Rod Beck

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox baseball biography Rodney Roy Beck (August 3, 1968 – June 23, 2007[1]), nicknamed "Shooter", was an American professional baseball relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants (Template:Mlby–Template:Mlby), Chicago Cubs (Template:Mlby–Template:Mlby), Boston Red Sox (1999–Template:Mlby) and San Diego Padres (Template:Mlby–Template:Mlby). He batted and threw right-handed.[2]

Career

San Francisco Giants

The Oakland Athletics drafted Beck as a starting pitcher in the 13th round (327th pick) of the 1986 Major League Baseball Draft.[3] Prior to the 1988 season, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants organization.[2] In Template:Baseball year, while with the San Jose Giants of the California League, he posted a record of 11–2 between opening day and June 14, when he was promoted to the Shreveport Captains of the Double A Texas League.[4][5]

Beck made his Major League debut on May 6, 1991,[2] against the Montreal Expos. His performance was forgettable (2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER),[6] but his season numbers were more impressive. He had a 3.78 ERA, pitched <templatestyles src="Fraction/styles.css" />52+1⁄3 innings in 31 games, and struck out 38 while walking 13.[2] In Template:Baseball year, Beck took over as the regular closer from Dave Righetti and posted a record of 3–3 with 17 saves and a 1.76 ERA. He pitched 92 innings over 65 games and struck out 87 while walking only 15.[7] In Template:Baseball year he recorded 48 saves, including 24 consecutive. At the time, both marks were Giants franchise records.[8] Beck found success using a sinker, slider, and splitter.[9]

September 18, 1997

On September 17 and 18, 1997, the Los Angeles Dodgers came to San Francisco to play a two-game series at Candlestick Park.[10] The Dodgers were leading the National League West with a record of 84–67. The Giants were in 2nd place with a record of 82–69; 2 games behind.[11] The Giants won the first game 2–1 behind lefty Kirk Rueter. In that contest, Barry Bonds hit a two-run homer in the first inning for the Giants, while Raúl Mondesí hit a solo shot in the fifth for the Dodgers. Beck did not pitch in the game.[12]

On September 18, he came into the game in the top of the 10th with the score tied 5–5.[13] As the season had progressed, Beck had lost his closer's job to Roberto Hernández.[14] In fact, Beck had blown a save three days earlier in Atlanta while trying to close that game. He had given up 4 earned runs in just <templatestyles src="Fraction/styles.css" />2⁄3 of an inning.[15] Beck got into trouble immediately by giving up consecutive singles to Mike Piazza, Eric Karros, and Raúl Mondesí.[16] With the bases loaded, nobody out and the crowd booing loudly, manager Dusty Baker came out to talk to Beck, who was obviously struggling. Baker told Beck, "You're the guy."[17]

Baker left Beck in, and Beck proceeded to strike out Todd Zeile looking at an inside-corner fastball. When he got pinch hitter Eddie Murray to bounce a splitter into an inning-ending double play, the crowd of 52,188 went crazy. Two innings later, Giants reserve catcher Brian Johnson led off with a home run to left field, giving Beck a 6–5 win. The Giants, now tied with the Dodgers for the division lead,[13] would go on to win the Western Division crown.[14]

Chicago Cubs

After the 1997 season, the Giants felt Beck's best years were behind him, and allowed him to leave as a free agent to sign with the Chicago Cubs, replacing him with Robb Nen.[18] Beck set a career high in saves in 1998, his first season with the Cubs, converting 51 of 58 chances.[2] However, in the 1999 season, Beck battled injury, and was traded by Chicago to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for reliever Mark Guthrie and a player to be named later,[19] who turned out to be Cole Liniak.[20]

Boston Red Sox

Beck pitched well for the surging Red Sox, although he struggled in the postseason, giving up a Bernie Williams walk-off home run in Game One of the 1999 ALCS.[21] Beck was not as good in his two full seasons with the team as he had been in the past.[2] After the 2001 season, Beck had Tommy John surgery and missed the 2002 season.[22]

Beck to the Minors

Beck successfully recovered from Tommy John surgery and, as a free agent, was signed by the Cubs in January 2003.[22] While pitching for the team's AAA affiliate Iowa Cubs during his comeback, Beck gained national attention for living in a motor home behind the team's Sec Taylor Stadium (now Principal Park) in Des Moines. Beck warmly welcomed fans to drop by and visit, signed autographs and offered free beer.[23] This time he did not play in the majors for the Cubs, and they released him in May 2003.[2]

San Diego Padres

Immediately after leaving the Cubs in 2003, Beck returned to the Major Leagues with the Padres[2] to fill in for the injured Trevor Hoffman.[24] He converted 20 saves in 20 chances, while posting a 1.78 ERA.[2] His statistics earned him the National League Comeback Player of the Year award.[25] In 2004, Beck dealt with personal problems during Spring Training[26] and struggled in a seventh inning role for the Padres. Beck was released by San Diego in August.[2]

Death

On June 23, Template:Baseball year, Beck died at his home in Phoenix, Arizona.[1][27] The Maricopa County medical examiner did not publicly disclose the cause of death and the Phoenix police did not suspect foul play.[1] Beck's ex-wife stated she believed his death to be drug-related.[28] Cocaine and heroin were found in his home and bedroom.[29]

Beck was buried in Phoenix wearing his Chicago Cubs uniform.[30] He was added to the Template:Baseball year ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame, earlier than the typical retirement rule due to his death,[31] and received two votes.[32]

See also

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References

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External links

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  • Career statistics from Script error: No such module "String".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Template:NL Relief Man Award Winners Template:San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame

  1. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Rod Beck Dead at 38 . ESPN.com news services. ESPN.com. June 24, 2007.
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Broken link
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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