Cards' pitcher dies in car crash

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Josh Hancock, a relief pitcher who helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series last season, died early Sunday when his sport utility vehicle slammed into the back of a tow truck.
The Cardinals postponed their home game Sunday night against the Chicago Cubs. It was the second time in less than five years that a St. Louis pitcher died during the season. Darryl Kile was found dead in his hotel room in 2002.
"There's a big hole that's going to be there," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "This is brutal to go through."
Police said the 29-year-old Hancock, who was single, was alone in his 2007 Ford Explorer when the SUV struck the rear of a flatbed tow truck at 12:35 a.m. The tow truck was in the left lane with its lights flashing while assisting another car that had crashed, Police Chief Joe Mokwa said.
Died upon impact
Hancock died upon impact, Mokwa said. The driver of the tow truck, whose name was not released by police, was in the truck at the time of the crash but was not injured. Mokwa said the truck driver saw Hancock's SUV swerve just before it hit the tow truck, which weighs about 26,000 pounds.
Mokwa said it appeared Hancock was driving at or just above the speed limit, and there were no alcohol containers in his vehicle.
"We may never know what occurred," Mokwa said. "It appears that he just merely didn't see the tow truck."
Autopsy scheduled
The medical examiner's office said an autopsy had been scheduled. Services were scheduled for Thursday in Tupelo, Miss., where Hancock's family lives.
"All of baseball today mourns the tragic and untimely death of St. Louis pitcher Josh Hancock," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. "He was a fine young pitcher who played an important role on last year's World Series championship team."
The Cardinals will wear patches with Hancock's No. 32 on their sleeves for the rest of the season. The team also planned a memorial for the bullpen, which already features a tribute to Kile.
General manager Walt Jocketty said the Cardinals, who are off Thursday, plan to charter a plane to the funeral. The team begins a three-game series in Milwaukee today and returns to St. Louis Friday.
"Obviously, this is very difficult for all of us, especially those of us who were here five years ago when we lost Darryl Kile," said Jocketty, his eyes red. "There's no way we could have played tonight's game."
News circulated around league
News of Hancock's death began to circulate around the majors on Sunday morning. Seattle Mariners pitcher Jeff Weaver, who won the World Series clincher for St. Louis in October, got a call from Cardinals reliever Randy Flores.
"I never really had a phone call like that before. It's kind of mind-boggling. Just a few days ago I had talked to him on the phone, touching base again because we were pretty good friends at the time," Weaver said. "We spent a lot of time together. It was just hard to believe."
Hancock was remembered at ballparks around the country. The Cleveland Indians observed a moment of silence before their game against the Baltimore Orioles, with Hancock's picture displayed on a giant scoreboard. There also was a moment of silence for Hancock at Yankee Stadium.
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