P.J. Carey, Minor League Manager, Dies at 59

After a 40-year career in baseball, P.J. Carey has passed away from a long struggle against prostate cancer. (Getty)

P.J. Carey, long-time Minor League manager, looked over the Rookies and Class A prospects in the Colorado Rockies’ system. After a long-term struggle with prostate cancer, he passed away Saturday morning.

P.J. Carey was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania on November 4, 1953. He never worked a day outside of baseball. He began his career as  a minor league player within the Phillies organization in 1972.

Carey went from standing behind the bat to standing behind the players. He began his career as a manager and coach in the Phillies organization. In 1988, after 14 years with the Phillies organization, and a stint with the Cincinnati Reds, Carey went on to work for the Mariners organization, managing the Class A Bellingham team.

Carey spent most of his managing career with the Colorado Rockies, spending 13 years as an instructor (and 1997 in the majors for the organization. At the end of forty years spent in baseball, Carey went to work for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2007 as a senior adviser for  player development.

In the official statement from the Rockies, the organization shared the following sentiments:

"“Our entire organization grieves at the death of P.J. Carey.  We were deeply saddened to learn of P.J.’s passing on Friday evening.  He was a great husband, son, brother and friend to so many throughout our organization and the baseball community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Katherine, family, and to all of those whose lives were touched by P.J. over his life and 40-year career in professional baseball.”"

Carey touched the lives of many throughout baseball. He will be missed.