In Memoriam: Three former Rays passed in 2024

Coming into the brand new 12 months, let’s take a second to look again and keep in mind a trio of former Rays gamers that tragically handed away final 12 months.

Sean Burroughs

Chosen within the first spherical, ninth general, within the 1998 draft by the San Diego Padres, was Sean Burroughs.

Burroughs had already acquired nationwide consideration previous to the draft as he was a Little League World Sequence legend, pitching consecutive no-hitters en path to his group successful the sequence. Selecting to signal with the Padres relatively than go to varsity, Burroughs rapidly proved he was greater than able to dealing with the minor leagues and showcased himself as one of the gifted pure hitters within the recreation. Through the Summer season Olympics of 2000, Burroughs received a gold medal with Group USA. From 2000 by means of 2002, he was thought of one of many prime 10 prospects in baseball and he’d make his huge league debut at simply 21-years previous in 2002.

Burroughs made the Padres in 2003 and 2004, performing effectively as he hit .292/.350/.384 with 9 HR, registering a 100 wRC+ and 4.9 fWAR. Nevertheless, Burroughs’ offensive recreation nonetheless lacked the facility you’d anticipate from a nook infield and in 2005, the 24-year previous Burroughs slumped mightily. Burroughs would spend half the season within the minor leagues after which be traded to Tampa Bay for Dewon Brazelton within the offseason.

Burroughs acquired simply 25 plate appearances with Tampa Bay and bounced across the league over the following few seasons. From 2007 to 2010, he didn’t play a lot in any respect, however signed a minor league cope with the Diamondbacks previous to 2011 and made his return to the massive leagues. He performed in his closing Main League recreation with the Minnesota Twins in 2012 and closing minor league recreation as a member of the Dodgers group in 2013. Burroughs would go to the Impartial Leagues following his huge league profession.

In Might 2024 Burroughs died on the age of 43 from a fentanyl overdose.

Doug Creek

Doug Creek loved an amazing profession throughout his collegiate days as he turned the winningest pitcher in Georgia Tech’s historical past and would in the end be enshrined of their Corridor of Fame.

Following his NCAA days, Creek was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals within the seventh spherical of the 1991 Draft. It might be a number of years earlier than Creek made his method to the massive leagues, by no means receiving a lot acclaim as a prospect. At 26-years previous, he made his MLB debut in 1995 for the Cardinals, showing in six video games.

That offseason, the Cardinals traded Creek, together with Wealthy DeLucia and Allen Watson, to the San Francisco Giants for Royce Claton and Chris Wimmer. Creek struggled with the Giants for the following two seasons and would finally be claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox, who later bought his contract to the Hanshin Tigers in Japan for the 1998 season. Creek returned stateside in 1999, becoming a member of the Chicago Cubs, however solely made three appearances for them.

In 2000, Creek joined the Tampa Bay Satan Rays the place he loved probably the most success of his huge league profession. Over two seasons, Creek compiled a 4.45 ERA | 4.92 FIP over 123 1⁄3 innings pitched. He returned in 2002, however the 33-year previous struggled; he’d be despatched to the Seattle Mariners in July.

Creek spent a part of the 2003 season with the Toronto Blue Jays however Tommy John surgical procedure ended his marketing campaign. He then went again to the Cardinals in 2004 with whom he spent the season rehabbing within the minor leagues. Creek made his final huge league look in 2005 as a member of the Detroit Tigers. Creek retired the next spring and went on to open and function a fishing enterprise and coach highschool baseball.

In July Doug Creek handed away on the age of 55 from pancreatic most cancers.

Dave McCarty

Some of the wanted gamers of the 1991 draft, the Minnesota Twins have been capable of snag highly effective first baseman Dave McCarty with the third general choice. He rapidly turned one of many video games prime prospects, peaking at #16 general getting into the 1993 season. McCarty surged by means of the minors and as a consequence of a Kent Hrbek damage, he acquired a promotion to the massive leagues in 1993 at simply 23-years of age.

McCarty had carried out effectively in a small pattern measurement in Triple-A, however he struggled mightily within the huge leagues. Through the 1993 season, McCarty hit .214/.257/.286, registering a 43 wRC+ and accumulating -3.1 fWAR, giving him one of many worst single-seasons performances in trendy baseball historical past.

The potential was there for McCarty, however he may by no means discover extended success. He fell out of favor in Minnesota and can be traded to the Cincinnati Reds for John Courtright. Nevertheless, it was a brief tenure in Cincinnati, with whom McCarty solely performed in Triple-A, as he’d be dealt a month later together with Ricky Pickett, John Roper, Deion Sanders (!), and Scott Service to the San Francisco Giants for Dave Burba, Darren Lewis, and Mark Portugal.

McCarty bounced between Triple-A and San Francisco the following few seasons. Previous to 1998, McCarty can be traded for a 3rd time, this to the Seattle Mariners for Scott Smith and Jalal Leach. McCarty performed in simply 28 video games for the Mariners after which spent the 1999 season with the Detroit Tigers Triple-A group.

The Oakland Athletics invited McCarty to spring coaching in 2000, however launched him to pursue a chance with the Kansas Metropolis Royals. It was throughout this time that McCarty loved probably the most success of his huge league profession. Through the 2000 marketing campaign, McCarty hit .278/.329/.478 with 12 HR, registering a 94 wRC+ and accumulating 1.5 fWAR over 103 video games.

Issues tailed off for McCarty the next season. In 2002, the Royals gave McCarty a quick window to enhance, however in the end launched him in Might. The Tampa Bay Satan Rays signed McCarty on Might twenty first, and the now 32-year previous hit .176/.300/.265 with 1 HR over 40 plate appearances; he’d be launched in August.

McCarty rejoined the Athletics in 2003, however completed the 12 months with the Boston Purple Sox. His temporary 2003 marketing campaign in Boston was improbable as he hit .407/.448/.630 over 16 video games and it was sufficient for him to stay round with the group a couple of extra years, receiving a World Sequence ring from the Purple Sox for the 2004 season. McCarty performed his closing huge league recreation in 2005 at 35-years previous with the Boston Purple Sox.

Following his closing recreation, Dave McCarty retired and have become an analyst for NESN for a couple of years. Finally he shaped a industrial actual property agency.

McCarty handed away in April on the age of 54 as a consequence of a cardiac occasion.