Tony Attanasio, a baseball agent since before the start of free agency whose clients ranged from Bobby Valentine to Ichiro Suzuki, has died. He was 84. Attanasio died Aug. 30 at his home in San Diego following a long illness, according to his son Michael. Attanasio’s first client was Valentine in 1972 and his last was Suzuki in 2014. Attanasio was widely regarded as a standout in salary arbitration.

Born on Oct. 24, 1939, in Stamford, Connecticut, Attanasio was the youngest of two sons and a daughter born to Cosimo Attanasio, a carpenter, furniture-maker and garment industry presser who was an Italian immigrant, and the former Mary Gervasio, a seamstress.