Angel Villalona returned to the Giants:

This story is just bizarre.

The Giants signed Villalona as a 16-year-old in 2006 for a then team-record $2.1 million bonus. He was playing for Class A San Jose in 2009 when he was permitted to visit his mom in the Dominican in September, 2009, while he was injured. While there, Villalona was arrested and charged with a shooting death at a nightclub, which reportedly occurred because the man took a seat reserved for a member of Villalona’s party.

Murder charges were dropped for lack of evidence after Villalona paid the victim’s family a reported $139,000, so, no matter what anyone believes about the Dominican justice system, in the eyes of the law he did not commit a crime.

The United States would not issue a visa last season, but did so this year. Basically, Villalona is not guilty, and gets to be treated as such. However:

Nevertheless, this is going to be awkward. A team that refused to reinstate Melky Cabrera for the postseason or re-sign him because he took performance-enhancing drugs is welcoming back a kid — Villalona is only 22 — whom many believe paid his way out of murder rap.

It’s also possible he paid to simply make the problem go away and get back to baseball. Sometimes it’s cheaper to pay than fight.