With opening day just around the corner, numerous reports surfaced on Tuesday that the Minnesota Twins’ opening day starting pitcher Carl Pavano is facing a bizarre legal distraction. According to myrecordjournal.com, “police in Southington, Connecticut were investigating allegations that a high school classmate of Pavano’s, Christian Bedard, threatened to reveal an alleged homosexual relationship they had and to write a book about it unless Pavano apologized to him and bought him an SUV”. The site goes on to say that “Pavano, a 36-year-old married father of two, grew up in Southington and pitched the American Legion Post 72 baseball team to a state title in 1993 and helped deliver legendary Southington High coach John Fontana his first state championship in 1994.” Fontana, who retired in 2002 as the second winningest coach in Connecticut baseball history, said he does know Pavano very well. He doesn’t believe that Pavano and Bedard had an intimate relationship in their teens, as Bedard alleges. Carl was in my guidance office all the time,” Fontana said. “I saw him dating and going out with girls all over the place. I would say (Bedard’s claim) is highly unlikely. I doubt it.” Fontana pointed out that Pavano has had highly publicized relationships with actress Alyssa Milano and model Gia Allemand and is married to former model Alissa Zandy.
Pavano has had no comment to this point but eventually Pavano who has always been available to reporters for comment will step forward with his side of the story and hopefully clear up this strange story.
UPDATE as of May 31, 2012 according to the Associated Press –
HARTFORD, Conn. – Police in Connecticut have closed an investigation into allegations of a blackmail attempt against Twins pitcher Carl Pavano without making an arrest. Southington police Lt. Lowell DePalma says the case was closed because Pavano and his family declined to provide statements. In March police said they were investigating allegations that Pavano’s former Southington High School classmate, Christian Bedard, threatened to reveal an alleged relationship they had unless Pavano bought him a Range Rover. Pavano’s sister, Michelle DeGennaro, complained to police in December that Bedard was making up a false story in an attempt to extort her family. Bedard said Thursday he is glad the investigation is over. He said “Carl and the Pavano family can thank his sister for bringing national attention to these false allegations and our relationship.”