Dave Eiland
Encyclopedia
David William Eiland is a former American professional baseball
player who was a pitcher for ten Major League Baseball
seasons. Eiland played college baseball
for the University of Florida
and the University of South Florida
, and thereafter, played professionally for the New York Yankees
, San Diego Padres
and Tampa Bay Devil Rays
. He is currently the pitching coach of the Kansas City Royals
.
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played for the Florida Gators baseball
team. He later transferred to the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida
, and finished his collegiate career playing for the South Florida Bulls
baseball team.
During his time with the Devil Rays, Dave Eiland acted as a body double
for Kevin Costner
, who played a starting pitcher, in the 1999 film For Love of the Game
.
Eiland was named International League
Pitcher of the Year in 1990 while playing for the Columbus Clippers
with a 16-5 record and a 2.87 ERA. Eiland is the only player in Major League Baseball history to give up a home run
to the first batter he ever faced, (Paul Molitor
), and hit a home run in his very first at-bat.
in 2003, the Staten Island Yankees
in 2004, the Trenton Thunder
in 2005 and 2006, and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in 2007. During his tenure in the Yankees farm system, Eiland oversaw the development of prospects including Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain
, and Ian Kennedy
.
Eiland replaced Ron Guidry
as the Yankees pitching coach in 2008. It was speculated that his relationships with many of the young pitchers contributed to him being chosen as the new pitching coach for the Yankees. He took a personal leave of absence from the Yankees beginning on June 4, 2010, and returned to the team on June 29. "Besides being in my home, this is the most comfortable place in the world for me," he said upon returning. "This is what I do; this is what I have a passion for." During this time, Yankees pitcher A. J. Burnett
lost six games. Burnett and baseball analysts attributed it to Eiland's absence. Eiland was fired on October 25,2010.
After the 2010 season, Eiland joined the Tampa Bay Rays
in an advisory role.
On October 25, 2011, Eiland was named as the pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals
.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player who was a pitcher for ten Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
seasons. Eiland played college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
and the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
, and thereafter, played professionally for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
and Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. He is currently the pitching coach of the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
.
College career
Eiland accepted an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for the Florida Gators baseball
Florida Gators baseball
The Florida Gators baseball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of baseball. The Florida Gators compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association , and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference . They play their home games in Alfred A...
team. He later transferred to the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, and finished his collegiate career playing for the South Florida Bulls
South Florida Bulls
The South Florida Bulls are the athletic teams for the University of South Florida. The university competes in NCAA Division I, USF is a member of the Big East Conference, and has been since 2005...
baseball team.
Professional career
The New York Yankees selected him in the 7th round of the 1987 amateur draft and made his major league pitching debut with the Yankees in August, 1988. Used mainly in spot chances, Dave played in New York for 4 seasons, winning only 5 games. He was traded to the Padres in 1992 and did not win a game in 2 seasons despite starting in 9 games. Dave was sent back to the Yankees in 1995 and played for the expansion Devil Rays for 3 seasons before retiring in 2000. Dave played for 10 seasons, won 12, lost 27 with an ERA of 5.74.During his time with the Devil Rays, Dave Eiland acted as a body double
Body double
A body double is a general term for someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character in any recorded visual medium, in shots where the character's body is shown but the face is either not visible or shown indistinctly, or in shots where the image of the credited actor's face is joined,...
for Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
, who played a starting pitcher, in the 1999 film For Love of the Game
For Love of the Game (film)
For Love of the Game is a 1999 American drama sports film based on the novel of the same title by Michael Shaara...
.
Eiland was named International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
Pitcher of the Year in 1990 while playing for the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
with a 16-5 record and a 2.87 ERA. Eiland is the only player in Major League Baseball history to give up a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
to the first batter he ever faced, (Paul Molitor
Paul Molitor
Paul Leo Molitor , nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Minnesota Twins...
), and hit a home run in his very first at-bat.
Coaching career
After retiring in 2000, Eiland joined the Yankees organization and worked as a pitching coach in the minor leagues. He coached the Gulf Coast YankeesGulf Coast Yankees
The Gulf Coast League Yankees are the Rookie League affiliate of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. The GCL Yankees play in Tampa, Florida at the Yankee Complex...
in 2003, the Staten Island Yankees
Staten Island Yankees
The Staten Island Yankees are a minor league baseball team, located in the New York City borough of Staten Island. Nicknamed the "Baby Bombers," the Yankees are a Short-Season A classification affiliate of the New York Yankees and play in the New York - Penn League at Richmond County Bank Ballpark...
in 2004, the Trenton Thunder
Trenton Thunder
The Trenton Thunder are an American Minor League Baseball team and are the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Thunder play in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League, and are the two-time defending league champions...
in 2005 and 2006, and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in 2007. During his tenure in the Yankees farm system, Eiland oversaw the development of prospects including Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain
Joba Chamberlain
Justin Louis "Joba" Chamberlain is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees.-Early life:Chamberlain was born and grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. Chamberlain's parents, Harlan Chamberlain and Jackie Standley, were never married and split up when Joba was 18 months old...
, and Ian Kennedy
Ian Kennedy
Ian Patrick Kennedy is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.He is 6' 0" tall and weighs 190 pounds...
.
Eiland replaced Ron Guidry
Ron Guidry
Ronald Ames Guidry , nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
as the Yankees pitching coach in 2008. It was speculated that his relationships with many of the young pitchers contributed to him being chosen as the new pitching coach for the Yankees. He took a personal leave of absence from the Yankees beginning on June 4, 2010, and returned to the team on June 29. "Besides being in my home, this is the most comfortable place in the world for me," he said upon returning. "This is what I do; this is what I have a passion for." During this time, Yankees pitcher A. J. Burnett
A. J. Burnett
Allan James "A. J." Burnett is a right-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the New York Yankees. Previously, he played for the Florida Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays...
lost six games. Burnett and baseball analysts attributed it to Eiland's absence. Eiland was fired on October 25,2010.
After the 2010 season, Eiland joined the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
in an advisory role.
On October 25, 2011, Eiland was named as the pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
.