february january american professional baseball player second baseman outfielder major_league_baseball mlb san_diego_padres baltimore hitter established single season record stolen bases won advanced world series grew california attended drafted known later anaheim played minor league systems angels los_angeles_dodgers setting professional baseball single season record stolen bases major league debut san_diego_padres regular player years set single season stolen base record mark extended following season stolen bases total team record major league career struggled drug addiction resulted multiple arrests baseball drug problems prompted trade san_diego baltimore spent seasons leaving baseball diagnosed aids mlb player known die aids long death children professional basketball players early life born los_angeles california mother raised single parent played baseball friends park rose bowl child fan los_angeles_dodgers looked dodgers player known stealing bases graduated california school alma mater baseball star scout noticed high school feet inches taller typical average hitter fielder speed stood selected eighth overall pick january mlb amateur draft played junior college baseball teammates future major moved angels scouting staff draft joined angels staff members worked selected angels coach told excellent speed help high batting average hitting skills strong hit run eighty points hit lead anybody clear said signed angels described tough negotiation according mother trust easily baseball career early career played minor league baseball angels rookie league affiliate hit stolen bases games class cities angels stole bases games batting average fell midseason fight coaches released angels organization june feared career near end reached los_angeles_dodgers scout dodgers manager signed team season games class clinton dodgers hit steals having played exclusively second base prior years dodgers converted primarily shortstop year appeared outfield infield positions playing class dodgers batted scored runs stealing bases games steals established professional baseball single season record surpassing previous minor league mark set major league record caught eye san_diego_padres general manager drafted rule draft dodgers decided leave unprotected according arrested possession marijuana dodgers san_diego_padres having spent minor league career exclusively outfielder batted steals received september major leagues stint got hits bats began following season called early replace injured outfielder leading san_diego stolen bases games arrested possession cocaine july issued day suspension baseball spent month substance abuse treatment facility sports teams offer employee assistance program players paid treatment returned team september regular lineup batted spot playing outfield season exceptional defense left field moved base games year suffered broken thumb hit picked hits year stolen bases good second league broke single season record set richards named team valuable player season moved second base room rookie outfield season baseman strong player wanted bat lineup improve outfield home run production retained spot lineup hitting ahead game fifth 20th century mlb player steal bases game tying record august game party series fights hit pitch game pitcher teams game pitches tension resulted fights finished second league runs scored establishing single season record helping team division championship finished season steals extending team record previous season higher number opposing pitchers threw response speed batted teammate base hit overall career batting titles duo biggest reasons san_diego success score fast getting stealing second home batted chicago_cubs going runs scored fifth deciding game world series detroit_tigers batted scored twice hits player series tigers defeated games according manager absolutely valuable player national_league season signed year contract extension worth nearly million agent described highest paid second missed weeks spring training injuring knee double play attempt defense slid unavailable start season returned lineup games batting stolen base weeks season suspended following cocaine completed drug rehabilitation program want baseball joint review board cleared return baseball june announced intended file promptly activate sought trade baltimore_orioles showed interest trade deadline approached reportedly offering minor league players exchange june traded pitchers owner said team warned remain team problems drugs stated self serving instead pursue fresh start team nonetheless felt baltimore spent days minor leagues called baltimore game started second base team hitter reaching base times driving run scoring run game commented felt welcome team feel like starting prove games baltimore year hit scored runs finished eighth american_league stolen bases year criticized perceived later said depressed missed wife children living san_diego fell manager contentious behavior alienated teammates height difficulties tagged hidden ball trick day errors occurred inning error inning baltimore fans portions picture revealed feature angered response fans family members game day said chances wore uniform batted stolen bases runs scored played games reassigned triple point season following season replaced manager baltimore signed play second base play base moves leave battling outfield spot hit spring training comments suggested thinking utility player season started happy idea utility role feeling spring performance secured starting position believed asset batting slot start regular season spent time designated hitter shared second base duties rookie second baseman joined club july cut general manager said bringing sit bench hitting july played rookie arrival early august received day suspension got altercation teammate grabbed shirt september mlb indefinitely suspended behavior issue anonymous official told media suspension resulted positive drug screen released september pay thirds salary hitting time release officials announced issue grievances related suspension subsequent release noting wanted released point later years hope return baseball began study real estate market suspension game late 1980s began suffer health difficulties related aids diagnosis publicly disclosed alive receiving deferred payments baseball career began plans financial future children told teammates getting computer work said seen spring struck visible weight loss final months sold home california moving stayed friends longtime friends felt died embarrassed happened life november hospitalized pneumonia tuberculosis los_angeles consciousness month died hospital january family initially attributed death lung cancer led respiratory failure family members said gotten sick condition worsened quickly weighed pounds time death days later physician disclosed health problems complications aids stated contracted disease drug use baseball player known died aids died known baseball figures commented death said bright individual like guy player said closest friend said know ill personal life met wife angela junior high school graduated children professional basketball players american stanford_university joined overall pick draft served spokesperson greater aids campaign played college basketball played professionally countries oldest daughter played basketball college los_angeles_times reported experienced marital strife entertain thought divorce wanted ensure children grow single parent household like mother close disease diagnosis contributed drug problems devastated able enjoy success major leagues years life enjoyed closer relationship father albert took children visits grandfather difficult time father death enjoyed engaging debates teammates particularly teammate provoke reactions suggested misunderstood like know said agent said deeply depressed baltimore reserved difficult time people said players actively avoided enjoyed reading books newspapers said teammates turned intellect gave test scored higher according players baltimore resented replaced liked member team friends baltimore
Alan Wiggins