Dealing with Tragedy in the Minor Leagues

When Mike Coolbaugh died on the field, the lives of his family members and of the man whose foul ball killed him were changed irrevocably. Sports Illustrated's Scott Price told their story.

Mickey Lambert

Baseball's minor leagues tend to serve as a holding vessel for a strange brew of players: gold-star prospects intermingling with fringe players on their last shot at making it; future superstars coached by former big shots. The only constant in this up-and-down struggle are the guys known as lifers—the Crash Davises of the world, who serve as informal coaches and mentors, as well as stalwarts on teams where today's starting pitcher might be playing on another team before he gets his four days' rest.