Don Baylor Dead at age 68

rico43

<B>Director of Minor League Reports</B>
Don Baylor, a man I was convinced was bulletproof, died early this morning at his home in Austin, Texas. He was 68. The cause was announced as multiple myeloma.

Baylor, who was hit by a pitch 267 times during his 19-year career, never let a single one of them hurt him. Ball bounced off of his big, muscular frame like tennis balls lobbed by one of his kids.

Lest we forget, Baylor was the Braves hitting coach in 1999, a year the Braves won 103 games in one of their last best chances to win it all. Team hit 197 homers that year, which was the year Chipper hit 45 homers and five starters (Andruw 26, Jordan 23, Klesko 21 and Boone 20) had 20 or more. It was our loss that the Cubs hired him to be their manager for 2000.

He also managed the Rockies, and was NL Manager of the Year in 1995, the year Atlanta won it all.

He was active in fund raising for the cause of preventing multiple myeloma with myeloma survivor Met Stottlemyre in the name of pitcher Vern Ruhle, who also died from it at age 55 in 2007. Baylor was first diagnosed with the disease in 2003, while a coach with the Mets. Myeloma attacks the plasma in bone marrow. Most victims die within five years of diagnosis, so it turns out that Baylor was as tough as he looked, after all.
 
Dang. Always liked Baylor. He was the coach that showed Chipper that he could hit homers just as well from the right side. Remember when Chipper used to be known for his power only batting left-handed? That change on the right side ended up producing an MVP for Chipper that year.
 
Dang. Always liked Baylor. He was the coach that showed Chipper that he could hit homers just as well from the right side. Remember when Chipper used to be known for his power only batting left-handed? That change on the right side ended up producing an MVP for Chipper that year.

When Chipper is inducted into the HoF, I hope he gives Baylor ample credit for his assistance.
 
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It just occurred to me a few years ago during the Angels open day ceremonies, Don Baylor grotesquely broke his femur when catching the opening pitch. It was a bizarre incident that now makes much more sense knowing that he was battling multiple myeloma. A horrible symptom of the disease is brittle bones.

My mom discovered having mm herself when three or four vertebra in her back started breaking one after another over the course of several weeks, even during her sleep. She ended up also breaking her hips in separate occasions, as well as shattering her leg in yet another trip and fall at the office. Doctor thought she was in a car wreck it was so completely shattered and was stunned that she has simply fallen to the ground. She was terrified of falling after those experiences as you can imagine.
 
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