Jays broadcaster, Oldsmar resident Cerutti dies at 44
By Times staff writers and Times wire reports
Published October 4, 2004
TORONTO - John Cerutti, a former Blue Jays pitcher and current television announcer, was found dead in his hotel room Sunday, the team said. He was 44.
Cerutti, an Oldsmar resident and avid golfer, was a leader in Tampa area amateur golf competitions for more than a decade.
He won the County Golf Association Championship at Fox Hollow in New Port Richey several times and played in a number of area charity golf tournaments.
"I love the competition and I love golf, so it's a perfect fit," Cerutti told the Times in 2000.
Cerutti played golf Saturday in Toronto with members of his family, the team said. He was married with three children.
Cerutti appeared to have died of natural causes, and foul play was not suspected, the Blue Jays said in a statement.
"It was an unbelievable shock," Blue Jays president Paul Godfrey said. "It goes to show how unimportant wins and losses are at a time like this."
Cerutti, a left-hander, was 49-43 with a 3.94 ERA in a seven-year career.
MORE MARKS FOR BONDS: Barry Bonds won his second NL batting title in three seasons and shattered the on-base percentage and walks records he set two years ago.
The Giants leftfielder, 40, hit .362 and finished with a .609 on-base percentage, topping his mark of .582. Bonds walked 232 times, 34 more than the record, and his 120 intentional walks obliterated the mark of 68, also set by Bonds in 2002. Bonds' .812 slugging percentage led the majors for the fourth straight season but fell short of the record .863 he set in 2001.
A'S: Rightfielder Jermaine Dye is happy with how he rebounded from last year's injury-plagued season, and he's hoping he showed the team enough that it'll keep him around. He finished with a .265 average, 23 homers and 80 RBIs and would like to sign a multiyear deal.
CUBS: Shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who can become a free agent after the World Series, said he will consider returning to Chicago, his team for the final two months this season. ... Broadcaster Chip Caray is leaving to join his father, Skip, in the Braves' booth.
INDIANS: Shortstop Omar Vizquel plans to meet with general manager Mark Shapiro today to discuss the possibility of returning next season. Vizquel has a mutual $5-million option for next season that the club is unlikely to pick up.
MARINERS: Manager Bob Melvin said he expects to return next season, though he acknowledged he's not sure what the front office has planned. "No one has said anything to me. I think I'll probably know here in the next couple of days," Melvin said. In May, the team exercised its option on Melvin's contract for 2005 despite a 9-16 start. It barely avoided its first 100-loss season since 1983.
MARLINS: Pitching coach Wayne Rosenthal and bench coach Doug Davis were not offered contracts for the 2005 season.
TIGERS: Alan Trammell's coaching staff will return for the 2005 season. Kirk Gibson (bench), Bob Cluck (pitching), Bruce Fields (hitting), Lance Parrish (bullpen), Juan Samuel (third base) and Mick Kelleher (first base) will be retained.
