Former Cubs pitcher Gonzalez dies after being hit by lightning:

CARACAS, Venezuela – Former major league pitcher Geremi Gonzalez, who won 11 games for the Chicago Cubs in 1997, was killed by a lightning strike in his native Venezuela on Sunday. He was 33.

Emergency management official Herman Bracho said Monday that Gonzalez was struck by lightning at a beach.

That’s pretty shocking news… no pun intended… Gonzalez Cubs career didn’t end well, he signed a contract and then immediately told the team that he had hurt himself over the winter. I think that hurt him with other teams as well, since it took him a while to make his way back to the bigs. But I still remember Gonzalez rookie season as one of the few highlights of the year for the Cubs in 1997.