Cardinals Reliever Josh Hancock Killed in Car Crash

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Josh Hancock, a key member of the bullpen that helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series last season, was killed in a car crash early Sunday.

The Cardinals said they were told of the 29-year-old reliever's death by the St. Louis Police Department. The team's home game against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night was postponed.

The team said the accident happened in St. Louis, but no other details were disclosed. The Cardinals and police are expected to make a statement this afternoon at Busch Stadium.

It looks like it. Some witnesses at Mike Shannon's restaraunt say that he appeared intoxicated before the accident. The same story today in the Post-Disgrace also says that Hancock almost had a fatal accident 3 days earlier:

"...The couple said they overheard Hancock telling ESPN broadcaster Dave Campbell that manager Tony La Russa had been infuriated with Hancock on Thursday because he was "too hung over to play." A club source also said Hancock was hung over when he arrived at the ballpark.

Hancock was killed about 12:30 a.m. Sunday as he drove west from downtown, apparently headed to meet with four teammates in Clayton.

Three days earlier, Hancock had a close call when his vehicle edged several inches into the intersection of Yellow Brick Road and Illinois Route 3. A Sauget police spokesman said Monday that a tractor-trailer struck Hancock's GMC Denali, tearing off the vehicle's front bumper. "Just another inch or so and he could have died two days earlier, because that tractor-trailer was traveling about 45 to 50 miles per hour," according to Sauget Police Chief Patrick Delaney..."
Hancock had close call days before death

Cordially,

It's would seem kind of obvious that LaRussa (and probably his general manager) is in real hot water here. First, it would seem as if this kid obviously was showing signs that he had a big-time drinking problem. It should have been pretty much obvious given the first car crash and the not coming to the park in time for the game. He should have been put on the disabled list and sent to rehab if he wanted to retain his his job. It's not as if this guy was such a superstar, was it? After all, he was with his fourth different team in a few years, so you would call him a "journeyman" (one of so many in today's watered-down game). I can't see him able to pitch very well in such a physical condition anyway.

Then, LaRussa is engaging in a cover-up that is bound to fail, which makes him and the team look even worse. I have a hunch that, given that the Cards' prospects as a team don't seem to be too hot this year, LaRussa might be out of his job before long.

He should have been put on the disabled list and sent to rehab if he wanted to retain his his job.

You know, that interesting. That would have been the right thing to do. It would have been the best thing to do.

LaRussa has a recent drunk driving arrest of his own, and I wonder if that was a factor in a decision not to come down harder on Hancock? If Hancock had a drinking problem then it would have ultimately been for his own good to get help for it. Employers do have some leverage in that regard. It's too late now, though.

Cordially,

Yes, I'm aware of that LaRussa drunken driving incident in spring training this year. Seemed to have handled that poorly with the media as well. You got the impression that he wan't sufficiently contrite - especially when you consider he's an older man who is well educated.

As I say, he's skating on thin ice.

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