M's third-base coach has cancer
Seattle Mariners third-base coach Jeff Datz said Saturday he has been diagnosed with cancer and might be away from the team for part of the season.
Datz told Mariners' players during a team meeting before Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels and later released a written statement. Datz said he's still in the process of making decisions on treatment and he might have to miss some games.
''The good news is that it was caught very early, and I have great support from my wife, my family, Eric (Wedge), the coaches and staff, all the players and the Mariners organization,'' Datz wrote.
Datz said he released the statement because he doesn't want his absence to be a distraction. He declined further comment until decisions on timing and treatment have been made.
The type of cancer was not disclosed.
''He's going to beat this. We've all experienced cancer in some way, shape or form and it's something he's been dealing with, we've all been dealing with for a couple of weeks and we felt like it was the right time to announce it to the team because he is going to miss some time away from the team at some point in time,'' Wedge said. ''He's touched a lot of people throughout the country over the years, I'm sure they're all going to reach out and give their total support.
The 53-year-old Datz is in his third season with the Mariners. He previously worked on coaching staffs with Baltimore and with Wedge during his tenure as manager in Cleveland. Wedge first got to know Datz in 1998. Wedge was getting his start as a minor league manager and Datz was working a level above in the Indians' minor league system. He was on Wedge's staff for eight seasons in Cleveland.
As a player, Datz reached the majors only once, playing in seven games with Detroit in 1989.
''I told him, `You're going to beat it. It's as simple as that,''' Wedge said. ''Everybody is going to do what they need to do to help him and then he'll be back in good shape.''
-
MLB's top 10 DH seasons of all time: Will Shohei Ohtani log No. 1?
2024 MLB MVP odds: Shohei Ohtani moving up National League oddsboard
Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara pleads guilty to bank fraud
-
Mike Trout decided having surgery was better option than being only a DH the rest of the season
The Astros are loaded but they keep losing. Could they become sellers?
20 Best pitchers in MLB 2024: Ranking the top 20 starters
-
2025 NFL mock draft: Who are next year's top prospects
-
MLB's top 10 DH seasons of all time: Will Shohei Ohtani log No. 1?
2024 MLB MVP odds: Shohei Ohtani moving up National League oddsboard
Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara pleads guilty to bank fraud
-
Mike Trout decided having surgery was better option than being only a DH the rest of the season
The Astros are loaded but they keep losing. Could they become sellers?
20 Best pitchers in MLB 2024: Ranking the top 20 starters
-
2025 NFL mock draft: Who are next year's top prospects