Don Baylor, R.I.P.

Only hours after I learned of the passing of former Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins catcher Darren Daulton came the news that former MLB player, coach and manager Don Baylor had also died of cancer. Evidently, Baylor had been battling multiple myeloma for more than a decade. Baylor was 68.

A native of Austin, Texas, Baylor was a second round draft pick out of high school by the Baltimore Orioles in 1967. He had cups of coffee with the O's on their World Series teams of 1970 and 1971 before getting more playing time in 1972. By 1973, Baylor had supplanted Don Buford as the Orioles' everyday left fielder. Baylor got a taste of the post-season with the O's in 1973 and 1974, but fell short to the mighty Oakland A's in both ALCS contests. His breakout season came in 1975 when he led the team with 25 home runs.

However, Baylor and pitcher Mike Torrez would be traded to the A's prior to the 1976 season in exchange for Reggie Jackson and Ken Holtzman. Baylor's offensive numbers would drop as A's owner Charlie Finley began to dismantle his dynasty. Fortunately, free agency had come about and Baylor was among the inaugural class of free agents and signed a contract with the California Angels along with his ex-Orioles and A's teammates Bobby Grich and Joe Rudi prior to the 1977 season.

While Baylor's numbers were respectable, the Angels were a disappointment in 1977. But after the Angels hired Jim Fregosi to be their manager midway through the 1978 season, Baylor and the team improved. Baylor hit a then career high 34 HR and 99 RBI and finished 7th in AL MVP balloting though that season was marred by the shooting death of teammate and close friend Lyman Bostock. Undoubtedly spurred on by the loss of his friend, Baylor would have the best year of his career in 1979 where he earned his lone AL All-Star Team selection as he led the AL in home runs and RBI with 36 and 139 as the Angels reached the post-season for the first time in franchise history before falling to the Orioles in the ALCS. It should be noted that Fregosi also managed Darren Daulton to a NL pennant in Philadelphia.

A wrist injury would limit Baylor to 90 games in 1980. He would rebound as a full time DH and the Angels would return to the playoffs in 1982 on a team that now included Doug DeCinces, Fred Lynn and the man he was once traded for Reggie Jackson. Baylor hit 24 HR and drove in 93 runs for a team that just fell short of getting to the World Series, this time to the Milwaukee Brewers.

A free agent once again, Baylor would sign a four year contract with the New York Yankees worth $3.675,000 prior to the 1983 season. George Steinbrenner signed Baylor to have a "take charge leader" in the Yankees clubhouse. Although Baylor put up at least 20 HR and 80 RBI during his tenure in the Bronx with one year left on his contract and after just falling short of winning the AL East in 1985, Steinbrenner would trade Baylor to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Mike Easler.

Baylor's "take charge" presence was immediately felt in Boston as he instituted a "kangaroo court" in the Red Sox clubhouse from which he did not exempt himself. That and his team leading 31 home runs helped the Red Sox to their first AL pennant in 11 years and within one strike of winning their first World Series since 1918. It was the first of three World Series appearances for Baylor who would get that elusive ring with the Minnesota Twins in 1987 and returned to the Fall Classic in his final year as a player back in an Oakland A's uniform in 1988. This marked the first time in MLB history that a player had reached the World Series in three consecutive years with three different clubs, a feat since matched by Eric Hinske (2007 Red Sox, 2008 Rays and 2009 Yankees).

In 19 big league seasons, Baylor hit .260 with 338 HR and 1276 RBIs. He also led the AL in being hit by a pitch eight times. In all, he was hit by a pitch 267 times which stood as the MLB record until it was surpassed by future Hall of Famer Craig Biggio in 2005.

After tenures as a hitting coach with the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers, Baylor was named the manager of the expansion Colorado Rockies in 1993. He spent six seasons in the Rockies dugout and was named NL Manager of the Year in 1995 leading the Rockies to the NL Wild Card. Baylor would return to the World Series in 1999 as Bobby Cox's hitting coach with the Atlanta Braves before being given a second chance at managing with the Chicago Cubs in 2000, but would be dismissed midway through the 2002 season.

Baylor spent 2003 and 2004 as the bench coach of the New York Mets before becoming the Seattle Mariners hitting coach in 2005. Following a stint as an occasional broadcaster with the Washington Nationals, Baylor would return to Denver as the Rockies hitting coach in 2009. Baylor also spent two seasons apiece as the hitting coach with the Arizona Diamonbacks and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. His return to the Angels began inauspiciously when he broke his leg catching the ceremonial first pitch from Vladimir Guerrero. Looking back, his cancer undoubtedly had weakened his once powerful bones.

Baylor was also known for his friendship with former President Richard Nixon and for his charity work for cystic fibrosis research. This disease afflicted his son Don, Jr.

The video above shows Baylor setting the record for being hit by a pitch while with the Red Sox in 1987. Thi man always took one for the team.