Former Cincinnati Reds utility player Ryan Freel was found dead on Saturday in his Florida home, according to Jacksonville police. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said he died as a result of a self-inflicted shotgun wound and were treating the investigation as a suicide.
According to FoxSports.com, "Sgt. Mike Paul of the Jacksonville (Fla.) Sheriff's Office confirmed to The Florida Times-Union that Freel, a Jacksonville native, was found dead from a self-inflicted shotgun wound Saturday at his home around 4 p.m. local time."
The 36-year-old Freel played eight years in the major leagues, last with the Chicago Cubs in 2009. During that final season he spent time with the Kansas City Royal and the Baltimore Orioles, playing 41 games while hitting .193 with 17 hits and 11 runs.
The Reds released a statement that said in part: "His teammates and our fans loved him for how hard he played the game, and he loved giving back to the community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."
Freel was known as a high-energy player and was a solid fielder who could play multiple positions. According to USA Today, he was paid $11.55 million in his career.
The best stretch of his career came with Cincinnati Reds, where he played from 2003 to 2008. He stole 110 bases over a three-year stretch from 2004 to 2006 and played a career-high 143 games in 2004, hitting .277 with three home runs and 28 RBIs.
Freel finished his career prematurely due to injuries, including when he was hit in the head with a pickoff throw, which resulted in him going on the disabled list. He also hurt his head in a collision while playing the outfield and dealt with concussions throughout his career.
According to USA Today, Freel left a wife, Christie, and three young daughters. Freel grew up in the Jacksonville area and previously was named the baseball coach at St. Joseph Academy in June, but later backed out of the job, according to the Florida Times-Union.
Current Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips played with Freel from 2006 to 2008 and expressed his sadness over Twitter. Phillips also changed the picture on his profile to an image of Freel.
During his playing career he was arrested twice for alcohol-related incidents, but later cleaned things up and decided to quit drinking.
"I have not had a sip of alcohol in (nearly) three years. I definitely learned from that," Freel told the Baltimore Sun when the Orioles acquired him in 2009, according to USA Today. "Me and drinking probably wasn't a good thing. Kicking that whole thing was probably the best thing to happen for me, my family and my career."
Jeff Saturday Benched By Green Bay Packers
In a sudden move before Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans, the Green Bay Packers benched starting center Jeff Saturday, according to NFL.com.
Head coach Mike McCarthy made the move with two games left in the season, deciding to start Evan Dietrich-Smith against the Titans on Sunday.
"We will probably go with Evan Dietrich-Smith to start the game," McCarthy said Friday to the Associated Press.
Saturday, a 14-year NFL veteran, was in his first season with the Packers after spending the first 13 years of his career with the Indianapolis Colts.
"Obviously as a player, you want to play," Saturday said. "But I support Evan, and I know he's a great player. He'll get the job done and do what he needs to do to play well and get us a win."
Dietrich-Smith has sent three seasons in the NFL and made his first start of his career at center. He has started four games for the Packers at guard this year after losing Bryan Bulaga to a season-ending injury.
"It's obviously an honor," Dietrich-Smith said. "I've got a lot of respect for Jeff. I'm just going out there to help the team win as best I can, and this is the move they want to make. I'm just going to do my job."
Saturday has made 220 starts in his entire professional career and went the Pro Bowl five times while combining with quarterback Peyton Manning in Indianapolis.
"I've graded out well. You win 10 games, you win the division. So I've got no complaints with that," Saturday said to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The move did not affect the game, since the Packers won 55-7, but it does raise questions about the future of Saturday with the team and in the playoffs going forward. He is signed for two more years with the team, but likely won't be getting his starting job back when the Packers play in the playoffs.
"I'm here to play football," he said. "I told coach, I came here to win a Super Bowl. Winning the NFC North is great, but that wasn't why I was here. I looked for more of the postseason. It's disappointing from that side. If coach McCarthy thinks that gives us the best chance to win and go on and do things in the postseason, then that's what it is."
Saturday won a Super Bowl with the Colts and was named to four All-Pro teams after playing at North Carolina in college.
"I told Dietrich, I fully support it, man. I have a ton of respect for him as a player. I think he'll do a good job. We're at two totally different points in our career. His is on the up ramp, mine is on the way out," Saturday said.
The Packers have been one of the best teams in the NFL this season and improved to 11-4 win the win on Sunday. Green Bay has already clinched the NFC North division title, but still has a chance to earn the No. 2 seed in the playoffs behind the Atlanta Falcons.
