Case Report

A minor-league pitcher accused of intentionally beaning an osprey has been demoted and could face charges. Witnesses said Jae Kuk Ryu, 19, of the Daytona Cubs threw several baseballs at the bird during a pregame practice Monday before finally knocking it from a perch 40 feet above right field.

"People told him to stop, and he smiled and threw another ball and hit it," said Chad Efron, a conditioning coach for the Port St. Lucie Mets.

The bird, one of a breeding pair that makes its home at the park and have been nicknamed Ozzie and Harriet by fans, suffered an injured right eye and was taken to the Animal Clinic of Edgewater.

"The swelling's gone down, and he's a lot more alert than he was yesterday," veterinary technician Jennifer Rosenfeldt said Wednesday. The bird has not eaten and could lose its eye, Rosenfeldt said.

The birds have a nest on top of a light pole in left field and recently hatched several chicks.

"They are like pets to us," said Buck Rogers, general manager of the Daytona Cubs. "When we found out, we were just as disgusted as everyone else."

The team said Wednesday that it will give $1 to the Animal Clinic of Edgewater for every person who attends Friday's game, which will also include an auction. The team owner will match all money raised.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hopes to finish its investigation early next week, spokeswoman Joy Hill said. Maiming, killing or harassing an osprey is a second-degree misdemeanor that carries a fine of up to $500 and 60 days in jail, Hill said.

Ryu is a highly regarded prospect with a 96-mph fastball who landed a $1.6 million signing bonus. He will be sent to pitch for the Lansing Lugnuts in Michigan, said Oneri Fleita, director of player development for Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs. "He is being punished from our end," Fleita said. "We don't condone this."

Case Updates

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