Let’s be honest here, during his six seasons with the Dodgers, LA fans either really really liked oft-controversial outfielder Yasiel Puig, or they really really did not. But be that as it may, there is no disputing that he epitomized the age-old saying: “A man playing a kids’ game,” about our national pastime. No one had more fun out there than the (now) 31-year-old Cienfuegos, Cuba native. No one.

But like him or not, Puig’s defection to the United States is a story that could have come right out of Hollywood. This from LA Times reporter Bill Plaschke (subscription required) on April 14, 2014:

“In an account featuring on-the-record interviews and court records, Katz details how, in June of 2012, Puig was smuggled to Mexico by members of the Los Zetas Mexican drug cartel, his trip funded by a Miami air-conditioning repairman named Raul Pacheco who was on probation for attempted burglary. The smugglers held Puig in a seedy Mexican hotel for more than two weeks while attempting to extract increased payments from Pacheco. Eventually, Puig was taken from the hotel by a gang organized by Pacheco and soon thereafter joined the Dodgers by signing a $42-million contract.

“The stunning timeline doesn’t even scratch the surface of a compelling tale that recounts Puig’s humble childhood in a tiny rural village, how he was dropped from his Cuban league team for disciplinary reasons, reports of his failed defections, and accusations that he turned in potential defectors to the Cuban government while planning his own escape.”

In his six seasons with the Dodgers, Puig posted a very impressive slash line of: .279/.353/.478/.831, with 108 home runs and 331 RBI. He left the team after the 2018 seasons when the Dodgers elected not to re-sign the (then) 27-year-old free agent. He then split time between the Cincinnatti Reds (make note of that) and the Cleveland Indians in 2019, with his final game coming on September 27, 2019. He was not re-signed for the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, nor did he play in 2021.

But here again, be that as it may, he will forever remain in the hearts of the many Dodgers fans who absolutely loved him and will remain little more than a distant memory for those who did not.

Lo and behold, prior to Sunday’s marquee NFL match-up between the 12-5 NFC Champion Los Angeles Rams and the 10-7 NFC third-place San Francisco 49ers at brand new (and beautiful) SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, Fox Sports cameras spotted Puig in the stands chatting with fans, who were clearly enjoyed his presence at soldout SoFi Stadium.

As the entire football world knows by now, the Rams defeated the 49ers by a score of 17-14 to advance to Super Bowl LVI (56), which will be held Sunday, February 13, 2022, against the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals at (wait for it…) SoFi Stadium in Inglewood; which brings us back to that ‘make note of that’ thing. – Which team will former LA Dodger and former Cincinnati Red Yasiel Puig be rooting for in the National Football League’s single-biggest – and most-watched – game of the year?

Like him or not, my money is on the Rams.

Play (Foot)Ball!

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