Major League Baseball

Former big league outfielder Mitchell Page dies

Published Mar. 14, 2011 12:52 a.m. ET

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Mitchell Page, who had a fantastic rookie season and played eight years in the major leagues before becoming a hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, has died. He was 59.

The Cardinals say Page died Saturday. Team spokesman Brian Bartow said Sunday that the team was informed of Page's death by his agent. The cause of death was not known.

Page broke into the big leagues in 1977 and was an immediate hit with the Oakland Athletics, batting .307 with 21 homers and 75 RBIs. He also stole 42 bases and finished runner-up to Hall of Famer Eddie Murray in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

Page's numbers at the plate dropped off after his first season. The left fielder and designated hitter spent seven years with the A's and then played 16 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1984, finishing his career with a .266 average, 72 homers and 259 RBIs.

He was the Cardinals' hitting coach from 2001-04, counting star slugger Albert Pujols among his pupils. Most recently, Page served as a minor league hitting instructor for the Cardinals in spring training last year, but did not have a role with the team this year, Bartow said.

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