Mike Matheny: Cards' family in pain

The death Sunday of Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, a 22-year-old slugger whom many regarded as one of the top prospects in the majors, has rocked the baseball world.

Few in the game were hit as hard as St. Louis manager Mike Matheny.

"I was asked last night to give some words regarding the tragic death of Oscar Taveras, but I just simply couldn't," Matheny said in a statement released Monday. "First of all, it felt like a bad dream that could not be real, and when reality kicked in, my words didn't even seem to make sense.

"To say this is a horrible loss of a life ended too soon would be an understatement. To talk about the potential of his abilities seemed to be untimely. All I wanted to do was get the guys together and be with our baseball family. I know the hurt that comes along with buying into the brotherhood of a baseball team. That hurt is just as powerful as the joys that come with this life."

Taveras died in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic. He was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro at the time of the crash on a highway between the beaches of Sosua and Cabarete in Puerto Plata, about 130 miles north of the capital of Santo Domingo, said Col. Diego Pesqueira of the Metropolitan Transportation Agency.

He wasn't carrying documents at the time of the accident, Pesqueira said, but his body was identified by family members.

"Not to say it is even close to the depth of pain his true family is going through, but the pain itself is just as real," Matheny's statement read. "The ache is deep because the relationships were deep, and forged through time and trials.

"To the many fans who have already reached out with condolences, and to the many more who are in mourning, thank you for taking these players in, like they are one of your own. This level of care is what sets our fans apart."

Taveras made his major league debut this year. He hit .239 with three homers and 22 RBIs in 80 games for the NL Central champions.

He was a teenager when he signed with St. Louis as an international free agent in 2008. Before this season, Taveras was ranked as the No. 3 overall prospect by MLB.com and Baseball America, and he had a .321 average over six minor league seasons.

Taveras homered against the Giants' Yusmeiro Petit in his major league debut on May 31. He also had a big solo drive in the seventh inning of Game 2 in the NL Championship Series against San Francisco.

"Oscar had a very promising future, on and off the field, and this news is heartbreaking on many levels," Tony Clark, the leader of the players' association, said in a statement. "It's never easy to lose a member of our fraternity, and to lose one so young is devastating news."

It looked as if Taveras would be headed to the majors in 2013, but he had surgery for a high right ankle sprain that August for an injury that did not respond to treatment. He then got off to a nice start at Triple-A Memphis this season, earning a promotion by batting .325 with seven homers in 49 games.

Giants outfielder Juan Perez heard about Taveras' death during Game 5 of the World Series. He hit a two-run double in the eighth inning of San Francisco's 5-0 victory and dedicated the hit to his fallen countryman.

"He's a really close friend of mine,'' Perez said. "I know his family pretty good, I know his mom, his dad, his brothers, we were really close. It's a huge loss for all his family, his teammates and the people that care about him."

On Monday, Matheny took that sentiment a step further.

"In my opinion, the word 'love' is the most misused and misunderstood word in the English language," he said. "It is not popular for men to use this word, and even less popular for athletes. But, there is not a more accurate word for how a group of men share a deep and genuine concern for each other. We loved Oscar, and he loved us. That is what a team does, that is what a family does. You will be missed, Oscar."

National police spokesman Jacobo Mateo Moquete said he was told by the mayor of Sosua that Taveras lost control of his vehicle and went off the road. Taveras' girlfriend, Edilia Arvelo, 18, who was in the car with Taveras, also died in the accident.

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.