Rod Beck; Dead at Age 38

[Kevin]

Rod Beck dies at 38
ESPN.com news services

June 24, 2007, 3:27 PM ET

Rod Beck, who saved 286 games in a 13-year major league career, has died at the age of 38.

The cause of death is unknown at this time.

Beck, who played for the Giants, Cubs, Red Sox and Padres, was a three-time All-Star and saved a career-best 51 games with the Cubs in 1998.

Rest in Peace Shooter

[vazman05]

dam, only 38 years young......RIP bro

[FultonStreetBlues]

i know he had a drug problem but im not gonna speculate.

[Stifler's Mom]

Saw this on ESPN news last night. I was like WTF? I mean ****, i still remember like 3 years ago when he made a "comeback" with the Padres as their closer (when Hoffman was injured), and did a hell of a job, despite only throwing in the low 80's with his fastball.

Also heard he had 2 little girls. How young I don't know, but a sad thing indeed.

I'm curious as to find out what the cause of death actually was.

[JB]

I had read something before that when he was in the minors while attempting that "comeback" with the Padres (that turned out to be a succesful comeback) that he actually lived at the ballpark in a winnebego or something like that. Fans would come up to his "home" after the games and ask for autographs and he would actually sit down with most of them and drink beers and just tell baseball stories for hours.

Always seemed like he was a good dude....he for sure was a hell of a closer in his day. WAY too young to leave us at 38 years old.....

[Bobo66]

Very, very sad day for baseball. That was one Giant I really liked.

[COACH DITKA]

JB - I believe you are referring to when Beck was pitching at AAA Iowa in his comeback attempt. He indeed parked his trailer/camper in Sec Taylor Stadium parking lot and would hang out w/fans after the games and drink beers w/them.
Actually was in line for his autograph this year at the Cubs Convention as the Shooter was there but he didn't make it down as he had a pretty rough night in the bar the night before. He sure did like his brewskis.
I'll always remember him on the '98 Cubs and him getting the final out in the wildcard game @ Wrigley vs the Giants. RIP Rod.


Moose