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Postmedia journalist Ken Pagan charged with mischief for allegedly throwing beer can at Rogers Centre

By Bill BaerOct 6, 2016, 8:35 PM EDT
27 Comments

In the seventh inning of Tuesday’s American League Wild Card game between the Blue Jays and Orioles, a fan threw a beer can at outfielder Hyun Soo Kim in an attempt to interfere with a fly ball catch attempt. It didn’t work, as Kim still caught Melvin Upton, Jr.’s fly ball for the final out of the inning, but the incident sparked immediate outrage.

In the aftermath, the Toronto Police sent out a picture identifying Postmedia journalist Ken Pagan as a suspect. Pagan denied being the can-thrower, as the Toronto Sun reported. Pagan said, “I was drinking out of a cup.” This Twitter photo seems to back that up. Of course, one can both drink out of a cup and a can so the image doesn’t necessarily exonerate him.

The Toronto Police have officially charged Pagan with mischief as announced in a news release on Thursday. He is scheduled to appear in court on November 24 at 11 AM EDT.

The Blue Jays apologized to the Orioles for the incident in a statement released on Wednesday.

Yasiel Puig is still a free agent

Yasiel Puig
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By Bill BaerFeb 27, 2020, 11:19 PM EST
4 Comments

Around this time last year, the ink was drying on Manny Machado‘s 10-year, $300 million contract with the Padres and Bryce Harper was about to put the finishing touches on his 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies. We had gotten used to premier free agents hanging out in limbo until late February and even into March. This past offseason, however, was a return to normal. The top three free agents — Gerrit Cole, Anthony Rendon, and Stephen Strasburg — all signed in December. Once the big names are off the board, the lesser free agents subsequently tend to find homes. There were a handful of noteworthy signings in January, but pretty much everyone was off the board when February began.

There are a handful of free agents remaining as I write this, with one name really sticking out: Yasiel Puig. Last season, between the Reds and Indians, Puig hit .267/.327/.458 with 24 home runs, 84 RBI, 76 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases in 611 plate appearances. He was one of only seven players in the league last year to hit at least 24 home runs and swipe at least 19 bases. While Puig has had some problems over the years, he still possesses a rare blend of power and speed that would seem useful.

The Marlins, White Sox, and Rockies have been linked to Puig this offseason. His market has been otherwise quiet since he became a free agent. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden suggests Puig will have to settle for a “pillow contract” — a one-year deal with which Puig reestablishes his market value, aiming to pursue a multi-year deal the following offseason. Along with the aforementioned three teams, Bowden suggests the Mariners, Indians, Pirates, Giants, Red Sox, and Cardinals as other teams that could potentially fit with Puig, which is not to be confused with teams having expressed interest in his services.