Former Dodger Dana Eveland Signs With Hanwha Eagles

Andruw Jones isn’t the only former Dodger leaving to play overseas. Former Dodger starting pitcher Dana Eveland will also be taking his services across the Atlantic, but Eveland will be playing in Korea. The 29 year old left hander has been in the Major leagues since 2005, and has bounced around between seven different MLB teams while seeing time as a spot starter, and reliever. The College of the Canyons graduate was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 16th round of the 2002 amateur draft. While originally from Olympia, Washington, Eveland grew up out here. The local boy went to Palmdale high school, then to College of the Canyons in Valencia, CA.

Dana Eveland-Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Eveland pitched two seasons for Milwaukee, followed by a cup of coffee with Arizona, before being traded to the Oakland A’s. Eveland was part of a six player trade for Dan Haren, and Connor Robertson. 2008 was Eveland’s last full season in the majors. That year for Oakland he made 29 starts, posted a 9-9 record, 4.34 ERA, 117 whiffs, 77 walks, in 168 innings pitched. 2009 was Eveland’s last with Oakland after pitching in only 13 games. In early 2010, the A’s traded Eveland to Toronto for a player to be named later. He pitched in only nine games for the Blue Jays, posted a 3-4 record, and a 6.45 ERA before being designated for assignment. Eveland was then traded to the Pirates for Ronald Uviedo, becoming the only person in history to ever have the infamous honor of being traded for Ronald Uviedo. Are you following this? Eveland started one game for the Pirates, and pitched in only three games before being designated for assignment.

Eveland signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers for the 2011 season. Eveland spent most of the season with the triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes before getting a late season call-up with the Dodgers. With the Topes, Eveland was 12-8 with a 4.38 ERA in 25 starts. On September 1, 2011, Eveland was called up to the Dodgers and ironically made his first spot start against the Pirates on the road, and won. That season he made five starts for the Dodgers, posting a 3-2 record, a 3.03 ERA, 16 whiffs, and six walks in 29 innings pitched. What was most strange about Eveland was that he won all three of his road starts, (3-0 record 0.44 ERA), and lost both of his starts at Dodger Stadium.

Eveland’s travels continued when the Dodgers traded him to Baltimore for a player to be named later. Eveland pitched in only 14 games for the Orioles, starting two of them. He was 0-1, with a 4.73 ERA in 2012. He pitched 32.2 innings, whiffing 18 batters. All total during his Major League career, Eveland has made 61 starts, posting a 19-25 record, with a 5.26 ERA. Eveland has posted a career 5.9 whiff per nine rate, and 4.4 walk per nine rate.

That was the problem for Eveland, he was never a big strikeout guy, and served up too many walks. Otherwise the big left hander can be pretty useful. Finally Eveland signed recently with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). He is expected to anchor the Eagle’s starting rotation next season. Eveland was making 750,000 dollars with the Orioles last year, but had to take a pay cut with the Eagles, and will make 675,000 dollars in 2013.