Players who passed away too soon
Posted by Andy on September 9, 2007
This is a simple search that results in players who have passed away at a young age. Click through for details.
Starting with the Batting Season Finder, all I did was set Final Year greater than or equal to 1980, and Year of Death also greater than or equal to 1980. I also checked the bubble at the top to sum the seasons so each player would appear just once. So this list does not include players who passed away at a young age more than 27 years ago (although that can be done by scaling back the Final Year and Year of Death to earlier years.)
Cnt Player **DbYr** DeYr LstY From To Ages G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions Teams +----+-----------------+--------+----+----+----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+---+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+-----------+ 1 Dernell Stenson 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 25-25 37 93 81 14 20 5 0 3 13 11 0 24 0 0 1 0 0 0 .247 .333 .420 .753 /793 CIN 2 Josh Hancock 2002 2007 2007 2002 2007 24-29 102 30 24 1 2 0 0 0 1 4 0 18 0 2 0 0 0 0 .083 .214 .083 .297 *1 BOS-PHI-TOT-CIN-STL 3 Steve Bechler 2002 2003 2002 2002 2002 22-22 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 /*1 BAL 4 Mike Coolbaugh 2001 2007 2002 2001 2002 29-30 44 91 82 10 15 6 0 2 7 6 0 19 2 1 0 4 0 0 .183 .256 .329 .585 /*56 MIL-STL 5 Mario Encarnacion 2001 2005 2002 2001 2002 25-26 23 76 69 3 14 1 0 0 3 7 0 17 0 0 0 3 2 1 .203 .276 .217 .493 /*79 COL-CHC 6 Mike Darr 1999 2002 2001 1999 2001 23-25 188 612 542 63 148 28 5 5 67 67 4 135 1 0 2 18 17 4 .273 .353 .371 .724 *9/87 SDP 7 Miguel del Toro 1999 2001 2000 1999 2000 27-28 23 7 6 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 .167 .167 .167 .334 /*1 SFG 8 Cory Lidle 1997 2006 2006 1997 2006 25-34 277 200 170 10 22 4 1 1 8 9 0 87 0 21 0 1 0 0 .129 .173 .182 .355 *1 NYM-TBD-OAK-TOR-TOT-PHI 9 John Leroy 1997 2001 1997 1997 1997 22-22 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 /*1 ATL 10 Kenny Robinson 1995 1999 1997 1995 1997 25-27 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 /*1 TOR-KCR 11 Jose Oliva 1994 1997 1995 1994 1995 23-24 89 264 242 24 43 10 0 13 31 19 0 56 2 0 1 7 0 1 .178 .242 .380 .622 /*53 ATL-TOT 12 William Suero 1992 1995 1993 1992 1993 25-26 33 34 30 4 7 1 0 0 0 3 0 4 1 0 0 3 1 2 .233 .324 .267 .591 /*46D5 MIL 13 Rod Beck 1991 2007 2004 1991 2004 22-35 704 20 19 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 .211 .211 .211 .422 *1 SFG-CHC-TOT-BOS-SDP 14 Darryl Kile 1991 2002 2002 1991 2002 22-33 364 786 657 38 87 23 0 2 40 43 0 300 4 81 1 9 0 0 .132 .190 .177 .367 *1 HOU-COL-STL 15 Andujar Cedeno 1990 2000 1996 1990 1996 20-26 616 2233 2051 221 485 98 13 47 223 143 36 488 21 8 10 53 26 17 .236 .292 .366 .658 *6/5 HOU-SDP-TOT 16 Tim Layana 1990 1999 1993 1990 1993 26-29 79 7 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 /*1 CIN-SFG 17 Cliff Young 1990 1993 1993 1990 1993 25-28 49 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 /*1 CAL-CLE 18 Brian Traxler 1990 2004 1990 1990 1990 22-22 9 11 11 