Officials said that the "allegations that a hostile clubhouse environment created by homophobic conversations with his Cardinals teammates drove a gay minor-league pitcher to abandon baseball are being taken 'very seriously'" by the team and MLB, according to Derrick Goold of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. The player, Tyler Dunnington, "told Outsports.com that during his career, in college and with the Cardinals, he 'experienced both coaches and players (making) remarks on killing gay people.'" Dunnington as a result "did not feel comfortable revealing to the Cardinals that he is gay, and he retired from the team before spring training a year ago." Cardinals Senior VP & GM John Mozeliak said, "We will take this very seriously" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/17).
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE: In L.A., Bill Shaikin reports Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig will "not be disciplined" by MLB after the league found no evidence that he "struck his sister during a Thanksgiving Eve bar fight in Miami." Puig said, "I'm happy with the results of the investigation" (L.A. TIMES, 3/17). ESPN.com's Doug Padilla noted MLB's statement said that interviews "were conducted with witnesses that included Puig and his sister." There was also a "review of the nightclub's security video footage on the night in question" (ESPN.com, 3/16). In California, Joey Kaufman notes the league's investigation "occurred under a newly adopted domestic violence policy." MLB "cited insufficient evidence to support the assault allegation as its reason for opting not to discipline" Puig (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 3/17).
