Touch 'Em All: Alleged extortion plot against Pavano probed

A high school classmate of Minnesota Twins pitcher Carl Pavano threatened to reveal an alleged homosexual relationship they had and to write a book about it unless Pavano apologized to him and bought him a navy Range Rover with tan leather, according to a search warrant affidavit filed by police in Connecticut.

Police in Pavano's hometown of Southington, about 18 miles southwest of Hartford, said in the affidavit that they began investigating the allegations after Pavano's sister, Michelle DeGennaro, complained in December that she had received several troublesome Facebook messages from the classmate, Christian Bedard.

Officers executed the search warrant at Bedard's home on March 21 and seized items, but wouldn't say what they were. The search warrant affidavit, first reported by the Record-Journal of Meriden, includes copies of several Facebook messages Bedard allegedly sent to DeGennaro. In the messages, Bedard said Pavano was his "first love" and they had a three-year relationship when they were teenagers growing up in Southington.

"I have serious juicy book offers," Bedard wrote to DeGennaro, police said.

"That is my best offer an apology and a land rover and I'll kill the project," Bedard wrote referring to the book deal, according to the affidavit.

Bedard told the Associated Press in a statement that he wanted an apology because of how Pavano treated him at the end of their relationship. He didn't elaborate.

Bedard, a 36-year-old real estate agent, hasn't been charged.

Pavano couldn't be reached for comment. He wasn't with the Twins on Thursday as the team prepared to play the Pirates in a spring training game in Florida. His agent, Tom O'Connell, didn't return a phone message.

The San Francisco Giants are committed to keeping all-star righthander Matt Cain beyond this season, just ask club CEO and president Larry Baer, who says serious conversations are ongoing with the pitcher's representatives.

Cain said at the start of spring training that he hoped to have the situation resolved by opening day: April 6. Baer says San Francisco is "earnestly working with his agents" to negotiate a deal that works for both sides - and that something still could be accomplished in Cain's time frame.

Cain, 27, went 12-11 last season with a 2.88 ERA, reaching 200 innings for the fifth straight season. He wants a five-year contract worth more than $100 million, and Baer isn't against making a long-term offer.

- Inquirer wire services