Reported by Adam Martin of WrestleView.com
On Friday, December 8, 2006 at 11:06 PM EST

TNA Wrestling issued the following press release:

2006 WORLD SERIES MVP IS PRO WRESTLING DIEHARD
David Eckstein goes to TNA Wrestling

DECEMBER 8, 2006 - David Eckstein and his 2006 World Series MVP Trophy will be in the front-row Sunday evening in Orlando, Fla., at "Turning Point," a pay-per-view professional wrestling event from Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling.

Eckstein and several of his St. Louis Cardinal teammates attended TNA shows last spring, and the lifelong pro wrestling fan is, not surprisingly, back for more.

"I have been intrigued by, and enjoyed, pro wrestling since I was a kid," said Eckstein, 31, who has played six seasons in the majors. "Having the chance to see the events live is something that's very special to me; it's great entertainment to me.

"I really like watching the wrestlers perform. I can just sit back, watch and enjoy."

Eckstein's favorite wrestler is "The War Machine" Rhino, a 6-foot-2, 270-pound powerhouse who, ironically, is a diehard Detroit Tigers' fan and season-ticket holder. The Cardinals' defeated the Tigers to win the 2006 World Series.

"He's unbelievable, always full of energy, always full-go. He's entertaining, fun to watch," Eckstein said of Rhino.

Eckstein's least favorite TNA star is the ever-arrogant Robert Roode.

"For people who have not previously tuned in to TNA, they should. It's exciting, cutting-edge and bringing wrestling excitement back to a high level once again," Eckstein said.

Will David ever enter the ring as a pro wrestler?

"No," he said without hesitation. "I will be sitting back, letting the pros do their thing, and just enjoying their skill and ability."

Eckstein's inspirational children's book, "Have Heart," will be released Dec. 12 and available at www.davideckstein.com.

TNA Wrestling delivers a distinct brand of high-risk, athletic entertainment. TNA's roster includes new, fresh talent like AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, Chris Sabin and recognizable stars such as Kurt Angle, Sting, Christian Cage, Jeff Jarrett, Team 3D, and others. TNA features the innovative six-sided ring and the high-flying "X Division," as well as concept matches such as "Ultimate X," "King of the Mountain," and "Six Sides of Steel."

TNA Entertainment, LLC is a privately held company headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. The names of all Total Nonstop Action Wrestling televised programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans and all TNA Wrestling logos and trademarks are exclusive property of TNA Entertainment, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information, visit www.tnawrestling.com.

TNA's iMPACT airs every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Spike TV. Spike TV is available in 90 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc.