RIP to Rob Maurer, a former first baseman and a Hall of Fame ballplayer for the University of Evansville. He hit one of the most significant home runs in the school's history, in fact. He died unexpectedly in his home on January 21, just two weeks after his 59th birthday. Maurer's 6-year career in professional baseball included stints with the Texas Rangers in 1991 and 1992. Robert John Maurer was born in Evansville, IN, on January 7, 1967. As early as 1981, he was demonstrating his baseball skills, as he was a heavy hitter for the city's Pony League Midwest Regional Tournament team.

RIP to Rob Maurer, a former first baseman and a Hall of Fame ballplayer for the University of Evansville. He hit one of the most significant home runs in the school's history, in fact. He died unexpectedly in his home on January 21, just two weeks after his 59th birthday. Maurer's 6-year career in professional baseball included stints with the Texas Rangers in 1991 and 1992. Robert John Maurer was born in Evansville, IN, on January 7, 1967. As early as 1981, he was demonstrating his baseball skills, as he was a heavy hitter for the city's Pony League Midwest Regional Tournament team.

By Al Doyle Khris Davis couldn't have arranged these numbers if he tried. The former Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland A's left fielder/DH hit .247 in every season from 2015 to 2018. This unprecedented record of consistency is just a part of what the king of just under .250 accomplished. The right-handed hitting Davis had an impressive big league debut in 2013. His career best .279 average came with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 27 RBI in just 136 at-bats for the Brewers. Khris' first full season in 2014 included 37 doubles, 22 HR and 69 RBI while hitting .244 in 501 AB. 

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Mickey Lolich died at age 85 as Detroit Tigers leader in strikeouts and starts. Find reactions from MLB, including from 1968 World Series teammates.

A veteran of the Negro National League died Tuesday at 99, making him the third-oldest major leaguer at the time.

RIP to Dave Schmidt, who played in 15 games as a catcher for the 1981 Boston Red Sox. He died on January 19 at the age of 69. Schmidt also made a name for himself in a different sport -- zebra racing. He wrote the screenplay for "Racing Stripes," a 2005 movie about a zebra competing in horse racing. David Frederick Schmidt was born in Mesa, AZ, on December 22, 1956. According to his SABR bio, which is written by Bill Nowlin and features numerous quotes from Schmidt himself, the family was in Arizona so that his father Herman could finish his Master's degree at Arizona State University.

The only man to be chosen three times in the first round of the MLB Draft died Tuesday at 67.

RIP to right-handed pitcher Stu Tate, who played briefly for the 1989 San Francisco Giants during their September push for a division title. He pitched in 2 major-league games as part of a 7-year professional baseball career. Tate died of a heart attack on January 13. He was 63 years old. Stuart Douglas Tate was born on June 17, 1962, in Huntsville, AL. He was a three-sport athlete at Hazel Green High School, and he was a two-way threat in baseball. Tate was a runner-up in the Madison County MVP vote in his senior year of 1980 and was named to the All-County team as both a pitcher and outfielder.

For the first five years of his major-league career, Wilbur Wood pitched in 73 games and had 1 victory to his credit. Everything changed when he finally joined the right team at the right time -- with the right pitch. Thanks to his knuckleball, he was one of the best and most durable pitchers in baseball. A freak injury cut his peak short, but he had 9 remarkable seasons as a reliever and a starter. Wood died from cancer on January 17 at the age of 84. He played for the Boston Red Sox (1961-64), Pittsburgh Pirates (1964-65) and Chicago White Sox (1967-78).

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April 13, 1954, is a memorable day in baseball history, as it was the day that a 20-year-old outfielder named Henry Aaron debuted for the Milwaukee Braves. He went 0-for-5 as the starting left fielder in the team's 9-8 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, and he wouldn't record his first AL/NL hit until the team's next game on the 15th. Aaron wasn't the only rookie to play for the Braves that day. Right fielder Billy Queen entered the game in the bottom of the eighth inning after starter Andy Pafko was removed for a pinch-runner.

RIP to Dave Giusti, one of the most valuable players on the 1971 World Champion Pirates. He was the team's closer and was nearly unhittable in the postseason. Giusti, a 15-year veteran of the majors, died on January 11 at the age of 86. He played for the Houston Colt .45s/Astros (1962, 1964-68), St. Louis Cardinals (1969), Pittsburgh Pirates (1970-1976), Oakland Athletics (1977) and Chicago Cubs (1977). David John Giusti (pronounced "JUST-ee") was born in Seneca Falls, NY, on November 27, 1939. He played numerous sports at North Syracuse High School and was named to the Onondaga County League All-Stars as a football player in 1955 and a basketball player in 1956.

By Al Doyle Historically hideous teams usually come along infrequently, but the 43-119 (.265 winning percentage) 2025 Colorado Rockies bumbled and stumbled on the heels of the 41-121 (.253) 2024 Chicago White Sox.  As might be expected, the Rockies racked up plenty of unusual and bottom feeder statistics. Colorado scored just 597 runs (3.69 per game) to edge out the Pirates for 29th place in the majors. Despite outscoring Pittsburgh by 14 runs, the Rockies were surely the worst hitting big league team. Scoring fewer than 600 runs while playing half the time in Coors Field in no small feat from a negative standpoint.

What life is like in Minneapolis now