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 .091 .091 .182 .273 /3 LAD 19 Russ Swan 1989 2006 1994 1989 1994 25-30 168 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 *1 SFG-TOT-SEA-CLE 20 Steve Olin 1989 1993 1992 1989 1992 23-26 195 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 *1 CLE 21 Carlos Martinez 1988 2006 1995 1988 1995 22-29 465 1586 1485 145 383 63 6 25 161 74 11 209 5 9 13 45 10 10 .258 .293 .359 .652 35/D7 CHW-CLE-CAL 22 Ron Jones 1988 2006 1991 1988 1991 24-27 97 264 239 27 65 10 1 13 40 22 1 33 0 0 3 6 1 1 .272 .330 .485 .815 /*97 PHI 23 Ken Caminiti 1987 2004 2001 1987 2001 24-38 1760 7125 6288 894 1710 348 17 239 983 727 111 1163 29 14 67 152 88 39 .272 .347 .447 .794 *5/3D HOU-SDP-TOT 24 Mike Sharperson 1987 1996 1995 1987 1995 25-33 557 1383 1203 149 337 61 5 10 123 139 9 154 5 27 9 23 22 14 .280 .355 .364 .719 54/639 TOT-LAD-ATL 25 Tim Crews 1987 1993 1992 1987 1992 26-31 281 25 22 2 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 12 0 1 1 0 0 0 .136 .167 .136 .303 *1 LAD +----+-----------------+--------+----+----+----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+---+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+-----------+ Cnt Player **DbYr** DeYr LstY From To Ages G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions Teams +----+-----------------+--------+----+----+----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+---+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+-----------+ 26 Gus Polidor 1985 1995 1993 1985 1993 23-31 229 456 434 33 90 15 0 2 35 12 0 47 3 6 1 13 3 0 .207 .233 .256 .489 /654D9 CAL-MIL-FLA 27 John Cerutti 1985 2004 1991 1985 1991 25-31 229 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 *1 TOR-DET 28 Kirby Puckett 1984 2006 1995 1984 1995 24-35 1783 7831 7244 1071 2304 414 57 207 1085 450 85 965 56 23 58 188 134 76 .318 .360 .477 .837 *89/D7456 MIN 29 Ivan Calderon 1984 2003 1993 1984 1993 22-31 924 3672 3312 470 901 200 25 104 444 306 30 556 13 6 35 102 97 49 .272 .333 .442 .775 97D/38 SEA-TOT-CHW-MON 30 Jose Uribe 1984 2006 1993 1984 1993 25-34 1038 3369 3064 307 738 99 34 19 219 256 84 425 4 37 8 33 74 46 .241 .300 .314 .614 *6/4 STL-SFG-HOU 31 Chris Brown 1984 2006 1989 1984 1989 22-27 449 1690 1523 164 410 61 6 38 184 120 12 252 30 7 10 58 21 17 .269 .333 .392 .725 *5/6 SFG-TOT-SDP-DET 32 Dwight Lowry 1984 1997 1988 1984 1988 26-30 108 258 227 29 62 8 0 5 26 20 0 38 4 7 0 7 0 0 .273 .343 .374 .717 *2/39 DET-MIN 33 Mike Payne 1984 2002 1984 1984 1984 22-22 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 /*1 ATL 34 Mike Bishop 1983 2005 1983 1983 1983 24-24 3 11 8 2 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 .125 .364 .250 .614 /*2 NYM 35 Wil Culmer 1983 2003 1983 1983 1983 25-25 7 20 19 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 1 1 0 1 .105 .100 .105 .205 /*9D CLE 36 Steve Senteney 1982 1989 1982 1982 1982 26-26 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 /*1 TOR 37 Eric Show 1981 1994 1991 1981 1991 25-35 333 554 506 33 81 10 0 4 28 4 0 179 3 40 1 7 0 0 .160 .171 .204 .375 *1 SDP-OAK 38 Alan Wiggins 1981 1991 1987 1981 1987 23-29 631 2553 2247 346 581 61 19 5 118 235 4 193 8 54 9 18 242 68 .259 .330 .309 .639 *47/83D9 SDP-TOT-BAL 39 Rufino Linares 1981 1998 1985 1981 1985 30-34 207 577 545 66 147 21 3 11 63 24 2 74 1 2 5 24 15 6 .270 .299 .380 .679 *7/D9 ATL-CAL 40 Luis Sanchez 1981 2005 1985 1981 1985 27-31 194 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 *1 CAL 41 Steve Howe 1980 2006 1996 1980 1996 22-38 497 30 27 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 .074 .138 .074 .212 *1 LAD-TOT-TEX-NYY 42 Rod Scurry 1980 1992 1988 1980 1988 24-32 332 58 55 3 9 0 1 0 1 2 0 26 0 1 0 0 0 0 .164 .193 .200 .393 *1 PIT-TOT-NYY-SEA 43 Joe DeSa 1980 1986 1985 1980 1985 20-25 35 59 55 5 11 2 0 2 7 3 1 8 0 1 0 1 0 0 .200 .241 .345 .586 /3D79 STL-CHW 44 Bob Veselic 1980 1995 1981 1980 1981 24-25 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 /*1 MIN 45 Rick Mahler 1979 2005 1991 1979 1991 25-37 394 671 581 40 104 17 0 1 37 20 0 117 2 66 2 10 0 1 .179 .208 .213 .421 *1 ATL-CIN-TOT 46 Dan Quisenberry 1979 1998 1990 1979 1990 26-37 674 7 6 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 .286 .167 .453 *1 KCR-TOT-STL-SFG 47 Rick Anderson 1979 1989 1980 1979 1980 25-26 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 /*1 NYY-SEA 48 Steve Macko 1979 1981 1980 1979 1980 24-25 25 64 60 4 15 3 0 0 5 4 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 .297 .300 .597 /4563 CHC 49 Victor Cruz 1978 2004 1983 1978 1983 20-25 187 5 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 *1 TOR-CLE-PIT-TEX 50 Bo Diaz 1977 1990 1989 1977 1989 24-36 993 3537 3274 327 834 162 5 87 452 198 22 429 13 24 28 113 9 17 .255 .297 .387 .684 *2/D BOS-CLE-PHI-TOT-CIN +----+-----------------+--------+----+----+----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+---+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+-----------+ Cnt Player **DbYr** DeYr LstY From To Ages G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions Teams +----+-----------------+--------+----+----+----+----+-----+----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+----+----+---+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+-----------+ 51 Larry Bradford 1977 1998 1981 1977 1981 27-31 104 5 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 .200 .200 .200 .400 *1 ATL 52 Doug Ault 1976 2004 1980 1976 1980 26-30 256 800 713 66 168 29 5 17 86 71 6 108 7 5 4 29 4 5 .236 .309 .362 .671 *3/D79 TEX-TOR 53 Donnie Moore 1975 1989 1988 1975 1988 21-34 416 64 57 3 16 2 2 0 11 3 0 23 0 4 0 1 0 0 .281 .317 .386 .703 *1 CHC-STL-MIL-ATL-CAL 54 Aurelio Lopez 1974 1992 1987 1974 1987 25-38 459 28 24 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 4 0 0 0 0 .125 .125 .125 .250 *1 KCR-STL-DET-HOU 55 Al Cowens 1974 2002 1986 1974 1986 22-34 1584 6038 5534 704 1494 276 68 108 717 389 28 659 34 28 53 141 120 74 .270 .319 .403 .722 *98/D75 KCR-TOT-DET-SEA 56 Vern Ruhle 1974 2007 1986 1974 1986 23-35 327 225 182 12 27 5 0 0 9 22 0 96 1 20 0 3 0 1 .148 .244 .176 .420 *1 DET-HOU-CLE-CAL 57 Francisco Barrios 1974 1982 1981 1974 1981 21-28 129 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 *1 CHW 58 Nino Espinosa 1974 1987 1981 1974 1981 20-27 144 292 258 15 44 7 0 0 19 9 0 78 0 25 0 5 0 1 .171 .199 .198 .397 *1 NYM-PHI-TOT 59 Larry Cox 1973 1990 1982 1973 1982 25-34 348 915 825 72 182 31 5 12 85 70 1 117 1 13 6 26 5 4 .221 .280 .314 .594 *2 PHI-SEA-CHC-TEX 60 Eddie Solomon 1973 1986 1982 1973 1982 22-31 198 238 220 13 39 6 0 0 15 4 0 69 1 13 0 5 0 0 .177 .196 .205 .401 *1 LAD-CHC-STL-ATL-PIT-TOT 61 Tom Buskey 1973 1998 1980 1973 1980 26-33 258 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 *1 NYY-TOT-CLE-TOR 62 Lynn McGlothen 1972 1984 1982 1972 1982 22-32 320 506 456 30 79 17 0 0 25 11 0 103 0 36 3 9 0 0 .173 .191 .211 .402 *1 BOS-STL-SFG-TOT-CHC-NYY 63 Darrell Porter 1971 2002 1987 1971 1987 19-35 1782 6570 5539 765 1369 237 48 188 826 905 106 1025 45 18 63 102 39 37 .247 .354 .409 .763 *2D/3 MIL-KCR-STL-TEX 64 John Milner 1971 2000 1982 1971 1982 21-32 1215 3985 3436 455 855 140 16 131 498 504 45 473 10 7 28 87 31 22 .249 .344 .413 .757 37/98 NYM-PIT-TOT 65 Johnny Oates 1970 2004 1981 1970 1981 24-35 589 1820 1637 146 410 56 2 14 126 141 38 149 2 29 11 32 11 19 .250 .309 .313 .622 *2 BAL-ATL-TOT-PHI-LAD-NYY 66 John Vukovich 1970 2007 1981 1970 1981 22-33 277 607 559 37 90 14 1 6 44 29 3 109 2 12 5 9 4 5 .161 .203 .222 .425 *5/436 PHI-MIL-CIN-PHI 67 Jim Spencer 1968 2002 1982 1968 1982 20-34 1553 5409 4908 541 1227 179 27 146 599 407 86 582 17 35 42 124 11 19 .250 .307 .387 .694 *3D/7 CAL-TOT-TEX-CHW-NYY-OAK 68 Bobby Bonds 1968 2003 1981 1968 1981 22-35 1849 8090 7043 1258 1886 302 66 332 1024 914 75 1757 53 16 64 107 461 169 .268 .353 .471 .824 *98/D7 SFG-NYY-CAL-TOT-CLE-STL-CHC 69 Joe Niekro 1967 2006 1988 1967 1988 22-43 705 1165 973 55 152 26 1 1 72 38 0 262 1 147 6 17 1 0 .156 .188 .188 .376 *1 CHC-TOT-DET-ATL-HOU-NYY-MIN 70 Aurelio Rodriguez 1967 2000 1983 1967 1983 19-35 2017 7078 6611 612 1570 287 46 124 648 324 37 943 27 82 34 167 35 31 .237 .275 .351 .626 *5/46D3 CAL-TOT-DET-NYY-CHW 71 Ken Brett 1967 2003 1981 1967 1981 18-32 386 373 347 39 91 18 1 10 44 14 0 67 1 9 2 6 0 0 .262 .291 .406 .697 *1 BOS-MIL-PHI-PIT-TOT-CAL-KCR 72 Pat Kelly 1967 2005 1981 1967 1981 22-36 1385 5011 4338 620 1147 189 35 76 418 588 25 768 29 26 30 97 250 118 .264 .354 .377 .731 *97D/8 MIN-KCR-CHW-BAL-CLE 73 Tug McGraw 1965 2004 1984 1965 1984 20-39 826 247 214 14 39 7 0 1 18 10 0 57 1 21 1 2 0 0 .182 .221 .229 .450 *1 NYM-PHI 74 Mark Belanger 1965 1998 1982 1965 1982 21-38 2016 6602 5784 676 1316 175 33 20 389 576 22 839 42 155 45 83 167 75 .228 .300 .280 .580 *6/45 BAL-LAD 75 Willie Stargell 1962 2001 1982 1962 1982 22-42 2360 9026 7927 1195 2232 423 55 475 1540 937 227 1936 78 9 75 143 17 16 .282 .360 .529 .889 *73/98 PIT
I did the same search using the Pitching Season Finder, and all the pitchers on that list are represented in the above list, even if they never had a plate appearance as a batter (such as Steve Bechler.)
Reading down this list, I can remember the news stories about the deaths of nearly every player on this list. Many of the stories are very sad.
I hope this list is not a downer for you. It's nice to take a minute to remember these guys, and keep in mind that they all had lives outside of baseball too.