Cruz, 52, died Tuesday while swimming in the pool at his apartment complex in Bullhead City, Ariz. The coroner’s office is conducting tests to determine the cause of death.

Was Brian McNamee anywhere in the area?

Just randomly looking at the early to mid 80s O's teams to see where Cruz fit, I noticed just how unsettled 3B was in those years. That led me to stumble upon Floyd Rayford who, for some reason I'd never heard of. Rayford had quite the outlier year in 1985, didn't he? .306/.325/.521 in about 372 PAs. Everything before and after was dreck. Anyone who followed the O's in 1985: did you think the 3B problem was finally solved?

Update: Man, between Cal Ripken playing 3B in 1982 and Ripken coming back to third in 1997, the hot corner was a mess for them, wasn't it? Robinson and DeCinces really had O's fans spoiled.

I believe Todd was arrested (convicted?) of shoplifting at one time? Trusting my memory on that one, but this short article brings back the good memories, those we should hang on to. Just noticed he made his ML debut with the Phillies thirty years ago yesterday - it was as a ninth-inning defensive replacement for Larry Bowa in a 10-2 win over the Cards (Schmidt homered!), the second game of a split doubleheader.

Joe Altobelli is still alive?

Rayford was called Sugar Bear and was a converted catcher, IIRC, Craig. He may have made an appearance in the Ring Dings thread.

He may have made an appearance in the Ring Dings thread.

And if Rayford was his listed 195 lbs...I'll pay Bo Diaz's cable bill for a year!

Rayford was a Jim Leyritz type, a catcher-third baseman who brought some versatility to the table. He was the consummate free swinger, never drawing more than 15 walks in any of his seasons. He had some real problems with his weight, hence the nickname "Honey Bear."

Todd Cruz was actually a college teammate of former HOF president Dale Petroskey. From what I remember hearing, Cruz was a real outgoing party type, at least during his college days.

The story of his death reminds me of what happened to ESPN anchor Tom Mees, who also drowned in his own pool. Mees, as I recall, did not know how to swim. It's hard to imagine a major league player not knowing how to swim, but the story doesn't make it clear whether Cruz drowned or died from some other cause. Just a weird story.

His 1980 Topps card kinda creeped me out as a kid. Like he was winking at me or something:

http://www.beckett.com/items/239766/?N=0

Sugar Bear! Fans loved him but the aforementioned weight problems kept us from thinking he was the next Brooks or DeCinces.

Weaver experimented with an unusual offense/defense platoon of Cruz and Glenn Gulliver down the stretch in '83. Gulliver would start games and his job was to draw walks until Earl would pinch hit for him or bring in Cruz as a defensive replacement.

Todd Cruz played shortstop for the Reading Phillies in the first Minor League game I ever attended. He made two outstanding diving-into-the-hole-at-short plays. My dad told me to watch for this guy in the majors in a couple of years. Needless to say, when he did make the majors I felt as if I had discovered him. I hadn't thought of his name in many years, though. Still sorry to hear of his passing.

By the way, that game was at old Muzzy Field in Bristol CT, and the only other player I remember from the game was the BriSox starting pitcher, Bob Stanley. I'm guessing it was around 1977.

Joe Altobelli is still alive?

DAMN RIGHT he's still alive! He has for the last ten seasons been the Color Commentator for the Rochester Red Wings during Home Games (Alto has had a home in Rochester for decades), has his no. 26 retired and is referred to as "Rochester's Mr. Baseball" for his career here as a player, manager, general manager, broadcaster and all-out ambassador of the game. Just a few weeks ago the Wings had a "Salute to the 1983 Orioles" night where they gave out a joint Altobelli-Cal Ripken bobblehead (of them holding up the world series trophy). Too bad the bobblehead was crappy (they used the same head for both Alto and Ripken).


..

But on Todd Cruz, it is always sad to see ballplayer go, especially one who played for a WS team. It does seem to have sad parallels to Tom Mees, although if I remember correctly Mees was trying to rescue someone from drowning.

When Todd Cruz was with the Sox he got assigned to Edmonton...there was a fad a the time (maybe still) of tearing off Mercedes hood ornaments to use as belt buckles, and Cruz's car was so victimized. I recall thinking, "This guy is in the minors and he has a Mercedes?"

I also recall the Sox broadcasters saying he was a victim of having just a little too much pop in his bat for his own good, resulting in him always overswinging...not sure if that was true, as I was limited to being a radio/newspaper fan.

I believe Todd was arrested (convicted?) of shoplifting at one time?

I remembered something about that too, and I found this article.

although if I remember correctly Mees was trying to rescue someone from drowning.

If memory serves, it was his daughter.

The story of his death reminds me of what happened to ESPN anchor Tom Mees, who also drowned in his own pool.

It was actually a neighbor's pool. I also found this:

Mees, who couldn't swim, died saving his 4-year-old daughter, Gabrielle, from drowning after she fell into the deep end of a neighbor's swimming pool. Later, the police report was amended and the death termed a swimming accident, saying they could not confirm the rescue attempt. "We believe at this point there was no rescue attempt," police Captain Domenic Lombardo said.

So it sounds like no one is really sure what happened.

I consider myself to be an excellent candidate for someone who drowns trying to save someone, because I can't even imagine being unable to handle myself in water to the extent where I would drown (been swimming my entire life). Even though as I write that I know that water is actually, you know, a LITTLE more powerful than me.

Not sure if this deserves its own thread, and if not, this is where it should go, I think.

