Cardinals Still Struggling For Understanding In Death Of Another Team Member
St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny didn’t know what to say about the unexpected Sunday death of one of the team’s players… Oscar Taveras.
Taveras, 22, was in the Dominican Republic and died Sunday in an automobile accident. At the time of the accident, the roads were wet, but the investigation is still ongoing and police are looking at whether speed or alcohol was a factor. Taveras’ girlfriend was also in the vehicle and killed in the accident.
He is the third active Cardinals player to die in 12 years.
Matheny, pitcher Carlos Martinez and general manager John Mozeliak were a part of a group from the organization that has plans to attend Tuesday’s private burial service in Taveras’ country.
Matheny said he was asked to give words about the tragic death, but that he just could not do it. He said it’s an understatement that Taveras’ death is a horrible loss.
Taveras signed with the team in 2008 as an international free agent when he was a teenager. He has been noted as one of the game’s top prospects and even scored a homerun during his major league entrance May 31. Taveras, during the NL Championship Series against San Francisco, also had a big solo drive in Game 2.
According to Mozeliak, Taveras had some identity in the organization. He said so much was written and talked about Taveras, even though he never had a real opportunity to show his “stardom” at the major league level.
The Cardinals had just finished its plans for Taveras, who would spend the majority of November in Jupiter, Florida at the Cardinals’ spring training facility. After that, he’d go to the Dominican Winter League. Although Taveras did not get the right field job, which went to Randal Grichuk, a fellow rookie, the organization still realized his potential.
Matheny said the team really loved Oscar and he loved them back. The team is a family and they will miss Oscar deeply.
When Matheny was a Cardinals catcher, the team’s pitcher Darryl Kile died from a heart attack in 2002. And, in April 2007, John Hancock was killed in a car accident. These deaths took place during the baseball season; Taveras’ death happened after the loss in the NL Championship Series.
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