Gone far too young..

Cory Lidle died today, at age 34, after the small airplane he was flying crashed into an apartment building in New York City. He left his wife of 10 years, Melanie, and a six year-old son, Christopher.

I did not know Cory. I of course knew who he was, and my good friend covered the A's when he was there. He played on those great high school teams in West Covina with the Giambis and my pal Shawn Wooten. He also had a twin brother, Kevin.

There are plenty of people who die too young every day. For some reason, when it's an athlete, it's almost more unbelievable. Perhaps it's because they are perpetual children, playing a child's game in a man's body. And then they're gone, and what they leave behind is in fact very grown-up; a wife, children who depend on them, brothers, sisters, parents.

I did not know Cory, but I know so many like him. Young men. Immortal. Until they're not.