Sometimes a situation is just too f**ked for a clever headline. From HuffPost Sports:
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Seattle Mariners outfielder Greg Halman was stabbed to death early Monday and his brother was arrested as a suspect, Dutch police said.
Rotterdam Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said police were called to a home in the port city in the early hours of the morning and found the 24-year-old Dutch player bleeding from a stab wound.
The worst part of the story — at least aside from the death of a man who was essentially still a kid — is that the suspect arrested and taken in for questioning in connection with the murder is Halman’s 22-year-old brother. There isn’t a lot of information beyond that other than tribute quotes from the people who knew him and a weird, lingering sadness. Halman had been a member of the Seattle organization since he was 16-years old, hit .230 in 35 games and made starts at all three outfield positions for the Mariners in 2011. That’s where his story ends. I don’t know what happened between the brothers that would lead to this and obviously I didn’t know Greg Halman personally, but from a sports perspective, the only perspective I’m awarded, there is a strong, resonant sadness to “he hit .230 in 34 games, and then” without anything following.
Mariners Chairman Howard Lincoln, President Chuck Armstrong and general manager Jack Zduriencik paid tribute to Halman on behalf of the club.
“Greg was a part of our organization since he was 16 and we saw him grow into a passionate young man and talented baseball player,” they said in a statement. “He had an infectious smile that would greet you in the clubhouse, and he was a tremendous teammate. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Greg’s family.”
He’s got our thoughts and prayers as well. I don’t know how good they’ll do him, but they’re his.
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Much to my surprise it only reduces the Dutch major league baseball contingent by 50%. Keep your head up, Rick VandenHurk.
I live in Seattle, and I have like Halman for some time. As a prospect, he was boom or bust. I remember taking my son to watch him play in AAA Tacoma. Someone behind us said he had “Light Tower Power”, and being an inquisitive 10-year-old, he asked me what that meant. I said it means he has so much strength that when he hits homeruns, they basically go to space.
His next at bat, he literally hit the ball over the light towers in left field.
For a 10-year-old, that was basically the best moment of his life. He didn’t know who Greg Halman was before that day, and the only other Mariner he liked (because it was the only other Mariner he knew) was Ichiro.
When Halman got called up for a few weeks later in the season, my son was really excited. He did ok for a 23-year-old, played great defense, and apparently made a lot of the lady Mariner fans swoon.
This is all I know about Greg Halman, and I’m still shaken and upset by this news. Life is a terribly fragile thing, and, while I am in no way religious, I’d still like to send my thoughts and prayers to his family. Truly heartbreaking.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Greg’s family.
Well, you know, except for his brother. Fuck him.
As a Mariners fan, all I can say is, “Should’ve been you, Carl Everett.”