atlanta Braves
NPB: May 9, 1989, for the Yakult Swallows
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	26–36
Earned run average	4.10
Strikeouts	281
NPB statistics
Win–loss record	0–3
Earned run average	7.04
Strikeouts	6
Teams
San Diego Padres (1978–1982) Cleveland Indians (1983) Atlanta Braves (1988) Yakult Swallows (1989)

Juan Tyrone Eichelberger (born October 21, 1953) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He mainly played as a starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres from 1978 to 1982. He was even their opening day starter in 1982. Juan also played for the Cleveland Indians in 1983 and the Atlanta Braves in 1988. He also spent one season playing baseball in Japan for the Yakult Swallows in 1989.

Early Life and High School Baseball

Juan Eichelberger was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He grew up in San Francisco, where he played baseball at Balboa High School. In 1971, his high school team won the Academic Athletic Association championship. Juan was the star of that game, pitching a shutout (meaning the other team scored no runs). He also hit the ball that brought in the only run for his team, winning the game 1–0. After this, he was named to the San Francisco Examiner All-City baseball team.

The San Francisco Giants picked Juan in the 1971 MLB draft. However, he chose to go to college instead. He attended the University of California, Berkeley. There, he played college baseball for three years with the California Golden Bears. In 1974, he had a good pitching record of 7 wins and 3 losses. He then decided to leave college, hoping to be drafted into professional baseball again.

Juan's Professional Baseball Career

Playing for the San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres drafted Juan Eichelberger in 1975. He started playing in the minor leagues. In his first year, he did very well with the Reno Silver Sox, winning 10 games and losing 4. He then moved up to a higher minor league team. By 1978, he was playing in Triple-A for the Hawaii Islanders. That year, he was called up to the major leagues in September. He made his debut with the San Diego Padres, pitching in three games.

In 1979, Juan started the season back in Hawaii. He had a great year there, winning 13 games and completing 14 games by himself. He was then called back up to the Padres. In his second major league start, he pitched a complete game, allowing only four hits. This earned him his first win in the major leagues.

Juan expected to stay with the Padres in 1980, but he started the season in Hawaii again. He was pitching very well, leading the league in strikeouts. The Padres called him up to replace an injured player. He made 13 starts for the Padres that year. In 1981, Juan played his first full season in the major leagues. He became a strong starter for the Padres, leading the team with 8 wins. On May 12, he pitched his first major league shutout. He was even considered for the MLB All-Star Game because he was pitching so well.

In 1982, Juan Eichelberger was chosen as the Padres' Opening Day starting pitcher. This is a big honor for a pitcher. On June 2, he almost pitched the Padres' first no-hitter. A no-hitter is when a pitcher doesn't allow any hits in a whole game. Juan only allowed one hit, making it a one-hitter. The Padres won that game 3–1. Later that season, Juan was moved to the bullpen (where relief pitchers wait). He then injured his shoulder and was placed on the disabled list. He finished the year with 7 wins and 14 losses. After the season, the Padres traded Juan to the Cleveland Indians.

Time with the Cleveland Indians

Juan Eichelberger joined the Cleveland Indians in 1983. He started the season as a long reliever, coming into games after the starting pitcher. Later, he got a chance to be a starter. He had some good games, but also some tough ones. He finished the season with 4 wins and 11 losses. In 1984, the Indians decided to release him before the season started.

Playing for the Atlanta Braves

After leaving the Indians, Juan played in the minor leagues again. He signed with the Milwaukee Brewers and later with the Atlanta Braves. With the Braves' minor league team, he changed from a starter to a short reliever. In 1987, he switched back to being a starter and had a good season.

In 1988, Juan was re-signed by the Atlanta Braves. He was called up to the major leagues on April 29, 1988. This was after four years of playing in the minor leagues. He played in 20 games for the Braves, winning 2 games and not losing any. Later that season, he was sent back to the minor leagues.

Playing in Japan and the SPBA

In 1989, Juan Eichelberger played baseball in Japan for the Yakult Swallows. After that, he played in the Senior Professional Baseball Association (SPBA) in 1989–90. This was a league for older professional players. Juan had a fantastic season there, winning 11 games and losing 5. He was named the starting pitcher for the SPBA All-Star team. He also finished third in the voting for the league's most valuable player award. His team, the West Palm Beach Tropics, had the best record in the league. They made it to the championship game but lost. Juan played another season in the SPBA before the league stopped operating.

Juan's Pitching Style

Juan Eichelberger was known as a power pitcher. This means he threw the ball very hard, relying on his fastball and other strong pitches. One interesting thing about Juan was his unusual set position when he pitched. Most pitchers stand with their feet together before throwing. But Juan would keep his feet spread apart with his knees bent in a crouch.

Personal Life

Juan Eichelberger is a Black American. His first name, Juan, was suggested by a Puerto Rican nurse when he was born. His last name, Eichelberger, comes from his great-grandfather, who was German and Jewish.

Juan's son, Jared, also became a professional baseball player. He was a pitcher drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2001. Today, Juan Eichelberger is the founder and head instructor at Baseball Science. This is a baseball training program in San Diego, California, where he helps young players learn the game.