The Most Hated Man in Baseball...

Margo Adams, former paramour of Wade Boggs, once called George Bell "the most hated man in baseball." Perhaps he was at the time, but he was also the American League's most valuable player in 1987, sandwiched coincidentally between Roger Clemens (1986) and Jose Canseco (1988).

Roger Clemens was soon to become the lightning rod of criticism that showed just how far apart the Liberals and Conservatives are in our government, Jose Canseco later went on to expose just about every fellow steroid user in sight. Among the three, I would imagine each could vie for the title of most hate worthy, of a certain year by a certain segment of the population.

Roger was later exposed, in part by the actions of Jose Canseco, as a steroid using moron who had an innapropriate relationship with at least one underage girl. He was defended before a congressional committee by several conservative congressman as a sports hero who had given much to this country. Clemens also tried to kill Mike Piazza on at least one occasion.

Canseco would eventually go on to tell the media that he had dirt on Alex Rodriguez as well as several other players and has attempted to write at least two books about how he and others rewrote what success means in baseball by injecting several ounces of chemical success into their rear ends. In essence, Canseco became a player who was both the face of the steroid era and maybe the person who ended the steroid era by way of his own personal greed. A sort of baseball equivalent of Jim Jones, leading a revolution of players to take steroids, then poisoning the well for them when he felt his time was up.

Boggs would eventually go on to force Major League baseball's Hall of Fame to adjust the induction rules, as he allegedly attempted to sell the logo on his hat to the highest bidder. It was also Boggs's traveling girlfriend who sold out the details of his relationship and the relationships of several other players to Penthouse magazine.

As for George Bell, I'm not sure why he would even be in the running for most hated. He certainly doesn't appear to be anything like a modern Ty Cobb or even a Barry Bonds. Bonds is so hated that biographers can't find a anyone to say anything nice about him ever. A recent SI writer says even the team photographer wishes Bonds would die. He was pushed off his college team for refusing to treat anyone with even common decency, never mind collegial respect.

Worse yet, none of these players even hold a candle to the hate worthiness of a Ty Cobb, famously referred to as "The Meanest Man Alive," even after his death. In a sport where betting on your own team can lead to a lifetime ban, these men were worshipped by hundred's of thousands, if not millions of children, throughout their careers.

Last year, ESPN showed the close relationship between Pete Rose (banned for life) and Alex Rodriguez (since an admitted steroid user). Among the worshipped legends of baseball, what exactly does it take to become a pariah? Manny Ramirez has been on the verge of becoming unwanted at his market price for allegedly scuffling with an old man (a la Pedro Martinez) and sitting out a couple of games he could have played (a la Nomar Garciaparra). He became absolutely reviled in Boston at the midseason point.

Against the backdrop of cheaters and malcontents that populate the pinnacle of baseball talent, why do people watch? Why spend hours and days and months following line-ups? I think it's it's because every spring we find new heroes to replace the old. Last year, it was Youkilis and Pedroia who stole the spotlight. Each of them, new enough to be innocent. They haven't seemed to warp into the greedy, caddish monsters. Perhaps in five years, we will hear stories of road trips and under age girls and cheating, but as pitchers and catchers have reported, and spring training is in full swing, hope and new role models spring eternal.


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