KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Angels shortstop David Eckstein has overcome plenty of odds to make it to the Major Leagues.

Eckstein is listed at 5-foot-8 but really measures just a hair over 5-6. He grew up in Sanford, Fla., and was not offered a college scholarship, so he walked on at the University of Florida and worked his way into the Gators' starting lineup as a second baseman. The team made it to the College World Series.

Eckstein, 27, was released by the Boston Red Sox after hitting .246 at Triple-A Pawtucket in 2000, but the Angels picked him up in August of that year and he won the starting shortstop job for 2001. He didn't disappoint, hitting .285, the second-highest batting average for a rookie in the American League (behind Ichiro Suzuki of Seattle).

This year, "Eck" is making a name for himself as the Angels' leadoff hitter and as the AL's unlikely leader in grand slam home runs with three. After never hitting one in his life, not even in tee ball, Eckstein hit slams on back-to-back days in April and then added another in June.

MLB.com caught up with Eckstein at Kauffman Stadium while getting ready to take on the Royals.

MLB.com: OK, first things first. What is the deal with you hitting grand slams?

David Eckstein: It is truly something I cannot explain. I guess I've just been fortunate enough that I could deliver with the bases loaded. But obviously I'm not a home run hitter (Eckstein hit four last year and has four this year). I don't even want to hit home runs. I want to hit groundballs and line drives. When I hit homers, it's always when a guy is trying to bust me inside and I can turn on it. You've noticed where they go -- it's always right by the foul pole in left field. That's the only possible place where I can hit a home run. And that's what happened on those grand slams.

MLB.com: After you hit the slams on consecutive days, you became a big media star for a while. Was it a bit unnerving to all of a sudden have to do a million interviews?

Eckstein: It didn't really bother me. I mean, the last thing on my mind is hitting grand slams, so the whole thing was pretty surprising. People come up and talk to you and hopefully it's about good things. This game is very publicized. I know that. So as long as the questions they ask me are about positive things, I don't mind. Besides, at Florida, we had like six reporters traveling with us, radio shows and TV shows -- literally every SEC weekend. So this is something I've always had to handle.

MLB.com: Does it annoy you that the media is constantly exploring the "short guy" angle with you?

Eckstein: Not at all. I am short. I mean, it's a fact. So it comes with the territory. I take it as a compliment because they know I have to work hard or I wouldn't be here. That work ethic is something I really take pride in.

MLB.com: What happened to you in the Boston organization before they cut you?

Eckstein: I had never hit lower than .300 before I got there and they tried to change my swing, so I was hitting under .200. Luckily, my brother, Rick, is a hitting instructor at (the University of) Georgia. He was the one who came up to Pawtucket and got me back to the way I swing. From mid-June to August I raised my average from .160 to .246, and once I signed with the Angels, I hit .340 in Edmonton.

MLB.com: Do you harbor any resentment toward the Red Sox?

Eckstein: No, because they gave me the opportunity to be in that position in the first place. I shouldn't have listened when they tried to change my swing. That's the bottom line. But that's not my personality. I've always been taught that you respect your elders and you respect authority and you don't question it. It's just one of those things that happened and I've learned from it and matured as a result of it. So in a way, I'm thankful that it happened.

MLB.com: Who was your favorite player when you were growing up?

Eckstein: Dale Murphy. I liked more the person he was portrayed as. He was a great guy off the field, and on the field, he always played hard, never made a big stink, played every day, could hit to all fields, played center and had a good arm. I enjoyed watching him play.

MLB.com: The American League is stocked with the best crop of shortstops in baseball history. Who is the best of the bunch?

Eckstein: Shoot, that's tough. On defense, it's (Omar) Vizquel (of the Cleveland Indians). He's just amazing the way he gets to every ball. He's gotten me a bunch of times. I remember one two-hopper that he bare-handed to get me that was just incredible. But all-around, it's A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers). He has the full package -- home runs, RBIs, the ability to steal bases. Then there's (Derek) Jeter (of the New York Yankees). You don't want to face him with the game on the line. You see it every year in the playoffs. Then there's (Miguel) Tejada (of the Oakland A's). He's a fine player, too. And Nomar (Garciaparra of the Boston Red Sox). I was fortunate enough to see him go about his business when I was with the Red Sox. That guy was a pleasure to watch because he combined his incredible talent with an amazing work ethic. He works his butt off.

MLB.com: You're 27 years old, a big-league ballplayer, and you're not married. Are you dating anyone right now?

Eckstein: Nope. Still looking for the right girl.

MLB.com: Do the guys give you a hard time about that?

Eckstein: Of course. Constantly. But I tell them I'm not just gonna date anybody. I'm looking for a quality girl, and in this business, it's hard to find. I'll be patient until I find one. I'm not just gonna get a girlfriend to have a girlfriend. But I tell them, "One of these days, I'm gonna shock you."