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Posted: 10:45 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012

Former Cincinnati Red Ryan Freel Commits Suicide

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Ryan Freel
Ryan Freel, signs an autograph prior to the Reds hosting the Toronto Blue Jays at Ed Smith Stadium, in a spring training game. March 2007. Photo by Ron Alvey.

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Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jim Brower, left, talks with outfielder Ryan Freel during their first workout at baseball spring training, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008, in Sarasota, Fla. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

By Tom Archdeacon

JACKSONVILLE, Florida —

A Jacksonville station has just reported that former Cincinnati Reds player Ryan Freel committed suicide Saturday. He was 36.

Freel - a human grass stain of a ballplayer who was known for the reckless abandon at which he attacked the game - played five seasons in Cincinnati.

With the Reds, he hit .270 with 22 home runs, 104 runs batted in, and 134 stolen bases.

His best season in Cincinnati was in 2004, when he hit .277 with 3 home runs, 28 RBI, 37 stolen bases, and 74 runs scored in 143 games.

He signed a two-year $3 million contract with the Reds in 2007 and following the 2008 season was traded with two minor leaguers to Baltimore for Ramon Hernandez.

In all he played for five Major league teams — Toronto, Cincinnati Baltimore,Chicago Cubs and Kansas City — from 2001 to 2009.

Since his retirement he had been back in Jacksonville, his hometown.

 

 
 

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