Mike, Cory and Vinny have posted messages on the leading off blog http://leadingoff.mlblogs.com/
and are encouraging others to do the same.
From today’s Philly Daily News:
“Donations in Marzano’s memory can be made to the Jayden Brady and Ariana Marzano College Fund, c/o PNC Bank, 1544 Packer Ave., Philadelphia, Pa., 19145.”
I’m at a loss for what to say other than our prayers go out to the family and he will be missed.
Former Major Leaguer John Marzano dies at 45 in Philadelphia
NEW YORK — Former Major League catcher John Marzano, 45, a first-round draft pick in 1984, died this weekend at his home in Philadelphia, where he suffered a fall down a flight of stairs reportedly after a possible heart attack.
Marzano, who played for the Red Sox, Rangers and Mariners, was in his second season as an on-air personality at MLB.com.
“John was a beloved member of our team, a personable, terrific friend to all with whom he worked,” said Bob Bowman, CEO of MLB Advanced Media. “He was an engaging, informed interviewer. His energy, knowledge of the game and comedic touch produced admirable results. We miss him dearly already.”
MLB.com will immediately establish an internship program in memory of Marzano, who in addition to being drafted 14th overall in 1984 earned a spot on Team USA for the Olympics.
“Words cannot describe how sorry we are to have lost John’s inspiring presence, but rest assured, his spirit and legacy will always influence us,” said Dinn Mann, MLB.com’s EVP of Content. “Our prayers go out to his family, his friends and his fans. John simply gave his all every time he went about doing his job and living his life, always grateful, always striving.”
A native of South Philadelphia and born on Valentine’s Day in 1963, Marzano, a member of the Temple University Hall of Fame, showed tremendous work ethic and determination as a ballplayer and broadcaster.
Marzano played 10 seasons as a catcher in the Majors. The Red Sox weren’t the first team to draft him. The Twins picked him in the third round in 1981 out of high school, but Marzano elected to go to college. Marzano reached the big leagues within three years after starring at Temple, playing for Boston from 1987-1992. He was in the Cleveland and Philadelphia farm systems for two years, then, in 1995, appeared in two games for the Texas Rangers. In 1996, he earned a spot on Lou Piniella’s Seattle roster and spent three years with the Mariners.
After retiring as a player, Marzano worked for WIP radio in Philadelphia and at Comcast SportsNet as a post-game analyst for Phillies games before catching on full time with MLB.com in 2007.
Marzano was co-host with Vinny Micucci of “Leading Off” on MLB.com”s Baseball Channel every weekday at 9 a.m. Marzano impressed those around him until the day he died, regularly delivering instructive insight and humor in his role.
“(Ken Griffey Jr.) lifts and separates better than any hitter I have ever seen,” Marzano said during a recent show, breaking down a highlight. “Having an opportunity to watch this man play for three years, I was so fortunate — even though I was sitting on the bench watching him. To watch him and the plays he made in center field, crashing into walls, sometimes getting hurt, not worrying about himself but worrying about his team, it was amazing for me to watch that.”
Marzano is survived by his wife Terri, daughters Dominique and Danielle, and two grandchildren.
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SF - MIL
Giants RHP Keiichi Yabu’s status for Monday’s home opener against the Padres is uncertain after he hurt his eyes when the elastic bands he was working out with Saturday became unhooked and snapped across his face. … Giants CF Aaron Rowand (sore ribs) will be re-evaluated Monday. X-rays on Saturday were inconclusive and he’s missed the last two games. … Brewers CF Tony Gwynn Jr. said he thinks he’ll be ready to play Tuesday after missing the series with a tight left hamstring.
SD _ LAD
The home run Young gave up to Ethier equaled the total number of homers he allowed last season in 13 starts at spacious Petco Park covering 85 1-3 innings. … Dodgers third-base coach Larry Bowa returned after serving a three-game suspension. Bowa was ejected Tuesday night after he ignored warnings from umpire crew chief Ed Montague not to leave the third base coaching box during a game against San Francisco. Bowa, who had to be restrained by Torre and bench coach Bob Schaefer, was suspended because he repeatedly bumped Torre into Montague as he argued. … Umpire crew chief Tim Tschida missed the game with an inner ear infection.
CIN - PHI
Myers is the 378th pitcher to give up a homer by Griffey, who was 3-for-9 career off the right-hander before he connected. … It was Griffey’s 100th career homer in his hometown. Of those, 62 have come at Great American Ball Park. … Volquez was 3-11 in 17 starts and three relief appearances for the Rangers. … The Phillies have been held to three or fewer runs three times this season, setting up their 2-4 start. … Lidge made his first appearance since coming off the disabled list on Saturday, pitching a perfect eighth. He struck out Griffey for the second out. … 2B Chase Utley hit his 150th career double.
