Former Major League pitcher Rod Beck dies at 38

Sirrich3 · 06-24-2007, 04:31 PM

http://www.yahoo.com/s/611912

Wow, so young! It was like yesterday he was hurling those fastballs across the plate... R.I.P. Shooter!

Rod Beck, an All-Star relief pitcher who wore a bushy mustache while earning 286 career saves, has died. He was 38.

Beck was found Saturday by police officers responding to a call to his home in suburban Phoenix, police department spokesman Andy Hill said Sunday. Foul play is not suspected, though the cause of death might not be known for several days.

With unruly hair framing a menacing stare and an aggressive arm swing before delivering a pitch, the outgoing right-hander was a colorful baseball personality and a three-time All-Star who twice led the NL in saves. He spent the first seven of his 13 major league seasons with the San Francisco Giants.

Beck was popular with teammates, reporters and fans, but battled personal demons late in his life. He abruptly left the San Diego Padres for a two-month stint in drug rehabilitation during his final major league season in 2004.

"He was having some problems, and I just knew he went into rehab and joined us later that year," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy, the Padres' manager at the time. "It's so sad when you see healthy players go at such a young age. This is a bad day in baseball to lose a guy who did so much for the game."

brainsmile · 06-24-2007, 09:22 PM

What the heck? Dang, growing up watching the Giants this is truly a surprise. Could it be an OD?

eSDee · 06-25-2007, 05:40 PM

I was very sad to hear this. His comeback was really a great story. Some highlights:

Quote:

Beck saved 48 games for the 1993 Giants team that fell one game short of reaching the playoffs and 37 games for the 1997 division-winning team. His most memorable moment came on Sept. 18 that season, the famous Brian Johnson home-run game that propelled the Giants to the title.

In the 10th inning, with the score tied 5-5, Beck allowed three Dodgers singles to load the bases with nobody out. But he struck out Todd Zeile. Then, with the infield in, Beck got then-41-year-old Eddie Murray to hit a splitter to second baseman Jeff Kent, who threw home to start an inning-ending double play. A crowd of 52,188 at Candlestick Park went berserk.

"I can remember him coming off the mound," said Darryl Hamilton, the Giants' center fielder in 1997. "The intensity he had coming off the mound was something I'll never forget."

Nine days later, Beck got the final out of the 6-1, division-clinching victory over the Padres. As the Giants celebrated on the field, "I remember that everyone piled on him because he's the one who kept us going," Hamilton said. "He was the guy who got us into the playoffs."

The Giants issued a statement from owner Peter Magowan on Sunday saying, "When our partnership group took over the Giants in 1993, all of San Francisco was treated to a wonderful 103-win year. Nobody who was a part of that will forget Rod's 48 saves. When we reached our dream of the playoffs in 1997, it was only fitting that Rod was on the mound for the final out that clinched the National League West."

The next season, having gone to the Cubs as a free agent, he saved a career-high 51 games, including Chicago's 5-3 victory over the Giants in a one-game play-in for the National League wild card.

Beck's velocity declined over the years, especially after he underwent "Tommy John" elbow surgery in 2002. By the time he signed with the Padres in 2003, he barely hit 83 mph with his fastball. However, when closer Trevor Hoffman went down with a shoulder injury, Beck converted 20 consecutive save opportunities.

"What a job he did for us," Bochy said. "We were desperate to find a closer, and Rod came in and did a terrific job for us. He saved us that year."

When he played for the Pads it was an unexpected treat. We all thought our season was over since we didn't have Trevor Hoffman. However we got Beck, and he went 20 for 20 in save opportunties

RIP Rod Beck.

Showtime · 06-25-2007, 07:53 PM

Was he a drug user?

A couple of friends, around his age, have died from heart attacks or complications from having one. The heart attacks were partly due to drug and heavy drinking in their teens and 20's.

06-24-2007, 04:31 PM	#1
Sirrich3 Rear Admiral Upper Half Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: In Sunny Southern California Posts: 3,950	Former Major League pitcher Rod Beck dies at 38 http://www.yahoo.com/s/611912 Wow, so young! It was like yesterday he was hurling those fastballs across the plate... R.I.P. Shooter! Rod Beck, an All-Star relief pitcher who wore a bushy mustache while earning 286 career saves, has died. He was 38. Beck was found Saturday by police officers responding to a call to his home in suburban Phoenix, police department spokesman Andy Hill said Sunday. Foul play is not suspected, though the cause of death might not be known for several days. With unruly hair framing a menacing stare and an aggressive arm swing before delivering a pitch, the outgoing right-hander was a colorful baseball personality and a three-time All-Star who twice led the NL in saves. He spent the first seven of his 13 major league seasons with the San Francisco Giants. Beck was popular with teammates, reporters and fans, but battled personal demons late in his life. He abruptly left the San Diego Padres for a two-month stint in drug rehabilitation during his final major league season in 2004. "He was having some problems, and I just knew he went into rehab and joined us later that year," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy, the Padres' manager at the time. "It's so sad when you see healthy players go at such a young age. This is a bad day in baseball to lose a guy who did so much for the game." __________________

06-24-2007, 09:22 PM	#2
brainsmile Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: woah... why is welfareloser here with me so early in the morning and more importantly why am I wearing her clothes?!? Posts: 13,754	What the heck? Dang, growing up watching the Giants this is truly a surprise. Could it be an OD? __________________ ********************************** DCM #1 (Founder) "Nobody beats Vitus Gerulaitis 18 times in a row." - Vitus Gerulaitis on beating Jimmy Connors after 17 failed attempts.

06-25-2007, 07:53 PM	#4
Showtime Lakers fanatic Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: L.A. ->SoCal<- O.C. Posts: 7,338	Was he a drug user? A couple of friends, around his age, have died from heart attacks or complications from having one. The heart attacks were partly due to drug and heavy drinking in their teens and 20's. __________________ NBA REPORT 10-11/ The 3-Peat! 1948 1949 1950 1952 1953 1954 1972 1980 1982 1985 1987 1988 2000 2001 2002 2009 2010 Reigning NBA CHAMPS!

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