AJ disliked by his teammates

[South Side Fireworks Man]

You can tell he's not an asshole because of how he interviews? Personally, when I see him do an interview, I always kind of get a "I'd rather be somewhere else" vibe from him. But that's my feeling, and it doesn't prove a damn thing, because you can't tell anything from interviews.

 

And just because he has above average intelligence for an athlete doesn't mean anything about him being or not being an a-hole. There are plenty of smart people who are huge pricks and plenty of dumb people who are the nicest people you will ever meet.

OK, where is the evidence that he is an ahole? It's all hearsay and mostly comes from his one year stint with the Giants by a couple of people who some others may consider aholes themselves. Someone else said he is a bully. Where is the evidence of that? All we ever hear are vague statements about him being an asshole from someone who heard it from some other unnamed friend or "source."

 

I can only judge people by what I know and what I see. If there is a lack of evidence I give people the benefit of the doubt. And what I said about how he comes across in interviews is he doesn't seem like an ahole. He seems like a nice guy. The only time he seems to be trying to act like an ahole is during games when he's trying to get in an opponent's head. I write that off more to gamesmanship than anything else.

 

If AJ were such an ahole I'm sure by now there would be many documented cases of blowups and incidents with teammates. But in fact it's usually all quiet on the AJ front except for the occasional anonymous gossip from unnamed sources that he's an "asshole".

[Dick Allen]

It isn't crap. AJ is a classic jerk and bully. Nobody likes him. They tolerate him because of how he can help a pitching staff. MB may repsect him, I don't know for sure, he tends to try to get evrone to play niceand is usually postive but I guarantee he doesn't like him.

Nobody likes him? I saw him out one night with Jermaine Dye and David Ortiz. Why are they hanging out with him if they don't like him?

[Dick Allen]

I have a feeling that "story" is the only reason why you feel the way you do about AJ. And from what I understand, that alleged incident may not have even happened.

You're right, it didn't happen at least not the way it was reported. It was reported AJ took a shot to the nuts, the trainer came rushing out to see how he was and AJ kneed him. Wouldn't there have been a ton of witnesses? If he really kneed him wouldn't the trainer have gone to the ground?

Edited May 3, 2011 by Dick Allen

[witesoxfan]

OK, where is the evidence that he is an ahole? It's all hearsay and mostly comes from his one year stint with the Giants by a couple of people who some others may consider aholes themselves. Someone else said he is a bully. Where is the evidence of that? All we ever hear are vague statements about him being an asshole from someone who heard it from some other unnamed friend or "source."

 

I can only judge people by what I know and what I see. If there is a lack of evidence I give people the benefit of the doubt. And what I said about how he comes across in interviews is he doesn't seem like an ahole. He seems like a nice guy. The only time he seems to be trying to act like an ahole is during games when he's trying to get in an opponent's head. I write that off more to gamesmanship than anything else.

 

If AJ were such an ahole I'm sure by now there would be many documented cases of blowups and incidents with teammates. But in fact it's usually all quiet on the AJ front except for the occasional anonymous gossip from unnamed sources that he's an "asshole".

 

You don't think he's an asshole. I think he probably is. We each have our reasons.

 

Let's just disagree.

 

 

[sircaffey]

He's friends with Jim Rome. They flock together.

[gatnom]

He's friends with Jim Rome. They flock together.

 

/thread

[ptatc]

I did a little digging a couple of years back to find all AJ incidents that could have classified him as a prick. I posted on Twins and Giants boards and asked for specific examples. The Giants incident you named above is the ONLY one anyone ever could come up with. And the only evidence that it ever happened was anecdotal. Several knowledgable fans I talked to said that never really happened. And that the real reason AJ was not liked is that the Giants had a clique of pitchers with fragile egos and AJ wouldn't kiss up to them.

 

Besides that questionable "incident"... the other things were all game related... like the 3rd strike against the Angels, etc. So I think the myth of AJ's behavior has grown way out of proportion to the reality.

 

There was one game-related one that I loved which probably set the stage for his hatred in San Francisco before he got there. It had to do with a playoff series between the Twins and A's when AJ was still with Minny. I guess he was chirping back and forth with a couple of A's trying to get into their heads while they were at the plate... and it started to get a little heated. Then he came up to bat late in a game and hit a homerun to put the Twins ahead... and as he crossed the plate he turned to the A's catcher and yelled "BOOYAH"... practically inciting a riot.

 

Twins fans remember it (and him) very fondly. They only started to dislike him after he left.

 

So, if this was Politifact... then I think I would find B&B's claim of AJ hatred to be...

 

I knew him in the minors. He just isn't a nice person. He has had many incidents that may or not be printed or reported but he has had plenty of them.

[ptatc]

You're right, it didn't happen at least not the way it was reported. It was reported AJ took a shot to the nuts, the trainer came rushing out to see how he was and AJ kneed him. Wouldn't there have been a ton of witnesses? If he really kneed him wouldn't the trainer have gone to the ground?

 

It was during warm ups before the game when there weren't many people around. There were alot of team personnel around.The trainer did double over. I know the guy he wouldn't lie about it.

 

The Giants didn't cut him after trading 4 prospects for him because they really thought he was a valuable asset.

[Hang Wiffem]

i would just like to respond to the original post. Goff actually said the pitchers DO like him. you misunderstood.

[Dick Allen]

It was during warm ups before the game when there weren't many people around. There were alot of team personnel around.The trainer did double over. I know the guy he wouldn't lie about it.

