Cards pitcher killed in crash

I didn't really mark the start of the baseball season on this blog. I can't tell you why. I would have posted the Cubs fight song if I had and mostly because I think it's such a great and optimistic song.

Unfortunately I have to post this piece of news instead and only because it seems like a pattern. Last fall a baseball pitcher Cory Lidle of the New York Yankees, died in a plane crash. It was also mentioned the death of a baseball pitcher, Cardinal's Darryl Kile who died of a heart attack in 2002.

Well my sympathies to the family of Josh Hancock and tonight's Cardinal's game against the Cubs has been postponed...

Police said the 29-year-old Hancock was alone in his 2007 Ford Explorer when he struck the rear of a tow truck at 12:35 a.m. The truck was in the left lane assisting another vehicle that was involved in a prior accident, officer Pete Mutter said.

Hancock was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the tow truck, whose name was not released by police, was in the truck at the time of the crash but was not injured.

The medical examiner's office said Sunday morning that an autopsy had been scheduled.

"The Chicago Cubs are terribly saddened by the sudden passing of Josh Hancock," Cubs president John McDonough said in a statement from the team. "On behalf of the Chicago Cubs organization and our fans, I extend our deepest sympathies to the Hancock family and the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Our thoughts and prayers are with you."

Hancock, 29, pitched three innings of relief on Saturday's game, and was instrumental in the Cardinals postseason run last October. The Cardinals planned to hold a press conference at 3 p.m. Sunday at Busch Stadium.

"All of baseball today mourns the tragic and untimely death of St. Louis pitcher Josh Hancock," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. "He was a fine young pitcher, who played an important role on last year's World Series championship team."