Former Red Sox minor leaguer Felix Maldonado dies

Felix Maldonado, a former Boston Red Sox minor league outfielder and manager who spent 47 years in various roles with the team, has died. He was 73.

The team said in a statement that Maldonado died Saturday at his home in Fort Myers, Fla., after a long battle with cancer.

Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Maldonado joined the Red Sox following a trade from the Giants minor league system in 1963. He played eight seasons in Boston's minor leagues before retiring in 1970.

He spent nearly 20 years after that as an instructor and scouted in Puerto Rico. He managed Boston's minor league system from 1989 until 1995, when he was named coordinator of Latin American instruction. He became a player development consultant in 2003.

Survivors include his five children and his longtime companion, Lucy Abreu.

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