MLB pitcher Doug Creek dead at 55: Southpaw who spent nine seasons in the majors dies just three months after being diagnosed with colon cancer

Retired alleviation pitcher Doug Creek died Sunday astatine nan property of 55, conscionable 3 months aft he was diagnosed pinch colon cancer. 

Creek spent 9 play successful Major League Baseball, suiting up for nan Cardinals, Giants, Cubs, Rays, Mariners, Blue Jays and Tigers successful a profession that spanned 10 years betwixt 1995 and 2005. 

The Virginia autochthonal was considered a apical imaginable successful his youth, being named precocious schoolhouse shot subordinate of nan twelvemonth successful 1987 earlier attending Georgia Tech. 

His decease was confirmed successful a heartbreaking Instagram station by his daughter, Aubrie. 

'My life for ever changed this morning. There will ne'er beryllium a time that goes by wherever I don't miss you. I still can't wrap my caput astir nan truth that you're really gone. It conscionable doesn't consciousness real,' she wrote, accompanying nan station pinch pictures of her pinch her precocious begetter complete nan years. 

'We whitethorn person butt heads rather a spot and disagreed connected everything nether nan sun but 1 point we did work together connected is shot and our emotion for it. It made maine truthful happy to stock a emotion for thing you were truthful passionate about.' 

One of Creek's teammates, Scott Bullett, paid tribute to his precocious friend successful an question and reply pinch The Journal successful West Martinsburg, West Virginia.

'He was a bully guy. We played against each different successful nan minors. It's sad to spot a feline for illustration Dougie spell truthful soon.'

In nan majors, Creek is champion known for his 2 stints pinch nan St. Louis Cardinals, who drafted him retired of college. 

Among his claims to fame was striking retired legendary slugger Mark McGwire doubly successful 1997 erstwhile nan All-Star was pinch nan Athletics. 

'He sounded a bully game, it wasn't conscionable 1 batter. Give nan pitcher immoderate credit. He did his job,' McGwire said astatine nan time. 

Among his managers were nan legendary Lou Piniella and Dusty Baker. 

'[Piniella's] a feline that you conscionable wanted to spell to warfare pinch him. He's not scary aliases imposing, but you want to spell retired and play good for him. I felt nan aforesaid measurement pinch Dusty Baker erstwhile I played for him,' Creek said successful a 2002 interview. 

His last crippled came successful 2005. During his career, Creek besides spent a play playing successful Japan pinch nan Hanshin Tigers. 

According to The Journal's tribute, Creek became an avid boater successful his retirement, becoming a charter skipper and competitory angler. 

He joined his wife, Allison, successful 2001. She gave commencement to their child, boy Colton, successful July 2002. Colton now useful arsenic a corrections serviceman successful Maryland. 

Their daughter, Aubrie, was calved successful March 2004, a afloat 10 weeks premature weighing conscionable 4 pounds, forcing Creek to return clip disconnected from playing to thief his wife, who was suffering from hypertension, he told The Memphis Commercial Appeal successful 2004.