RIP Richard Durrett

The internet in general and social media specifically can be a very cruel place. It's very easy to hide in the anonymity it provides.

It also can be very uplifting. And tear-inducing. And poignant. And good.

Richard Durrett passed away today of a brain aneurysm. He's younger than I am. He leaves behind two young children and a wife.

I never knew Richard Durrett personally. He was a baseball writer, covering my Texas Rangers. All I knew about him was from his writing and appearances on radio. Until tonight.

Of course I follow many baseball writers and DFW sports people on twitter. With the news of Durrett's passing, there has been a flood of tweets about him. Not one negative word has been written. You wouldn't expect anything negative to be said so soon, but these were glowing remembrances of the man. Of the father. Of the colleague. Of the acquaintance.

Yes, there are times when I hate what social media does. Then there is tonight.

RIP, Richard Durrett. And prayers for those loved ones left behind.