On Tuesday, the Detroit Tigers broke the news that first base coach Kimera Bartee had died at the age of 49.
Ever since the news broke, many have been releasing statements regarding Bartee and what he meant to them.
Here is a beautiful tribute from Tiger’s play-by-play man, Dan Dickerson.
“One of the joys of this year for me was getting to know Kimera Bartee once he joined the team mid-summer. He had an infectious spirit, an incredible passion for the game, and he loved passing that passion on to the players he worked with – every day.
He loved talking about baserunning – and gave me such insight into all that goes into his job at 1B. How he wanted his guys to take their leads, what they accomplished with an aggressive lead – even when they weren’t stealing a base.
“KB” always wanted players to be thinking about how they can help their teammates by distracting that guy on the mound. To live his mantra – “be a threat.” Make him throw over. Now you’ve caused him to miss his spot when he goes home, and your teammate can take advantage
The last weekend of the year, on a rainy day in Chicago, I had the nicest chat with Kimera down in the dugout. About how much he loved what he did, and the players he worked with, and how much he was looking forward to even better things next season. It was one of those great, chance conversations with a player or coach that makes my job so fun. And I remember thinking – ‘I’m so glad this guy is on our staff.’ He will be missed terribly.”
Rest in Peace, Kimera.
