MIAMI (AP) -Arizona Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch kept short a text message he sent Thursday to his grieving pitcher, Scott Schoeneweis.
“There are no words worthy of saying at this time,” Hinch said.
Schoeneweis was back in suburban Phoenix, where his wife was found dead at their home Wednesday. Police said the cause of death hadn’t been determined.
Schoeneweis left the team when he received the news before a doubleheader at Florida. He declined an offer to have teammate Jon Garland accompany him home.
“It’s a long flight,” Garland said. “It was completely up to him, and he felt he would be all right. I couldn’t even imagine what he’s going through.”
Hinch told the team 30 minutes before Wednesday’s doubleheader about the death of Schoeneweis’ wife, Gabrielle, who was 39. The couple celebrated their 10th anniversary in January and had three children together.
at that moment put that in perspective. It was a weird feeling in here. Everybody was quiet and sitting around. The guys handled it in a professional manner and went about their business.”
The Diamondbacks and Marlins split a doubleheader that ended at 1:48 a.m., with Arizona winning the second game in 13 innings.
“It was quite a day,” general manager Josh Byrnes said. “We’ll move forward, but it was a tough day.”
Schoeneweis was placed on the bereavement list. The Diamondbacks were scheduled to conclude their series at Florida on Thursday before flying to Oakland for a weekend series.
“It’s impossible for any of us to not think about Scott and his family,” Hinch said. “On the professional side, the schedule doesn’t stop. We have to play and find a way to play a baseball game time and time again.
“Are we playing with heavy hearts? Yes. Are we playing with one of our own struggling through one of the worst tragedies you can imagine for your family? Yes. But these guys will show up and be ready to play.”
And the message Hinch texted to Schoeneweis?
“Just letting him know we’re here and supporting him and thinking about him,” Hinch said.
Hinch and Schoeneweis worked out together last offseason and have known each other since college, when they were Team USA teammates.
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