Hacker Named IL Pitcher Of The Week
Hacker earned the win over Durham on Monday, August 3 (6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO) and the victory over Charlotte on Saturday, August 8 (7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO).
"With Eric you are almost always going to get five to seven solid innings out of him, which means a lot because it takes a large toll off your bullpen," Indians' Pitching Coach Ray Searage says. "A majority of the time he has come through with quality starts and really helped our team out."
Hacker joined the Indianapolis Indians after he was traded from the New York Yankees organization for Pirates RHP Romulo Sanchez on May 15th of this season. The first year Indians hurler went 0-1 in three outings for International League rival Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees before making his first start for the Tribe on May 21st.
The 26-year-old has gone 5-3 with a 3.20 ERA in 15 starts with Indianapolis giving him a combined 5-4 record with a 3.95 ERA in 18 International League games between the Indians and Yankees. This year mark's his eighth professional season all previously with six different New York Yankees affiliates.
Though he missed all of the 2004 and 2006 season due to an elbow and shoulder injury, Hacker has still managed to appear in 75 professional contests posting a 30-15 record and a 2.70 ERA. The Texas native was also selected to participate in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game in 2005 as a member of the Low-A Charleston (S.C.) RiverDogs.
Since experiencing some mid-season struggles, Hacker has really turned things around in his five starts since the All-Star break as the right hander has allowed only six earned runs over 33.0 innings for a 1.73 ERA as well as 21 strikeouts over that span.
"He is able to throw his changeup and curveball in many different situations," Searage adds. "Early on he was a sinker/slider hurler and has now really become a four-pitch pitcher, which has contributed to him keeping hitters off balance and become more consistent with is fastball.""
Hacker was also named Pitcher of the Week last year for the Florida State League as a member of the High-A Tampa (Fla.) Yankees after he pitched 14.0 scoreless innings in two starts from April 8-14.
He joins current Pirates' outfielder Lastings Milledge (July 16-19) as the only other Indians player to receive IL Player of the Week honors this season, while he is the first Indianapolis hurler to be named Pitcher of the Week since RHP Bryan Bullington received the honor for May 19-25 of last season.