HOU - CHC
Bourn jogged to first thinking he’d walked on a check swing 3-2 pitch in the eighth. But after Cubs manager Lou Piniella came out of the dugout and asked for an appeal, third-base umpire Kerwin Danley ruled Bourn went around and was out. … Blanco got the start at catcher for the Cubs, who rested Geovany Soto and gave him a chance to practice using his legs to aid his throwing motion. Base stealers are 7-for-7 against Soto this season. … Houston 1B Lance Berkman (neck spasms) and 3B Ty Wigginton (small fracture in his left thumb) did not play. They both left Saturday’s game early. Wigginton will be examined Monday. … Astros 2B Kaz Matsui, on the disabled list after problems with an anal fissure, is scheduled to go on a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi starting Tuesday.
Tor - BOS
Ellsbury is 4-for-6 with two career homers against Halladay. … Boston made four errors, three by shortstop Julio Lugo. … Boston RHP Kyle Snyder was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Beckett. … Toronto Raptors guard Jose Calderon threw out the first pitch.
ARI - COL
Helton has hit safely in all six games. … The last time Colorado was swept at home by Arizona was July 7-9, 2006.
SEA - BAL
Bedard is expected to start Tuesday in Tampa Bay. … Seattle’s Adrian Beltre went 0-for-3 against Guthrie and is hitless in nine career at-bats against the right-hander. … Millar has at least one hit in all five games.
KC - MIN
OF David DeJesus left the season opener with an ankle injury in the third inning and hasn’t played since. Hillman isn’t sure if DeJesus will be ready for Tuesday. … Denard Span made his major league debut for the Twins in right field and went 0-for-2 with a walk. … Twins starters have more balks (two) than walks (one) this season.
WAS - STL
Molina caught Milledge at first to end the first and leads major league catchers with 20 pickoffs since his rookie season in 2005. … The Nationals have committed only one error, the best defensive start in franchise history. Last year they had seven errors after seven games. … Cardinals LF Chris Duncan (left hamstring strain) missed his fifth start but La Russa said he could be in the lineup on Monday at Houston. … The Cardinals swept the Nationals/Expos at home for the first time since a three-gamer from May 2-4, 2003.
CWS - DET
Nick Swisher homered on the game’s second pitch, Carlos Quentin had four RBIs and the Chicago White Sox handed the Detroit Tigers their sixth straight loss, 13-2 Sunday night.
Despite the second-highest payroll in baseball, the Tigers, the only winless team in baseball, are off to their worst start since going 0-9 at the beginning 2003, when they lost an AL-record 119 games.
Tex - LAA
Garland had been impressive in his debut for Los Angeles, holding the Twins to one run and six hits over eight innings of a 9-1 victory during the season-opening series at Minnesota. … Padilla gave up one run on eight hits in six innings in his first start of the season, getting no decision in Texas’ 5-4 win at Seattle. … Angels RHP Scot Shields, who came off the DL a day earlier, pitched the eighth inning and gave up a leadoff single before retiring the next three batters. … The Rangers traditionally have given Garland trouble: He came in with a 4-7 record and 5.50 ERA against them in 17 appearances against them, including 16 starts.
Cin - ARI
Hudson made only five errors last season, when he won his third straight Gold Glove. … According to Elias, Cueto was the first to throw five perfect innings in his debut since Seattle’s Ken Cloude retired the first 16 batters he faced on Aug. 9, 1997, against the White Sox. … The last pitcher to strike out 10 in his big league debut was Daisuke Matsuzaka, who fanned 10 in seven innings for Boston last season.
DET - KC
Detroit set-up man Fernando Rodney was scheduled to throw in the bullpen in Florida on Thursday. He is on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis … Polanco had four assists, giving him 900 consecutive chances without an error at second base. Polanco’s last error came on July 1, 2006 in Pittsburgh, and he has now broken Luis Castillo’s old major-record by 253.
CWS - CLE
Cleveland’s Victor Martinez flied out as a pinch hitter in the eighth. The catcher left Monday’s opener with a strained left hamstring and didn’t play Wednesday. Wedge hopes Martinez can return to catching duties in the next few days. … Swisher banged into the wall in center field catching Gutierrez’s flyout in the second inning but stayed in the game.
MIL - CHC
Cubs manager Lou Piniella reiterated Thursday that moving Soriano back to the leadoff spot from second in the order was not that big of a deal. “I’m telling you that I don’t need to justify it. I think I know what I’m doing,” Piniella. Soriano feels more comfortable batting first, where he hit last season. He also is not encumbered by leg problems that slowed him last season and were a worry earlier this spring. … Brewers C Jason Kendall batted ninth for a third straight game, one spot below the pitcher. … Gwynn left before the bottom of the sixth with a tight left hamstring.
MIN - LAA
Kubel’s homer was the first of the year by the Twins. The last time it took them this long to hit one was in 1999. … Speaking of holding on, Los Angeles’ Maicer Izturis flung his bat into the first row of seats far down the first-base line after losing his grip in the third. Teammate Howie Kendrick also lost the handle in the fourth, and a fan made a nice one-handed grab of the bat about 10 rows up the third-base line.
