Former Phillies Reliever Rheal Cormier Dies At 53 After a Long Battle With Pancreatic Cancer

Former Philadelphia Phillies reliever Rheal Cormier has passed away at 53 after an extended battle with pancreatic cancer. He pitched 16 years in the big leagues with 71 wins under his belt. In addition to Philly, he also made stops with the Cardinals, Red Sox, Expos, and Reds.

Since the announcement this morning, the baseball community has been paying its respects via Twitter:

Off the field hero

Cormier released a statement back in January that he was diagnosed with a tumor in his lungs and that he planned to fight. His best season came back in 2003 where he posted a 1.70 ERA, yet it seems he really left his mark off the field -- as a stand up human being. Our condolences go out to the entire Cormier family and the rest of the baseball community who knew him.