1999-2001

Rod Beck was born on August 3, 1968, in Burbank, California. He grew up in the Los Angeles area and was drafted in 1986 by the A's, who traded him to the Giants two years later.

He came up with the Giants in 1991 and holds the team record for most saves in a single season with 48 in 1993, although his career best was 51 for the Cubs in 1998. His 286 saves during his 13-year career places him 22nd on Major League Baseball's all-time list.

A three-time All-Star with the Giants, Rod was nicknamed "Shooter" by his teammates on that 1993 team.

His San Francisco run ended when he became a free agent after 1997 season, and he signed with the Cubs. Outside of his 51 saves, he also pitched in a career-high 81 games. He was the workhorse out of the Cubs’ bullpen who shut down opponents in the ninth inning. He was traded to the Red Sox before the 1999 season was complete.

His Red Sox tenure was equally as short. He played two and a half seasons with the Sox before he was granted free agency following the 2001 season, after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He sat out the 2002 season, but in early 2003 he tried to rejuvenate his career with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. In Des Moines, he became a mini personality, living in his mobile home outside the outfield fence and drinking beer with fans when they dropped by to visit.

Rod Beck was a believed to be drug user and was found dead at his home in Phoenix, Arizona on June 23, 2007, at age 38.