Cory Lidle was a professional baseball player who played as a pitcher for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB) during his career. He was born on March 22, 1972, in Hollywood, California, and grew up in Covina, California. Lidle attended South Hills High School in West Covina, where he played baseball and football. He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1990 MLB draft but did not sign with them.
Lidle played college baseball at Fullerton College and later transferred to the University of Arizona. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1992 MLB draft and made his MLB debut with them in 1997. Lidle played for the Brewers until 1998, when he was traded to the New York Mets. He played for the Mets for one season before being traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999.
Lidle played for the Devil Rays until 2000, when he was traded to the Oakland Athletics. He had his best season with the Athletics in 2002, when he won 13 games and had a 3.69 earned run average (ERA). Lidle played for the Athletics until 2003, when he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. He played for the Blue Jays for one season before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2004.
Lidle played for the Phillies until 2006, when he was traded to the New York Yankees. He played for the Yankees for half a season before his tragic death in a plane crash on October 11, 2006. Lidle was piloting the plane, which crashed into a building on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
During his career, Lidle had a record of 82 wins and 72 losses, with a 4.57 ERA. He was known for his control on the mound and his ability to pitch deep into games. Lidle was also a good hitter for a pitcher, with a career batting average of .169 and 6 home runs.
Off the field, Lidle was known for his love of flying. He obtained his pilot's license in 2006 and owned a small plane. Lidle's passion for flying ultimately led to his tragic death, but he will always be remembered for his contributions to the game of baseball.
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