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The mood around here became very somber when news reached us that Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a car crash early this morning in Fullerton, Cal.

How do you even wrap your head around this kind of a tragedy?

Adenhart pitched at Williamsport High (Md.), which is where I first met him, his mother and step-father while writing a feature about him during his senior year. Scouts crowded around the backstop to clock his fastball. Adenhart blew out his elbow shortly after the story ran, but the Angels selected him in the 14th round of the June amateur draft and gave him second-round money, $750,000, knowing that he'd make a full recovery and meet the enormous expectations that were placed upon him.

They were putting their faith in his character as much as his physical skills.

And now he's gone. At age 22.

Witnesses say a red minivan ran a red light and struck two vehicles at a Fullerton intersection. One of the vehicles, a gray Mitsubishi, slammed into a power pole, and two of its passengers were pronounced dead at the scene.

The minivan's driver reportedly fled the scene and was later arrested. Andrew Thomas Gallo, 22, faces charges of manslaughter, felony driving under the influence and hit-and-run.

Orioles manager Dave Trembley returned to his apartment last night and watched Adenhart throw six scoreless innings against the Oakland A's. His teenage son sat in the same room.

"It really puts things in perspective," Trembley said. "You don't take anything for granted, number one. Appreciate what you have. It's a real sad day for his family. I know I talked to Dennis Sarfate before I came out, reassured him. He worked out with the guy all winter, and I know one of our scouts, Dean Albany, is real close to the young man that passed away. It's not a good day."

Adenhart worked out at The B.A.T.T Academy in Glen Burnie this winter, which is run by former Northeast High baseball coach Larry Williams, while living in Canton.

"He was just a great kid," said Albany, who attended the same game at Williamsport that provided my first chance to meet Adenhart. "He was a very good teammate. He always cared about the team, always put the team ahead of himself. Just a great kid. Humble. He had ups and downs in his life after the Tommy John surgery, but he always kept his focus. He was a can't-miss guy.

"Even if you don't know the kid, it crushes you, and I had a great relationship with him. It's devastating. I watched him pitch six innings last night. He came out of the game and I brushed my teeth and went to bed, and I woke up to the phone call."

An Angels scout was on the line, delivering the horrible news.

"It doesn't get more worse than that," Albany said. "It's just very upsetting. I was calling all the scouts I know, saying how it looked like Nick had turned the corner, talking about his mound presence, how mature he was on the mound. I said the Angels had done a great job with his delivery. And I wake up to this news."

And there's no way to really make sense of it.