| Adam Eaton | |
|---|---|
 Eaton with the Baltimore Orioles in 2009 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1977-11-23)November 23, 1977 (age 48) Seattle, Washington, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 30, 2000, for the San Diego Padres | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 24, 2009, for the Colorado Rockies | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 71–68 |
| Earned run average | 4.94 |
| Strikeouts | 855 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Adam Thomas Eaton (born November 23, 1977) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 through 2009 for theSan Diego Padres,Texas Rangers,Philadelphia Phillies,Baltimore Orioles, andColorado Rockies. With the Phillies, Eaton was a member of the2008 World Series champions.
Eaton graduated fromSnohomish High School[1] in 1996 where he went 8–0 with a 0.67earned run average (ERA) as a senior, and earned second team High School All-America honors fromBaseball America.[2] He was named to theAll-America First Team by theAmerican Baseball Coaches Association andRawlings.[3] Ranked the No. 1 prospect in thePacific Northwest byBaseball America, Eaton was scheduled to attend theUniversity of Washington, but was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies with the 11th pick in the first round of the1996 Major League Baseball draft.[4]
After signing, the Phillies assigned Eaton to their team in the A-levelSouth Atlantic League, thePiedmont Boll Weevils. Though he spent a month on the disabled list during the1997 season,[5] he posted a 5–6 record with a 4.18 ERA. Though his ERA went up a quarter of a point to 4.43 in1998, his record was 9–8 as he struck out 89 batters in 132 innings atClearwater.[6] He was also named a mid-season All-Star in theFlorida State League.[7]1999 saw Eaton climbing his way up the rungs of the Phillies' farm system, starting the year at Clearwater, then earning promotions toReading andScranton/Wilkes-Barre. Between the three levels, Eaton posted an 11–10 record and a combined 3.34 ERA, striking out 127 in 167 innings.[6] For his accomplishments, Eaton was honored as the recipient of the Paul Owens Award, given to the top Phillies' minor league pitcher each season.[8] He was traded along withCarlton Loewer andSteve Montgomery from the Phillies to theSan Diego Padres forAndy Ashby on November 10, 1999.[9] He posted a 4–1 record in ten starts for theMobile BayBears.
Eaton made his major league debut for the Padres on May 30, 2000, against theMilwaukee Brewers, andwon his first major league game.[10] He went 7–4 in the2000 season, striking out 90 in 135 innings, and posting a 4.13 ERA. Eaton did not lose in his first eight starts as a Padre, posting a 1–0 record with a 3.02 ERA. He posted the best day game ERA in the National League (2.34), and became the third Padres pitcher, afterJuan Eichelberger andDoug Brocail, tosteal two bases in a single season. Hisbatting average (.289) led all major league pitchers.[10] Eaton's first full season in the major leagues,2001, produced mixed results. Eaton suffered a bizarre injury when he accidentally stabbed himself in the stomach while trying to open aDVD package with a paring knife,[11] and underwent season-ending"Tommy John" surgery on August 21.[12] Before his injuries, Eaton posted an 8–5 record with a 4.32 ERA. This season also produced his first two career complete games, and he posted two ten-strikeout games against theHouston Astros and theSan Francisco Giants.[12]
After recovering from Tommy John surgery, Eaton made six appearances at the end of the2002 season for San Diego, finishing his season with a 1–1 record and posting a 1.71 ERA over his last three starts. He pitched each of his six starts againstNational League West opponents.[13] Eaton's2003 ERA was a career low (4.08), but he only managed a 9–12 record over his second full season. He pitched at least seven innings in ten of his 31 starts, including a season-high eight innings to earn his third complete game of his career against theCleveland Indians. Though he started the season weakly, July was Eaton's top month; he posted a 4–0 record and a 2.81 ERA in the month. His nine wins were a career high.[14]
2004 was a career year for Eaton, as he reached new levels in wins, with 11; starts, with 33; innings pitched, with199+1⁄3; and strikeouts, with 153.[15] He beat theLos Angeles Dodgers, a San Diego rival, four times during the season, posting a 4–1 record and a 2.87 ERA against them. He also won eight games on the road, posting a 2.66 ERA during his seven-game winning streak away from newPetco Park.[15] In a game against the Royals in July he became the eighth different Padre to take a no-hitter into the eighth inning, but was unable to complete the task.[15] In his last year as a Padre, Eaton posted a 9–1 record over his first 13 starts.[16] He pitched his way to a 10–5 record with an ERA of 4.27,[17] but he went on the disabled list in the middle of June with a strained finger.[16] He came back at the end of the season and won his final start against the Dodgers, striking out 11.[16] This win also matched his career high from the previous season.
On December 20, 2005, Eaton was traded, along withAkinori Otsuka and Billy Killian to theTexas Rangers forChris Young,Terrmel Sledge, andAdrián González.[16]
After the trade, Eaton was penciled in as the number two starter for the Rangers going into the2006 season. However, during aspring training game on March 29, Eaton injured his right middle finger, causing him to go on the 60-dayDL and miss the first half of the season.[18] Eaton made his first start as a Ranger against theNew York Yankees on July 25, going3+2⁄3 innings and giving up onehit and threeearned runs.[18]
On November 27, 2006, Eaton signed a three-year deal worth $24 million to re-join the team that drafted him, the Philadelphia Phillies.[19]
Eaton made his debut for the Phillies on April 5,2007 against theAtlanta Braves. He pitched4+2⁄3 innings giving up 7 earned runs and took theloss.[20] Eaton was the losing pitcher of record when the Phillies lost their 10,000th game in franchise-history[21] on July 15, 2007, to the St. Louis Cardinals, 10–2,[22] marking the first time a professional sports franchise reached that plateau.[23] Eaton was 10–10 with an earned run average of 6.29, one of the worst in the league;[24] despite this, the Phillies won the National League Eastern Division for the first time since1993. However, Eaton was not included in the postseason roster.
Eaton's performance with the Phillies in the first half of the2008 season was also decidedly poor; through July 12, he notched a 3–8 record in 19 starts with an earned run average of 5.71. His last two outings before theAll-Star break were a prime example; he yielded a combined 17 hits and 14runs in 61⁄3 innings against theNew York Mets andArizona Diamondbacks. It was announced on July 18 that Eaton would lose his spot in the Phillies' rotation to newly acquiredJoe Blanton.[25] Eaton was optioned to the minor leagues on July 28, 2008. He did not return to the majors until he was added to the September callups as a bullpen pitcher. He did not appear in any game after his callup.
Two days after he was released by the Phillies,[26] Eaton signed a minor league contract with theBaltimore Orioles on March 1, 2009.[27] In an interview withMLB.com after his release from the Phillies, he claimed he was partially responsible for the Phillies' success in2007 and2008: "A lot of things went wrong, but [there were] a lot of things that went right, too. I helped them get to the playoffs two years in a row, and obviously we won theWorld Series last year."[28] He was promoted to the Orioles after spending the first week of the 2009 major league season with theNorfolk Tides. He was released on May 22 after going 2–5 with an 8.56 ERA in eight starts.[29]
On June 6, Eaton signed a minor league contract with theColorado Rockies. On September 9 he wasdesignated for assignment.
Eaton was granted free agency on October 6,2009.
