Good-bye, Shooter

Rod Beck's time in Chicago was brief, but he was one of the most colorful players to wear a Cubs' uniform in the 90's. In many ways, Beck seemed like a throwback to the ballplayers of earlier generations. He was a team-oriented guy who didn't mind throwing back some beers and probably missed more than a few sessions in the weight room.

Of all the stories about Beck though, the one that stands out to me was his tenure with the Iowa Cubs a few years ago. I'd encourage everyone to read this old article about it, if you haven't already. The guy literally lived out of a camper that he kept parked in the stadium parking lot, and after the games, would sit out front of it for hours drinking beers and hanging out with the fans. That's the sort of joyful presence that baseball needs more of, not less. Baseball and its fans will miss Rod Beck.