FanHouse RodBeck

Later today, the Red Sox will stroll out of the visitor's dugout and face the Yankees for the final time at venerable Yankee Stadium. There will be other goodbyes to the House That Ruth Built in the coming weeks, but with the Bronx Bombers a major longshot to play into October, this series seems to have taken on special significance.

Here are a dozen of the finest moments in the best rivalry in American sports, all of which took place at Yankee Stadium. Even Red Sox fans have to be feeling a little nostalgic about their team's final visit. After all, the franchise's finest hour took place there.

1. Oct. 16, 2003: The ghosts strike one last time. After Red Sox manager Grady Little leaves Pedro Martinez in well past the 100-pitch mark with a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning, the Yankees rally to force extra innings. In the 11th, Aaron Boone sends a deep fly into the Bronx night, sending New York to the World Series and crushing Boston's dreams of ending the Curse of the Bambino again.

It's been a month since Rod Beck passed away, and while the medical examiner is still waiting to receive the toxicology report to determine the exact reason of death, it's looking like there's a good chance cocaine was involved:

A police report released Tuesday indicated evidence in several places at Beck's house, including the bathroom and the master bedroom in which the 38-year-old Beck, a three-time All-Star who saved 286 games, was found dead at his northeast Phoenix home on June 23. ...

Police also found a loaded semiautomatic handgun in a bag containing numerous glass bowl pipes and torch lighters. ...

The police report said Beck called his personal assistant, Tina Buchanan, at 11:57 a.m. on June 23 and asked her to come to his home because he was not feeling well. When Buchanan arrived, she found Beck lying on the master bedroom floor "not breathing and unresponsive," the report said.

Buchanan later told officers "Beck used cocaine on a daily basis, but she did not know the quantity he was using," the report said. "Beck has had seizures in the past and has recently suffered from hallucinations. The hallucinations were possibly caused by his cocaine use."

It's unfortunate, but given Beck's reputation as a guy who liked to party, it's not completely surprising. Since his death, Beck's house has been put up for sale, and earlier today Red Sox Monster stumbled across a YouTube slideshow of the place put together by a real estate agent. It's a little sad watching the video knowing the man died in the building, but if you're looking for property in Arizona and have $6.5 million to spare, I guess it could be yours.
Sorry, No Photos

Last night, the East Valley Tribune, a metropolitan Phoenix-based newspaper, reported that a "prominent" valley figure was dead, but that the police wouldn't reveal exactly who that prominent figure because that person's two kids -- away at camp -- had yet to be notified.

Today, the Chicago Tribune is reporting that person to be Rod Beck.

There seem to be a limited number of details surrounding Beck's death, but he apparently died at home by himself. No foul play is suspected.

Beck pitched for the Giants, Cubs, Red Sox, and Padres, but experienced his best years early in his career. He was an All-Star with the Giants in 1993 and 1994, and in 1998 helped the Cubs clinch a Wild Card berth. He retired in 2004.

More details as they're reported. Rest in peace, Rod.

(HT: Sports by Brooks)