Eichhorn Comes Across the Fork and Chooses the Slow Road to Success

Armed with a forkball that couldn’t break the speed limit on some freeways, Angel reliever Mark Eichhorn loves to slow a batter’s timing down . . . and down . . . and down.

Such was the case Tuesday night.

Eichhorn earned his team-high ninth save of the season, pitching 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in the Angels’ 2-1 victory over Cleveland at Anaheim Stadium.

He used his forkball, which has been timed as slow as 55 miles per hour, to strike out three batters, including Candy Maldonado and Sandy Alomar, Jr., in the ninth inning.

In doing so, he improved his earned-run average to 1.46, best on the team. Starter Chuck Finley is second at 2.31.

Angel pitching coach Marcel Lachemann said Tuesday night’s scenario in the seventh inning was a perfect situation for Eichhorn.

Starter Kirk McCaskill was struggling with two out and pinch-hitter Carlos Baerga, a fastball hitter, was coming to the plate.

“It was time to go to Eichhorn,” Lachemann said.

So enter Eichhorn. And exit Baerga, who struck out swinging.

“The biggest thing is my style is so unorthodox,” Eichhorn said. “The others who throw before and after me throw much harder. I complement that.”

Eichhorn has become the ace of a struggling Angels’ bullpen. He signed as a free agent with the Angels Dec. 19 after finishing 5-5 with a 4.35 ERA last season with Atlanta. He finished the season with the Braves’ farm club in Richmond, Va.

Throughout his 11-year career, Eichhorn has been taunted by hitters, begging him to throw something faster to them.

“I’ve heard it all,” he said. “It kind of pumps me up.”

So just how slow are your pitches, Mark?

“In the offseason there’s nobody for me to play catch with,” he said. “So I play catch (against) a window.”

Lachemann said Eichhorn’s soft touch and sidewinder delivery reminds him of another successful reliever.

“There’s a guy named Dan Quisenberry who did pretty well in this league and he didn’t pitch any faster (than Eichhorn),” Lachemann said. “Mark has a sinker, a changeup, a breaking ball and a split (-finger fastball).”

Angel Manager Doug Rader disagreed with Lachemann.

“Quisenberry was primarily a sinkerball pitcher,” Rader said. “Eichhorn is a forkball pitcher. I think he’s a little more like Doug Jones.”

Eichhorn gave up only one hit Tuesday night, a single to right by Mitch Webster with one out in the eighth, but then he forced Dion James to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.

The victory improved the Angels’ record to 23-24, a mark Eichhorn hopes will improve in the coming weeks.

“The biggest thing right now is that we’re playing winning baseball,” he said. “Mac (McCaskill) threw the ball great. He took the ball and set out what he wanted to do--throw seven strong innings.”

Eichhorn got what he wanted--the save. And he didn’t care how long it took.

Someone asked Eichhorn after the game how to put his pitching into words.

“Write it like I throw it,” Eichhorn suggested. “Slowly.”

OK, make that S-L-O-W-L-Y.