Former major leaguer Doug Creek has passed away, according to multiple sources, including The Journal out of Martinsburg, West Virginia. The left-hander died at the age of 55 due to the effects of pancreatic cancer.
Creek was born in Winchester, Virginia in 1969 and went on to attend Georgia Tech. He worked as a starting pitcher for the Yellow Jackets and was drafted by the Cardinals with a seventh-round pick in 1991. In the minor leagues, he continued working out of the rotation until he got near the majors and was then shifted into a relief role.
He was able to make his major league debut with the Cards in 1995, tossing 6 2/3 scoreless innings that year. Prior to the 1996 season, he was traded to the Giants alongside Rich DeLucia and Allen Watson for Royce Clayton and a player to be named later, who was later named as Chris Wimmer.
Creek made 63 appearances for San Francisco in 1996 but with a 6.52 ERA. In 1997, an attempt was made to get Creek stretched back out, though without success. He had a 6.75 ERA in three major league starts and a 4.93 ERA in Triple-A. He went overseas for the 1998 season, pitching for the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He made six starts and one relief appearance with a 5.65 ERA.
He returned to North American ball and then spent the next few years as a journeyman left-hander, pitching for the Cubs, Devil Rays, Mariners, Blue Jays and Tigers. He finished his career with 289 1/3 innings pitched over 279 appearances. He had a 5.32 ERA, 22.2% strikeout rate and 15.1% walk rate. After leaving the baseball field, he headed out to the water. According to his obituary, he became a charter boat captain in Tampa Bay and competed as an angler on the Redfish Circuit.
We at MLBTR join the baseball world in sending our condolences to Creek’s family, friends, former teammates and coaches and all those mourning his passing.
People die too young!
Unfortunately cancer will do that to you lost my wife at 55 5 years ago now to a rare cancer. Sucks big time….
Sorry
Rest in peace, Doug Creek.
R.I.P. Doug.
However, i mentioned this in the Reyes Moronta thread days ago as Creek passed on Tuesday…
Very sad. Prayers to the family. My sister in-law passed less than two years ago at 63 from pancreatic cancer. One of the tougher cancers to treat. Very hard on the treating as well as the family.
Lost a good buddy to pancreatic not long ago. Also a young man. Terrible thing for all. RIP Mr Creek.
Happen to be one of the lucky ones. Diagnosed 20 years ago this August. Docs thought “ don’t know if we can save you “ .. here I am 🙂
But it was tough road. I understand I was just lucky.
Instead of saying you were lucky, how about thanking the one above. You must have prayed when you were diagnosed, there ain’t no atheists in a foxhole. So if you prayed you should thank.
And all of us should at least once in a while stop complaining and contemplate how lucky we are that we’re walking around healthy. It really puts perspective on whatever difficulty you might be experiencing.
People are more and more coming to their senses, so yes, even staring the finality of death in the face, there are people who don’t believe in a sky daddy.
Being an agnostic or even an atheist is not a decision people make based upon strong intellectual examination or even with the slightest thought process. People don’t believe for a few simple reasons, the biggest of which is because Darwinism is the scientific theory of which is taught to the masses (creationism creates problems of the division of church and state of which I understand. The biggest threat to democracy is the creation of a religious state.) but when one is taught one school of thought that had a quite a number of scientific and philosophical problems, but is never shown an alternative narrative of the facts at a certain point changes to one’s belief structure is an intellectually traumatic event. And secondly and perhaps most importantly, people confuse Christianity with god, if one has their doubts about a certain aspect of their religion, it’s not necessary to dispose of the idea of a creator entirely. But it’s easier to dispose of the idea entirely than to actually be intellectually honest with oneself and have the ability to differentiate the two. Additionally if one believes in higher power that belief almost automatically presupposes that if there is a higher power, why did “he” create this whole universe, why am I here, why, why why, ad infinite. Of which the answers may or may not be satisfactory for the questioner. And living with this sort of internal conflict and, above all possibly having a reason for existence and possibly having a moral code of which to adhere too is not something may people in the modern day world are interested, comfortable in, or even feel capable of doing which leads to the easier way of just proclaiming “I’m not a believer” which absolves themselves of any sort of personal obligation. And then they can create their own personal moral code and identity which is fluid and based upon whatever they, at the current moment feel is something they should be doing.
I do not intend this to be a personal affront to you or whomever is reading this . I simply intend to bring up(hopefully a thought provoking) thought process to the discussion. I look forward to your response and input in this delicate discussion.
“quite a number of SCIENTIFIC and philosophical problems, but is never shown an alternative narrative of the FACTS”
What are the numerous problems with the scientific theory that prove the facts of the alternative narrative are the “way”?
Or is it that there are numerous problems with the alternative narrative so the facts of scientific theory prove it was the “way”?
I use “way” for lack of a better word which I know there are several.
I also look forward to your response and input to this never answerable question.
Thank you for your posts. I appreciate where you are coming from and taking the time to be thoughtful. I did smile though when after suggesting I shouldn’t say lucky … and then you say we all should contemplate how lucky we are.
Should I thank god for not dying ? Should I thank god for the cancer and years of life altering surgeries and chemo in the first place ?
All gods plan yes.
Narratives are there to fit the purpose of the narrator.
All sides have their proof.
Did you pray? I’m going to assume you did, that’s why I said you should thank.
