Baylor loses battle with myeloma at 68
Don Baylor, who hit 31 home runs while aiding the 1986 Red Sox on a run to the World Series, died yesterday after a battle with multiple myeloma. He was 68.
Baylor played 19 seasons in the big leagues, with a 1986-87 stop in Boston.
“Don passed from this earth with the same fierce dignity with which he played the game and lived his life,” his wife, Rebecca, said in a statement.
After the New York Yankees traded him to the Red Sox for Mike Easler in March of 1986, Baylor hit .238 with 31 homers as a 37-year-old. He hit .297 that postseason, in which the Sox infamously lost the World Series in Game 7 to the New York Mets.
“Don Baylor was one of the most intimidating players to ever play the game,” former Red Sox second baseman Marty Barrett said. “Once he became a teammate, I realized he was a gentle giant. He calmly went about his business in a truly professional manner. He was a huge presence in our lineup that everyone benefited from. Baseball will miss him.”
He was plunked by a pitch 35 times in ’86, setting the Red Sox franchise record that won’t be easy to break. The closest anyone has come since is Shane Victorino, who was hit 18 times in 2013.
“He was probably the best person I ever played with,” former Red Sox outfielder Dwight Evans said.
Baylor began the 1987 season with the Sox but was traded after the All-Star break to Minnesota. He won the World Series with the Twins that fall and made it back to the Fall Classic with the Oakland A’s in ’88.
He finished his career with a .260 average and 338 homers to go with an AL MVP Award with the California Angels in 1979. Baylor also managed the Colorado Rockies from 1993-98 and the Chicago Cubs from 2000-02.
Word of Baylor’s death came hours after the news that longtime major leaguer Darren Daulton died at 55.
“Don used power and speed to earn American League MVP honors with the Angels in 1979 and contributed to three straight pennant winners in a great 19-year major league career,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “He then became the first manager in Rockies history, guiding them to their first postseason in just their third year of play. Throughout stints with 14 different major league teams as a player, coach or manager, Don’s reputation as a gentleman always preceded him.”