Thursday, May 17, 2007

You Really Like Me

Sports Illustrated has a feature in their magazine where they poll current ball players about various things, i.e. (Who has the nastiest curveball?) or (Who is the fastest runner?). In the latest issue the players were polled on two questions. Who are the most and conversely least friendliest guys in the game. Players could not vote for people on their own team Sean Casey was the overwhelming choice for friendliest player by his peers. 46% named him as the number one Mr. Rogers in the game. The next 3 on the list are Jim Thome, Mike Sweeney and Dave Roberts.

The least friendly list is interesting on many levels. The players voted Bonds as the least friendliest. He was the choice of 26 percent of his fellow big leaguers. Not all that surprising since Bonds gets bad press and ball players can be just as influenced by that as anyone else. Interestingly enough, Bonds polls much better in the NL west. The players who have the most opportunity to engage Bonds like him better. This doesn't surprise me either. The more often you interact with a person the more facets of their personality come out. I have never been closer to Bonds than a seat in the stands but his on field demeanor has always struck me as pleasant. He chit chats with opposing players, picks up a tossed mask for a catcher on the other team and high fives his team mates. Anyway, Bonds is Bonds and he was going to be on the list whether deserved or not. It's the next two names that are disconcerting.

The number two vote getter on the "this guy is a dick list" is the monumentally unloved Jeff Kent--Number 3 is the decidedly undelightful AJ Pierzinski. That's right, current and recent former Giants make up the Axis of Evil! I am not sure the general goodwill Roberts generates balances the force here. Unlike Bonds, who polls better among guys who know him better, Kent polls far worst with those who know him best. 30 percent of the NL West has this dude as the least friendliest.

I liked Kent when he was a Giant. He played hard and put up the numbers. AJ was pretty easy to despise early and often. As a fan, it really doesn't much matter to me what the players think. I usually like the whoever resides on the Giants roster at any given time and root relentlessly against those "other people". The names on the rest of the top 10 make that pretty easy.

4. A-Rod
5. Randy Johnson
6. Curt Schilling
7. Jose Guillen
8. Milton Bradley
9. Jason Kendall
10. Chipper Jones

1 comment:

Unknown said...

In the few chances that I have been able to talk to Roberts, he does indeed seem like a very nice guy.
As for Kent, I have said that he is the worst. when he walked by he would make no eye contact and would just look at the ground.A.J.was a phony. He would say hi to fans with twins jersies on but would blow off giants fans.