In a Nov. 4^th AP report from Managua, Nicaragua, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla was said to be injured via a gunshot wound to his thigh. Although reports claimed the shooting was accidental, OhMurph’s Investigative wing went deeper in search of the story. We located an eyewitness to the interrogation of Padilla by the Nicarguan Policia. Here now that report:

OhMurph: We agree not to use your name in this story. How were you an eyewitness to the interrogation?

Eyewitness: I was assigned with two others to guard Mr. Padilla, this is our Protocolo in these instances.

OM: Protocol for an accident?

EW: Any time a firearm is discharged and there are injuries reported, a full investigation is ordered. It is the law. The question of this being accidental was not so clear to us.

OM: Please tell us more, what exactly happened?

EW: Of course I can only tell you of the interrogation, I was not a witness to the shooting.

Mr. Padilla was led to the room we used, a windowless dark room illuminated by a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Two chairs across from one another separated by an unfinished wooden table.  Mr. Padilla was limping, his leg wound freshly bandaged.

OM: Did he appear to be in pain?

EW: Yes, but not as much as he soon would be.

OM: Go on

EW: El Capitan entered the room. He is a large man, a man that commands other men and knows how to capture respect. He carried only his baton and a freshly lit cigarette. He placed the cigarette on the table’s edge next to so many other burn marks on it’s top. The questioning began.

“Senor Padilla, you have discharged a Pistola, injuring yourself and your instuctor?”

Padilla answered “No, Captain, not exactly. I was taking shooting lessons from the instructor and the Pistol jammed. I handed it to my instructor, it went off and shot through his hand and then grazed my leg.”

“Senor Padilla, why did you come to Nicaragua to take shooting lessons?”

“Well, Capitan, I always wanted to learn to hunt for game”

“Senor, I have been a Capitan of the Policia for many years. I know a man does not hunt game with a pistola. A man takes to a pistola for one of two reasons, to hunt another man or to protect himself from another man. Which is your answer?”

“Captain, I was going to try to shoot some quail…”

With that, El Capitan turned over the wooden table, the air illuminated with the orange specs of his flying cigarette, he thrust his baton sharply onto Padilla’s bandaged leg causing him to scream in pain and terror. “Senor Padilla, I want cooperation, you will not waste my time, this is not California, an answer to my question!!”

“It was to protect myself!!!”, Padilla cried.

The Captain crushed the remains of his cigarette, holstered his baton, sat down and placed the table upright. “Now, perhaps, the truth Mr. Padilla?”

“To protect myself, from, from MANNY!”

“Manny?, Manny Ramirez? The Red Sox? , questioned the Captain.

“No, he is a Dodger now like me, traded last year” said Padilla.

“Oh, I have not kept up with the American beisbol”  replied the Captain, “but he is your companero, no? Your teammate. Why would you fear him?”

“You can’t know my fear, it started with his hair in Boston. Then the female hormones, and yes, they were female hormones not PEDs. Then there were the glances from him in the clubhouse that turned into stares in the shower. I feared the worse”

The Captain sat back and lit another cigarette, and thought. “Senor Padilla, a man does not fear another man to the point of using a gun for protection simply because of a look, or even a stare. There is usually a threat, physical or verbal that would bring someone to your point”

Padilla, his eyes welling with tears of anger, began “It was a day game, shortly after Manny returned from his suspension. I was sitting in the bullpen, when Mr. Torre called for one of the other relief pitchers. As he sometimes does, Manny came in during the change to use the bathroom in the bullpen. When he was done, he came to me and whispered in my ear “Usted sabe, si vamos a ganar esta cosa, yo va a necesitar un nuevo Papi grande conseguirme que va “ then walked away.

OM: I’m sorry, I got a 72 on my Spanish regents. Could you translate that last part?

EW: Si. Manny said to Padilla: “You know, if we’re going to win this thing, I’m going to need a new big Papi to get me going” then walked away.

OM: Wow. What a story. What happened then?

EW: the Captain dismissed us and talked alone with Senor Padilla. He came out of the room with a small piece of paper and went to his office to make a call. The next day, a man came with a blue Dodger bag and left the bag with the Captain and Senor Padilla was released. It is all I know. Can I ask you a question?

OM: Please.

EW: Can you get me the autograph of Young Daniel Murphy?

OM: How about I get you a nice Orange shirt and one of his shoes?

EW: Thank you.