Tragedy won’t be forgotten

Scott Coolbaugh thinks about his late brother every day, especially when he puts on his batting helmet to coach first base for the Oklahoma City RedHawks.

Coolbaugh's younger brother, Mike, was killed July 22, 2007, at age 35 after getting struck in the head by a line drive while coaching first during a minor league baseball game.

"Every time I put my helmet on, it reminds me of him," Scott Coolbaugh said Friday at Cashman Field before the RedHawks' 10-1 loss to the 51s, who won on the strength of a season-high seven doubles and 19 hits. "It's been a hard time for the family to get over, but he's lost but never forgotten."

It has been nearly two years since Mike Coolbaugh's tragic death, but Scott Coolbaugh, 42, said "it doesn't get any easier" to deal with.

"I've dealt with it in a way that I don't think of him as actually being gone in my mind, even though I know he is," said Scott Coolbaugh, a former Las Vegas player in his first year as batting coach for Oklahoma City. "Every time I put the helmet on, I'm representing not only myself but him. I just try to go out there and do what he would do, keep battling each day and persevere and fight through it.

"It's something that's never going to leave your memory and you don't want it to. I'm trying to keep our name in the game, and I'm still living it through him, too."

Scott Coolbaugh's 15-year-old son, Tyler -- a high school baseball player in the Coolbaugh's hometown of San Antonio -- honors his late uncle by wearing his old number, 29, on a chain around his neck.

"He plays the game for him," said Scott Coolbaugh, who is pleased that Mike Coolbaugh's two young sons -- 6-year-old Joey and 4-year-old Jake -- also have started playing organized baseball.

"I'm just happy they're still playing, knowing the (tragic) incident that happened involving baseball. The first thought in my mind was they were never going to play again, but they're trying to go out there and enjoy it and have fun.

"I'll always be involved in their lives at some point and, as long as I'm involved in baseball, they'll always be a part of it."

The Coolbaugh brothers realized their dream of making the majors, with Scott playing parts of four seasons with the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals, and Mike playing parts of two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers and Cardinals.

"The main thing with him is he enjoyed life and he enjoyed the camaraderie of being around his teammates and competing between the lines," Scott Coolbaugh said of his brother. "He got an opportunity to play in the major leagues, and every player that steps on that field wants that opportunity.

"There's nothing I regret, as far as a player, and I'm sure he didn't, either. That's why he got involved in coaching, and that's why I'm a coach now."

• NOTE -- The Toronto Blue Jays recalled right-handed pitcher Casey Janssen, left-hander Ricky Romero and infielder Joe Inglett from the 51s. Left-hander Brett Cecil, right-hander Bobby Ray and outfielder Travis Snider were optioned to Las Vegas.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.