WAS - PHI
Nationals C Johnny Estrada began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Columbus. Estrada is on the disabled list with a right elbow injury. … Nationals LF Felipe Lopez played his first game in the outfield after spending his entire career in the infield. … RHP Rudy Seanez pitched a perfect sixth in his first appearance with the Phillies. … Philadelphia’s Tom Gordon, who allowed five runs in the ninth inning of an 11-6 loss in the opener, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to preserve the tie.
Notes from the AP:
The Padres repainted the third base coaching box at Petco Park on Wednesday, extending it about 20 feet toward home plate. The move came on the same day Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa—a former Padres manager—was suspended for three games and fined by the commissioner’s office following a wild argument the night before. Bowa was tossed in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants by umpire Ed Montague, who had told him to keep within the boundaries of the coaching box.
Cin-Ari
Haren’s double was his fifth hit in 55 career at-bats. … LH Doug Davis expects to start Thursday. He was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last week and will have surgery on April 10. He wants to keep pitching until then. … Stephen Drew hit a solo homer. The Diamondbacks have four homers in two games, all solo shots. … 1B Conor Jackson was taken to a hospital for treatment after the game. He’s been sick for several days and had trouble breathing.
Det - KC
The Royals will have a 24-man active roster until Saturday, when C Miguel Olivo finishes serving the last four games of a five-game suspension he picked up while playing for Florida last season. … CF Curtis Granderson is scheduled to have X-rays on his broken hand this weekend. Granderson has been out since being hit by a pitch on March 22. … The win was Bannister’s 13th as a Royal, three fewer than his father Floyd won for Kansas City in 1988-89. Overall, Brian trails his father 134-15. … Floyd Bannister and Rogers were teammates with Texas in 1992.
Tor - NYY
Yankees C Jorge Posada was scratched from the lineup because of a stiff right shoulder. He is day to day, Girardi said. … Toronto LF Matt Stairs (sore left hip) was held out of the lineup again. He tested his hip during batting practice and “should be good to go” on Thursday, Gibbons said. … Mussina dropped to 23-12 against Toronto.
CWE - CLE
Indians C Victor Martinez (strained hamstring) said his injury isn’t as bad as he first feared. He was replaced by Kelly Shoppach, who doubled in three at-bats. … Just call him Everyday Grady. Sizemore owns the majors’ longest active consecutive games played streak. Sizemore’s streak is the longest by an Indians player since Toby Harrah (473) from 1979-83. … Chicago’s seven-man bullpen entered this season with 1,502 games of experience. The White Sox opened 2007 with relievers who had pitched in 615 games. … Vazquez’s 1,569 strikeouts since 2000 are the second most in the majors behind Randy Johnson’s 1,923.
MIL - CHC
Part of Carlos Zambrano’s problems with cramping is related to a low potassium level, Piniella said. Zambrano had to leave in the seventh Monday with a cramp in his right forearm. He’s had similar problems with cramps in past seasons. Zambrano said he would have to drink more water. Piniella said his ace will have to eat more bananas. And the Cubs also would like Zambrano to cut back on his caffeine intake. … Weeks’ leadoff homer was his seventh.
SEA - TEX
Batista saved 31 games for the Blue Jays in 2005. … Texas still hasn’t won an opening series since 2001. … Betancourt, the No. 9 hitter, is 6-for-11 (.545) through three games.
MIN - LAA
Tolbert singled for his first major league hit, the first runner to reach against Saunders with two outs in the third inning. He was a late fill-in for SS Adam Everett, who left the stadium at the beginning of batting practice to tend to a family situation. … Scioscia said setup man Scot Shields “felt very strong” and will pitch in a rehab assignment Friday for Triple-A Salt Lake.
BOS - OAK
Lester is the first Red Sox left-hander to win a game at the Coliseum since May 29, 1995, when Zane Smith beat Dave Stewart. … Manny Ramirez hit a 399-foot drive to center after Ortiz’s homer, but Chris Denorfia leaped to catch it at the fence. Ramirez went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts. … Boston RF J.D. Drew made his season debut, going 1-for-5 with two strikeouts. He hadn’t played since his lower back tightened up March 25. … Garvey set the record with San Diego from June 1983-April 1985.
BAL - TB
Roberts was 3-for-3 with two walks before making his first out of the season in the third inning. … Crawford is 2-for-2 in stolen bases after going 6-for-6 in spring training. … Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Sajak lives in Maryland and is a long time Orioles fan.
WAS - PHI
Nationals GM Jim Bowden said there’s no timetable on a return for LF Elijah Dukes, who was put on the DL after straining his right hamstring in the season opener. … INF Felipe Lopez, who has never played in the outfield in the majors, soon could be playing left field. “He’s a great athlete and he has a great attitude,” Acta said. … The Phillies had been 6-0 when Hamels pitched at least six innings against Washington. Hamels is 4-2 with a 2.49 ERA in 10 starts against the Nats. … The last time an opponent one-hit the Phillies was Chicago on July 2, 2003. Cubs starter Matt Clement pitched seven innings in that game.