Former MLB pitcher Darrel Akerfelds dies at 50
The jersey of bullpen coach Darrel Akerfelds #48 of the San Diego Padres hangs in the bullpen during an interleague baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park. Ackerfelds died Sunday from cancer. (June 24, 2012) Credit: Getty Images
SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Padres bullpen coach Darrel Akerfelds, who pitched for five seasons in the major leagues, died Sunday of pancreatic cancer. He was 50.
Akerfelds had been bullpen coach for San Diego since June 2001.
"Ak was an invaluable member of the Padres coaching staff," manager Bud Black said. "He was a loyal Padre to the end. Players and coaches were made better by Ack. He will be sorely missed."
Akerfelds was diagnosed with cancer in December 2010. Last season, he attended 148 of the 162 games despite undergoing chemotherapy. He was still with the team in the early part of the season before he finally stopped coming to the ballpark.
A Denver native, Akerfelds played professional baseball for 12 seasons and appeared in 125 major league games. He was 9-10 with 5.08 ERA pitching for Oakland, Cleveland, Texas and Philadelphia.
Akerfelds was a seventh-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 1983.
-- AP