 

The Giants didn't cut him after trading 4 prospects for him because they really thought he was a valuable asset.

They guy who wrote the story didn't write in until AJ was released, and there has never been confirmation from another player. If AJ was as hated as you claim, that would have come out a lot sooner, and there would have been at least 24 other players, plus coaches plus trainers telling everyone they could about it.

[fathom]

They guy who wrote the story didn't write in until AJ was released, and there has never been confirmation from another player. If AJ was as hated as you claim, that would have come out a lot sooner, and there would have been at least 24 other players, plus coaches plus trainers telling everyone they could about it.

 

IIRC, Tomko confirmed that story.

[caulfield12]

Wasn't there also some stuff about him playing cards instead of preparing the pitchers and also watching college football games in the clubhouse when he wasn't in the line-up, like the Univ. of Florida?

 

Plus, there's all of his wrestling stuff.

 

Personally, I don't think it even matters anymore. But if we want to maximize the value of Danks, Buehrle and Jackson, I don't think Tyler Flowers is the one who should be doing it.

 

I also don't see AJ being on this team in 2012, despite our $6 million commitment going forward to him.

[Milkman delivers]

From the link in post #37:

 

 

 

This is the first and only time I've heard of him confirming that it did in fact happen.

 

Stan Conte? Isn't that the steroids guy?

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

i would just like to respond to the original post. Goff actually said the pitchers DO like him. you misunderstood.

 

[witesoxfan]

Stan Conte? Isn't that the steroids guy?

 

Actually, quite the opposite. He was completely opposed to steroids.

 

http://dodgers.scout.com/2/714732.html

[Jerksticks]

Sometimes I wish Donny Lucy was our catcher.

[Milkman delivers]

Victor Conte is the guy I was thinking of.

[kitekrazy]

This whole organization is full of losers, chokers, and softies, and being that AJ is not one of them, it certainly makes sense that he'd have some enemies right now.

 

There is zero reason for a team with this much talent to pack in it, night after night, series after series. This is the same s*** they did this time last year, only Kenny and Ozzie could be blamed for it that time. Now, there's no one to blame but the sorry ass players themselves. It's not September yet, boys, and these aren't the Twins. You don't have to tuck tail yet!

 

Maybe Kenny needs to send off everyone who has a problem with AJ and fire Ozzie's ass too. Change the culture and just start this whole damn thing over. Please, Mark Buehrle, go somewhere else and win. You too AJ, and same with Paulie. John Danks - what a great call on not signing that extension! Money aside, why would anyone with your abilities want to play here? Go make some cash and win some games elsewhere.

 

This team is 100% capable of not only righting this ship but trouncing those pretenders atop the division, winning the division, making the playoffs, and winning a WS. The talent is definitely there. But this AJ hating s*** is exactly why they'll do nothing but founder once again when the going really gets tough.

 

This is a rant, but I mean Jesus, it's like half the noteworthy and conversation inducing team related events occur over Twitter posts by a Guillen family member. That's what we get as Sox fans instead of a baseball season, Guillen family Twitter drama. And choking. And now hating on AJ?! Really?! If you're a player and AJ's behavior is pissing you off then how about you take out yout tampon and let your balls drop and take it out on the field of play instead of confiding in some dbag Score host.

 

Ugh. I'm done now.

 

This is an awesome post.

[greg775]

It's pretty obvious AJ is a dick.

I repeat ... who cares?

How many assholes are in any pro clubhouse? I'd say at least 5 per team.

[southsider2k5]

They guy who wrote the story didn't write in until AJ was released, and there has never been confirmation from another player. If AJ was as hated as you claim, that would have come out a lot sooner, and there would have been at least 24 other players, plus coaches plus trainers telling everyone they could about it.

 

There was a post earlier in this thread where AJ supposedly admitted to it.

[LVSoxFan]

He likes to berate people. He not only doesn't help others he tries to make their life more difficult.

 

The classic example is when he was with the Giants and he took a bouncing pitch in the nads during warmups. The trainer asked how he was feeling. AJ still kneeling hit the trainer in the nads and said "it feels like this a**hole" and began laughing about it.

 

Sorry, that's all you got?

 

That story from back in the Giants days? Which we've all already heard?

 

Again, I'm hearing very few specifics, just insinuations and gossip.

[southsider2k5]

Sorry, that's all you got?

 

That story from back in the Giants days? Which we've all already heard?

 

Again, I'm hearing very few specifics, just insinuations and gossip.

 

It is very, very rare that stories get out from the Sox clubhouse while players on still on the team. They seemingly don't want to deal with the distractions.

 

Again, I will bet money that we learn some doozy's once he leaves. If only guys like Chris Rongey could spill some of the stuff they have.

[ptatc]

Sorry, that's all you got?

 

That story from back in the Giants days? Which we've all already heard?

 

Again, I'm hearing very few specifics, just insinuations and gossip.

 

Remember when Garland was asked about him during the WS run and his reply was "we tolerate him."

 

There was an incident in the minors where a pitcher wouldn't listen to him so when the next guy tried to steal he threw the ball into center field. His comment was "will you listen next time." You don't have to believe any of this but I was there for that one.

 

It's not just about specific issues. How do you know when someone is a bully? It's just part of their everyday attitude.

 

He has had many problems and will continue to have them. Go ahead and think he's an ok guy. Because in the it doesn't matter if he helps the team, people tolerate it. When the team is doing poorly, people will complain. These guys are professional enough to deal with it, that's why most of the time it never discussed.