Beck's ex: cocaine addiction killed him

PHOENIX, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The ex-wife of deceased baseball player Rod Beck said she believes cocaine addiction is to blame for his death in Phoenix.

A medical examiner's report has yet to be published on the former San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs relief pitcher's June 23 death, but Stacy Beck said it was a cocaine addiction he had battled for three years that claimed his life, the Arizona Republic reported Wednesday.

"Rodney had a disease of addiction, which is a brain disease, and it stole him away from the people he loved," Stacey Beck said to the Republic.

An investigative report on Beck's death said his house allegedly contained large quantities of cocaine, pipes and other drug paraphernalia at the time of his death.

"I realized the day of the funeral that I was widowed. I wasn't divorced," Stacey said. "I lost Rodney three years ago. The divorce didn't mean anything. I lost Rodney when he got this thing. He got sick and it went out of control fast and he never picked himself back up."