| Cory Lidle | |
|---|---|
 Lidle with the New York Yankees in 2006 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1972-03-22)March 22, 1972 Hollywood, California, U.S. | |
| Died: October 11, 2006(2006-10-11) (aged 34) New York City, New York, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 8, 1997, for the New York Mets | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 1, 2006, for the New York Yankees | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 82–72 |
| Earned run average | 4.57 |
| Strikeouts | 838 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Cory Fulton Lidle (March 22, 1972 – October 11, 2006) was an American professionalbaseball player. Aright-handedpitcher, Lidle played inMajor League Baseball with theNew York Mets,Tampa Bay Devil Rays,Oakland Athletics,Toronto Blue Jays,Cincinnati Reds,Philadelphia Phillies and theNew York Yankees from 1997 to 2006. Lidle was killed when the small aircraft he owned was blown by a strong gust of wind and slammed nose firstinto a residential building inNew York City.[1]
Lidle graduated fromSouth Hills High School inWest Covina, California, in 1990. He was a high school teammate of future major leaguersJason Giambi andAaron Small.[2]
Lidle was not drafted by any baseball teams, but he was signed by theMinnesota Twins as an amateurfree agent. He was released in 1993 and spent a season playing for the unaffiliatedPocatello Posse in Idaho while bartending. After one season in Pocatello, he was signed by theMilwaukee Brewers. Due to his participation as areplacement player during the1994 Major League Baseball strike, he was ineligible to join theMajor League Baseball Players Association.[2] In 1996, Lidle was traded to theNew York Mets.[3]
Lidle made his major league debut on May 8, 1997, with the Mets. He became a trusted relief pitcher that season, going 7–1 with a 3.19 earned run average out of the bullpen.[3] Lidle had arm surgery in 1998.[2] Lidle later played for theTampa Bay Devil Rays,Oakland Athletics,Toronto Blue Jays,Cincinnati Reds,Philadelphia Phillies andNew York Yankees. His best season was 2001, when he achieved a 13–6 record with a 3.59 ERA (10th in the American League) for Oakland, helping the Athletics win thewild card. In August 2002, he gave up only onerun during the whole month (setting Oakland's record for consecutive innings without an earned run),won all five of his starts, and was one of the prime movers in the A's historic run of 20 straight wins. It was on this Oakland team where Lidle earned the nickname "Snacks", for his apparent love of "inhaling" junk food in the bullpen.[4][5]
After the 2002 season, Lidle was traded to theToronto Blue Jays, for whom he played one season. In 2003, Lidle led the major leagues with 123 earned runs allowed and had a 5.75 ERA that was the worst among qualified starters. Lidle then signed with theCincinnati Reds, who later traded him to thePhiladelphia Phillies.
Lidle played for the Phillies for parts of three seasons, amassing a record of 26–20.[6] On July 30, 2006, Lidle was traded along withoutfielderBobby Abreu from the Philadelphia Phillies to the New York Yankees for minor leagueshortstopC. J. Henry, the Yankees' first round pick in the 2005 draft, along withleft-handed relieverMatt Smith, minor leaguecatcher Jesús Sánchez, and minor leagueright-handerCarlos Monasterios. After being traded, he criticized his former team, stating: "On the days I'm pitching, it's almost a coin flip as to know if the guys behind me are going to be there to play 100 percent." He noted his excitement to join a Yankees team that expected to win.[7] In his first start for the Yankees, Lidle went six innings, giving up one run on four hits en route to an 8–1 Yankee victory as part of a sweep against the Toronto Blue Jays.[8] On August 21, 2006, he went six three-hit shutout innings, completing an improbable five-game sweep (in four days) over the then second placeBoston Red Sox (who went from1+1⁄2 games behind to6+1⁄2 games behind).[9]
Lidle "became known for his outspoken nature, challenging the legitimacy of Barry Bonds's home run records" in a 2006 interview.[2]
On October 7, in his final game (Game Four of the2006 ALDS), Lidle lasted only an inning and a third, allowing threeearned runs on four hits as the Yankees lost to theDetroit Tigers, 8–3. He was criticized for telling a reporter, "We got matched up with a team that, I think, was a little more ready to play than we were", which was taken by some as a jab at managerJoe Torre. For damage control, he called the radio talk showMike and the Mad Dog and gave an extended defense of himself and the Yankees;[2] the interview became contentious.[10][11]
In his major league career, Lidle had an 82–72 record with a 4.57 earned run average.[2]
Lidle married his wife Melanie (nee Varela) in 1997, and their son, Christopher Taylor Lidle, was born on September 18, 2000.[12]
Lidle was a descendant ofRobert Fulton, the inventor of the steamboat, as reflected in his middle name.[13] Lidle's twin brother, Kevin, also played baseball, as a catcher and pitcher for variousminor league teams between 1992 and 2002, and for anindependent team in 2005.[14]
On October 11, 2006, just four days after the Yankees' season ended with a loss to theDetroit Tigers in the2006 ALDS, Lidle and co-pilot/flight instructor Tyler Stanger were flying aCirrus SR20 airplane when it crashed into theBelaire Apartments complex at 524 East 72nd Street on New York City'sUpper East Side, killing them both.[15] The plane was flying above the East River past theQueensboro Bridge toward restricted airspace. A strong wind from the east due to an incoming front caused the plane to be blown into the building as it was making a 180-degree turn. In addition to the deaths of Lidle and Stanger, 26 people were injured in the accident, about half of themNew York City firefighters.[16][17]
Lidle was the third Yankee to die in a plane crash. The prior two were catcherThurman Munson (on August 2, 1979) and pitcherJim Hardin (on March 9, 1991). Yankees ownerGeorge Steinbrenner described Lidle's death as a "terrible and shocking tragedy that has stunned the entire Yankees organization" and offered his condolences to Lidle's wife and six-year-old son.[18] On October 12, 2006, before Game 1 of the2006 NLCS in New York City between the New York Mets and theSt. Louis Cardinals, both teams and all spectators observed amoment of silence in Lidle's memory.[19]
The Yankees wore black armbands during the entire 2007 season in memory of Lidle.[20] On April 2, 2007, Cory's widow Melanie and his son Christopher both threw theceremonial first pitch onOpening Day atYankee Stadium.[6]