In regards to your point /question, that is probably the most fundamental question man has ever posed. Why do bad things happen to good people? If you’re a believer in a higher power(again, not necessarily Christianity or any other organized religion) that presupposes that god is all powerful and all knowing. Being that so it makes no plausible sense that “he” would create a universe only to let it play out at random. That higher power must have a plan and, why do things happen we are not privy to. The human mind cannot grasp an existence outside of the time/space continuum. God is above all being that time is creation, and so is space. So if god planned something it must be for a reason. Being condescending and saying it’s all for the good, and then proclaiming non belief is a small minded way of going processing an occurrence. The only to go about this process is to objectively see through both sides and actually be open to the possibility of there being a creator. Something that most if not all people are unwilling/incapable of doing.
Anyway, I wish you continued health and admire you perseverance in defeating cancer. It must’ve taken a quite atoll on you ,mentally and physically. To see you posting on baseball message board means you’ve retained the ability to be happy even after all you’ve been through which I ,again, admire greatly.
Have you actually spent time delving into the topic? Or is it easier to live life without conviction?
Thank you for the good wishes. From an intellectual point of view I agree with almost everything you say. Yet stealing a line from my favourite band ( helped me immensely in recovery, songs like Ramble on ) It makes me wonder 🙂
Not sure of that question is for me ?
I come from a family that’s half members are very religious to the point of orthodoxy and secular though believers , a few non believers as well.
I think often about the “answer “. I discuss with Jewish Christian and a couple of Muslim friends as well.
As I say , I wonder but I want to believe so much. The answer will come one day. I know that lol
PS. I am happy guy. Thank you
Hope you are too
Oh yes I prayed often. As you said earlier – no atheists in a foxhole.
Yet here I am occasionally doubting.
I recognize the complete contradiction.
lol
I’m a math guy ( guess why fell in love with stats bball) …
It’s all got to add up.
Internal battle.
The question was was intended for a different commenter. But I appreciate your honesty and hope you have healthy rest of your life. And thank you for engaging in this discussion!
what a gross condescending post, your imaginary friend ain’t there, even if he was, he’s the one who gave this person cancer in the first place, why the hell should they thank and praise that monster of a character?, would you thank someone for punching you in the face?, it is ridiculous what religion will do to a brain and what it will make people defend and attempt to(poorly) justify
there are plenty of atheists in foxholes, that’s just something idiots say
your condescending BS is off the charts, I would be willing to bet YOU have never thought about your own nonsensical beliefs, most atheist have thought about it way more the a vast majority of theists
wow, you are so amazingly wrong about literally everything you said
I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my post. I do not think that my post was condescending at all. If you feel it was I hope you can provide which aspect of my post offended you so I can clarify my stance om the matter.
Additionally if you choose to have this discussion, can you please do so in civil manner so that you (or I ) don’t get banned by some watchful commenters
Can provide some actual substance to this conversation, or are you going to just continue writing one line rebuffs?
of course you don’t think it was condescending, you believe the crap you spouted, no atheists in foxholes, god claims etc. as I said are things idiots say, can you demonstrate anything you claim?, also this is a baseball message board about a man who died, your nonsensical ramblings don’t belong here, do not assume everyone believes in fairy tales, also this is not a conversation it’s a comment section, if you want a conversation go call into the line or atheist experience, here’s the thing about what you said, you claimed atheists never have thought about what they believed or studied it and then proceeded to say child level arguments for your god, showing I don’t think you have thought about what your parents likely put in your head, meanwhile most of the atheists I have interacted with are former theists who actually did study the bible and did a ton of research about the subject they cared about, they reluctantly realized there is nothing there, most didn’t want to lose their faith but they would rather be honest, it’s incredibly condescending to claim their life and lived experience isn’t real, especially attempting to back up that with basic child level arguments that have been debunked many many times, a person who’s looked into it as much as you seem to claim should know this
RIP
I also Lost my mom and brother from Pancreatic Cancer!!
Sorry
My sister in law died at 43 from pancreatic cancer. She was a triathlete. 55 is way too young as well. RIP
So sorry
RIP Doug…..
Wv high school great. Had a very successful fishing tv show after baseball. RIP
RIP
Condolences to the family and all who are grieving for him. I hate cancer! It’s taken way too many people I love.
Sending prayers your way Baseball.
Way too young. Condolences to those who,loved him.
RIP
Gone way too young. RIP and condolences to his family and friends.
Got his autograph after his first major league win against the A’s back in the day.
RIP Doug Creek.
RIP
RIP Doug. Love that MLBTR does these announcements/tributes.
Prayers for the family.
Condolences to family during these tough times. Rest in peace. Mr.Creek.
F cancer
Were all these people dying of cancer 200, 500 or 900 yrs ago?
Me thinks its the absolute piss poor food we eat.
Obviously there are thing we put in our bodies, knowing it will kill us in 20 or 40 yrs, chemicals in the air, H2O & food and traits passed on by genes but why is cancer over taking every organ in the human body?
We would have never make it from the start if Fred and Barney were fighting all the cancer that shows up today, whats different?
Agree we put a lot of poor choices into our system. Processed foods , drugs ( legal and illegal) alcohol , on and on ,
But we live twice as long as people did 500 900 years ago , even 100 years ago much shorter life span.
So not all bad
you answered the question we live twice as long