Oakland A's Pitcher Pat Neshek Suffers Tragic Loss of Newborn Son

Amid all the joy that has accompanied the Oakland Athletics' improbable AL West crown comes tragic news, as relief pitcher Pat Neshek and his wife Stephanee lost their newborn son, Gehrig John Neshek, just 23 hours after he was born.

Neshek tweeted the sad news last evening: 

"

Please pray for my family.Tonight my wife & I lost our first & only son 23 hours after he was born with no explanation.

— Pat Neshek (@PatNeshek) October 4, 2012"

The A's quickly lent their support to the family in a statement during this trying time, according to the Associated Press (via USA Today):

"

Our hearts go out to Pat and Stephanee and we share in their sorrow of losing their young son. The entire A's organization will keep the Neshek family in our prayers and thoughts, as they try to come to grips with this tragic occurrence in their lives.

"

I can't imagine what the couple must be going through, or the grief they are feeling. To have lost a child so soon, and without even knowing the cause of death... Well, it's hard to comprehend. 

For Neshek, the range of emotions over the past several days has surely been brutal. To have finished a career season with not just a playoff berth but an AL West title—and then the birth of your son, far more incredible than any career achievement could ever be—is as amazing as it gets for any man.

But few things, if any, are more devastating than losing a child.

My thoughts and prayers—and those of the Bleacher Report and MLB communities—go out to Pat, Stephanee and their family during this trying time.