Gophers pitching coach Todd Oakes dies after leukemia battle

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota pitching coach Todd Oakes died Thursday after a four-year battle with leukemia. He was 55.

The school announced his death and Terri Oakes wrote on her husband's CaringBridge page that he died "surrounded by his family with a cross in his hand and his favorite music playing." Todd Oakes had been placed in home hospice care last week.

"He was a servant leader, a person of strong faith - family and friends, relationships, were really important to him - and he was a person always giving back and trying to help others. He made our program better, he's made me a better person, coach, husband, father. He'll be missed," Gophers coach John Anderson said in Omaha, Nebraska, after his team lost 3-2 to Michigan in a Big Ten Tournament elimination game.

Oakes joined the Gophers coaching staff in 1999, and 26 of his pitchers were drafted by major league teams, including three-time All-Star Glen Perkins with the Twins.

Minnesota won its first Big Ten regular-season title since 2010 last Saturday, and Anderson took the trophy to Oakes' home.

Senior Ty McDevitt said Oakes developed close relationships with all of the pitchers he coached.

"It was his everyday presence," McDevitt said. "He made you feel comfortable. I came into the program five years ago and thought I was going to be a pro pitcher. I wanted to learn how to throw the nastiest slider in the world, wanted to throw 95 and do nothing but get guys out. I sit here today and couldn't care less about that stuff. He taught me way, way more important stuff. I'm one of many in that boat."

In addition to his wife, Oakes is survived by three sons.