Syd Thrift, a former general manger of the Pittsburgh Pirates who spent nearly a half century in baseball, died at 77. He underwent knee replacement surgery Monday in Milford, Del., and died that night, said the Baltimore Orioles, one of many teams for whom he worked. An autopsy will determine the cause of death. "He was a great baseball man -- both on and off the field -- who dedicated his life to the game," commissioner Bud Selig said. "He was a personal friend of mine and I will miss him."