Former Major League Pitcher and Longtime Athletics Scout Jeff Bittiger Dies at 63
Jeff Bittiger, a former major league Baseball pitcher and a dedicated scout for teh Oakland Athletics for 22 years, passed away on saturday morning at the age of 63.The cause of death was not immediately disclosed by the Athletics.However, the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks, an independent league team where bittiger had a significant history as a player, coach, and front office member, announced that he died at his home in Pennsylvania after a private battle with cancer.
Bittiger will be remembered for his unwavering determination, his profound love for baseball, and the countless players he mentored and helped achieve success throughout his career. His son,Bret,shared with the Fargo-moorhead Forum that his father had been fighting cancer for years and remained actively involved in his work untill the spring,a testament to his deep commitment to the game.
The news of Bittiger’s passing comes just days before he was scheduled to be inducted into the American Association’s Professional Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday in Fargo, as part of the league’s All-Star Games Festival.
A native of Jersey City, New Jersey, Bittiger was selected by the New York Mets in the seventh round of the 1980 Major League Baseball draft out of St.Joseph’s High School in Metuchen, New Jersey.The right-handed pitcher made his Major League debut in September 1986 with the Philadelphia Phillies and concluded his MLB career in May 1989 with the Chicago white Sox.
During his Major League career, Bittiger appeared in 33 games, including 12 starts, for the Phillies (1986), Minnesota Twins (1987), and White Sox (1988-89). He posted a career record of 4-6 with a 4.77 earned run average, recording 42 walks and 53 strikeouts.
Billy Beane, former general manager, and John Fisher, owner of the Athletics, both expressed their condolences. Beane noted that Bittiger dedicated his entire life to baseball, excelling as a player, coach, and scout. Fisher highlighted Bittiger’s significant contributions to the Athletics’ scouting department over two decades.Bittiger continued to play independent baseball until the age of 40 before transitioning into his scouting role. The Athletics credited him with signing Andrew Bailey, the 2009 American League rookie of the year, and acknowledged his crucial role in numerous trade acquisitions as a member of their professional scouting staff over the past decade. The institution expressed gratitude for Bittiger’s dedication not onyl to the Athletics but also to the sport of baseball as a whole.
