It was announced on Saturday that the baseball world lost Scott Miller. He contributed to such outlets as The New York Times, Bleacher Report, CBSSports.com, and the Los Angeles Times. Most locals will remember his time on the San Diego Padres baseball TV. He will be deeply missed. Here is my remembrance of Scott Miller and how he quietly helped me in so many ways. 

Scott Miller wrote about sports and baseball for 40 years.

The MLB Hall of Fame voter was one of the best at providing insight into the game of baseball. His storytelling ability was insightful and well thought out. Scott embraced the new school of baseball writing, but at the same time, he wanted us all never to forget the past—the reason we all fell in love with this game. He loved the history of the game.

Scott left us this week, and like any significant influencer in the world, we are only now coming to appreciate him. Scott Miller was recognized in the industry as one of the best, but his aura and kindness are legendary. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who has a negative thing to say about him. He took pride in that fact.

I was fortunate to have called Scott Miller a friend.

We lost touch over the past year, though, and I was devastated to learn of his passing.

In 2015, when I started East Village Times, I reached out to several known journalists in the area. Only a few quickly responded to me, and one of them was Scott Miller. He learned about my mission to build the site. Scott listened to the story about my son and how he was my motivation for creating EVT. Not only did he listen, but he understood. Scott and his wife have one daughter, just like my wife and I. We bonded over that fact. Scott grasped the pain I felt in losing my only son. He would often say, ‘I can only imagine, James.’

In reaching out to Scott, he offered his opinion about building a new site. He spoke to me about the media’s expectations. We spoke about creating the site and which segments to focus on. The early brainstorming sessions with him were valuable as I constructed the site. Scott graciously allowed me to pick his brain and offered a helping hand when needed.

Dominic Stearn, my former podcast partner, required assistance with a project while attending Arizona State University (ASU). Dominic attended the Cronkite School of Journalism, and Scott eagerly helped him. When I asked, he did not even hesitate. He loved helping young journalists and paying it forward.

Scott had an intense stare. As we would speak, he glared into my eyes and soaked up what I had to say. That is what made him such a great storyteller. Some journalists would rather talk than listen. Scott Miller always had a thoughtful ear. He enjoyed people and learning what made them click. It wasn’t just about gaining a quote from a player or manager; it was about understanding them. He made that clear to me. His writing reflects that. His style is dying. It is going extinct.

When the EVT Podcast was formed, Scott was a natural for the show. He appeared on the podcast five separate times. At the time, he was on TV virtually every night for Padres baseball. The old set was located right in the walkway at Petco Park, and I would often wait to speak with Scott after his show. He met my daughter when she was young and was terrific with her.

As I became credentialed, Scott was excited for me. He knew the work that went into achieving my goal. Working alongside him in media scrums and in the Padres locker room was a dream come true. To be viewed as equal to someone so well respected in the industry was humbling to me. But Scott never made me feel inferior. As I failed and made mistakes, he was there to encourage me and praise me for being there in the first place.

That’s just who he was.

Losing him hurts. I am ashamed of losing touch with my friend. I am sorry for not checking in. Assuming you’d always be there was a big mistake. I already knew how fragile life was. I have already experienced loss. I regret not being there for you…

Scott, I thank you.

I thank you for being you. A genuine soul that will be missed.

Every remembrance of you speaks about your excellent storytelling abilities, but above all, we all mention what a great person you were.

You touched so many lives.

The baseball world mourns.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.