Dolores Mueller Bajda, 1931-2008, pitcher on '49 women's baseball team

and

A hero of their own: From pro baseball to helping young athletes, Bajda was an inspiration

I remembered something about that too, and I found this article.

In other news, Edmonton has department stores.

I see Todd was also on my born-in-suburban-Detroit (as I was) All-Star team:

Jim Pagliaroni Dearborn C
Ted Simmons Highland Park 1B
F.P. Santangelo Livonia 2B
Mike Kinkade Livonia 3B
Todd Cruz Highland Park SS
Bill Virdon Hazel Park LF
Kirk Gibson Pontiac CF
Jay Gibbons Rochester RF
Jason Varitek Rochester DH

EDIT: In yet more news, I met Bill Virdon just a few days ago, as he manages the Sussex (NJ) Skyhawks of the Can-Am League (my radio station has season tickets)...

doc

nah

the boys would rather look at hot dottie schroeder. or awesome dottie kamenshek

or even the original sweet lou (stone richards)

cuz

i know what boys like
i know what guys want

I see Todd was also on my born-in-suburban-Detroit (as I was) All-Star team:

BR Bullpen says that his dad was a Tiger farmhand.

R.I.P. Curly.

Too bad the bobblehead was crappy (they used the same head for both Alto and Ripken).

With Cal's face on one side and Joe's on the other? Sounds creepy, but collectible.

i know what boys like
i know what guys want

In that context, I'd pass on Kamenshek.

Dig Todd Cruz's mustache any?

From Dr. Memory's first link:

In the early days of the [AAGPBL] league, the women were required to attend "charm school," where they learned grooming and public appearance skills.

I think we can all come up with a few MLB and team executives who could benefit from training of this sort.

I don't really understand how an adult drowns in a swimming pool - barring an attempt to aid someone else or some contributing agent / event (alcohol, injury, pool cover).

Swimming training aside, isn't it human nature to tread water or splash about in whatever inefficient manner will a) get you to the edge or b) move you into a shallower section of water?

EDIT: grammar

I consider myself to be an excellent candidate for someone who drowns trying to save someone

I once tried to save my neighbor Gutsie Vlavianoss (brother of Butsie Vlavianoss) at Palisades Amusement Park's pool...until he punched me in the head while flapping his paniky arms.

I swam ashore, left him to his fitting gurgle and picked up a sweetie who was looking on.

He lived...but was pissed.

Repoz's stories seem like they could come out of a movie, let's call it BBTFFellas. I would like to toss my hat in the ring to do the Ray Liotta voiceover:
At the end of the bar, there was Repoz, sipping his Diet Pepsi. He was named after some Yankee would-be star from long ago.
"Hey ya, Repoz"
"Hey 'Mundo. I'd like you to meet one of my drunkles, Droolie. Say hi, Droolie. Hey I'm getting comped at the Flea Bag Auditorium tomorrow. Drowning Puppies and the Oozing Severed Heads are playing. Wanna come?"
Repoz was always pimping punk groups that nobody ever heard of before. But he was well connected in that world and knew every backstage manager in Manhattan and New Jersey.

I once tried to save my neighbor Gutsie Vlavianoss (brother of Butsie Vlavianoss) at Palisades Amusement Park's pool...until he punched me in the head while flapping his paniky arms.

If that happened at Action Park you both would have been electrocuted.

Repoz = Kramer

"My friend Jay Riemenschneider eats horse all the time!"

With Cal's face on one side and Joe's on the other? Sounds creepy, but collectible.

No, it was two bobbleheads on one mount. It looked (gets on Ebay and checks for a image) like this..

No, it was two bobbleheads on one mount. It looked (gets on Ebay and checks for a image) like this..
I was seriously afraid that the link would point to a Madeline Albright/Mrs. Lenin Photoshopped double bobblehead.

Cruz was really in the right place at the right time in 1983, going in mid-season from a team that would lose 100 games to one that would win the World Series...

Repoz's stories seem like they could come out of a movie, let's call it BBTFFellas.

Would Shredder be Jimmy Two Times?

sipping his Diet Pepsi

That's Diet Coke...just ask the delightfully ticked bartender at the SABR convention!

I am a horrible person for thinking about Mallrats and Clerks while reading this article.

"My friend Jay Riemenschneider eats horse all the time!"

That guy used to post here, what happened to him?

I don't really understand how an adult drowns in a swimming pool - barring an attempt to aid someone else or some contributing agent / event (alcohol, injury, pool cover).

Swimming training aside, isn't it human nature to tread water or splash about in whatever inefficient manner will a) get you to the edge or b) move you into a shallower section of water?

He had a massive heart attack.
That's what happens when "swimming training" doesn't apply anymore.

Here's another take on the the sad life and death of a SW Detroit kid, by a Las Vegas sportswriter.. I don't his passing even made news here in Michigan..

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/sep/18/old-ball-pros-story-ends-humbly-desert-town/

Here's another take on the the sad life and death of a SW Detroit kid, by a Las Vegas sportswriter.. I don't his passing even made news here in Michigan..

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/sep/18/old-ball-pros-story-ends-humbly-desert-town/

That's really interesting and sad, but I had to look up this part:
“I handled 16 chances without an error” in the World Series, he said proudly.

Actually, it was 18. But who’s counting web gems when you’re getting measured for a World Series ring?

According to retrosheet, they're both wrong. Cruz handled 19 chances without an error and made errors on two other chances.