Puig-Mania Thread

[LittleHurt05]

That is actually something I would be in favor of

 

But I thought the game "matters" and it's about winning, not marketing.

[caulfield12]

But I thought the game "matters" and it's about winning, not marketing.

 

 

That's why Leyland took Zobrist over Longoria, more flexibility.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

But I thought the game "matters" and it's about winning, not marketing.

 

Letting fans vote and guaranteeing a roster spot for every team are more marketing than meaningful.

[caulfield12]

"Dear NL, Do you want home-field advantage in the World Series? #VotePuig: http://atmlb.com/186kDkV. Text N5 to 89269. - Common Sense

 

The Dodgers are in the midst of throwing three vote/watch parties, two of them hosted by former star Steve Garvey. Count the Dodgers legend as one who doesn't buy into the "Puig hasn't played enough to merit an All-Star selection" sentiment.

 

"It doesn't matter," Garvey said. "He's made such an impact on the Dodgers and L.A. and across the sports world."

 

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/freddie-freem...-172300115.html

Stupid column, jackass...the dumbest set of reasons I've seen why Freeman should go over Puig (doubt there's been a single one written about the AL relievers race, haha)

Edited July 10, 2013 by caulfield12

[LittleHurt05]

Letting fans vote and guaranteeing a roster spot for every team are more marketing than meaningful.

 

Don't tell that to Bud Selig, the game matters!

[caulfield12]

Jay-Z's Roc Nation Chasing Puig, Cespedes

 

By Zach Links [July 10 at 6:16pm CST]

 

Jay-Z made waves earlier this year when he entered the sports representation world with his Roc Nation Sports venture and lured Robinson Cano away from Scott Boras. Now, the company is wooing Dodgers star Yasiel Puig and also has an eye on Athletics slugger Yoenis Cespedes, sources tell Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.

 

When the Yankees hosted the Dodgers in mid-June, Puig was invited to a party at a club owned by Jay-Z after a Dodgers teammate passed along the rapper's contact information, one source said, and Puig left the meeting intrigued. Puig has also talked with at least one other marketing agency in New York, but the prospect of joining Roc Nation remains a possibility.

 

Jay-Z is also known to be interested in signing A's outfielder Cespedes, who will be in New York for the Home Run Derby. Puig could be in town as well if he wins the Final Vote for the last slot on the National League All-Star team.

 

As the MLBTR Agency Database shows, Puig is currently represented by Jamie Torres and Cespedes is with Adam Katz of Wasserman Media Group. Puig is in the early portion of the seven-year, $42MM deal he signed in June 2012. Meanwhile, Cespedes' four-year, $36MM deal will take him through the 2015 season.

 

[caulfield12]

Yes, Hanley Ramirez has been even better than Puig.

 

That said, he has been better than Miggy Cabrera, Trout, Harper, Machado and Freddie Freeman, too.

 

 

 

THURSDAY: "We're not inflicted with that disease," Jay-Z said in reference to other agents' belief that a person can only do one thing, speaking yesterday on The Breakfast Club Power 105.1 (hat tip to Forbes contributor Darren Heitner). "It's insane to even say that, 'What does he know about sports?' Uh, everything. More than you," he added. In regard to other agents, he said, "They've been sitting around for 20-30 years just not doing anything, so me coming, that's a problem for them. Now they have to go to work, now they have to wake up." The agency talk begins around the 10:20 mark in this video (see below).

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...jTgT8CrA#at=397

 

Jay-Z seems like he is preparing for war with agents...while not naming Boras specifically, it's pretty obvious his intention is to say those guys only care about the contracts and traditional media/endorsements, don't think outside the box in terms of marketing and don't really care if that player eventually goes broke or not.

 

No beating around the bush, he's trying to get Cespedes and Puig (especially) to jump ship so that he can test that marketing prowess starting in New York City...obviously, the marketing of baseball star over the last 30 years (compared to NFL and NBA) leaves something to be desired.

 

 

http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?topic_id=4214343...ent_id=28792089

Good job, DBacks fans....Dodgers are sweeping you, so you have to push someone into the hot tub, classy.

Edited July 11, 2013 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

PHOENIX -- The details of Yasiel Puig's childhood in Cuba, the journey from his homeland to Los Angeles, and all of the joys and the sorrows he experienced before joining the Dodgers and becoming one of the most popular players in the game might eventually reveal themselves.

 

Perhaps the pieces of his life when tied together will provide some insight into the man who has taken the baseball world by storm. The details may provide greater insight into the mind of a younger Puig, the loud boy who nobody -- not his father and certainly not any of his coaches -- could control when he was on the bases or catching a fly ball with one hand.

 

 

Maybe one day everyone will understand what it takes for a baseball player like Puig to leave his friends, family and entire life on the tropical island behind and start over in a big city in a foreign country, because the mercurial outfielder will tell them. But maybe the mysterious case of Puig -- why he plays the way he does or acts like he has spent more time in the big leagues than he has -- will never add up because he doesn't want anyone to solve the riddle of his life.

 

There's a chance Puig knows exactly what he is doing.

 

What is known about Puig: He is an extreme talent who loves playing baseball. He's not fond of all the media attention, and his unique style is driving the baseball world crazy. Puigmania is just over a month old, and there's a real possibility it could crescendo at the 2013 All-Star Game if he wins the National League's Final Vote. Puig is currently in second in the NL voting behind Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman.

 

In a span of more than 30 days, the 22-year-old has become a household name. His exploits have been compared to Joe DiMaggio's feats on the field and Barry Bonds' relationship with the media off of it.

 

"This month has been unforgettable," Puig said in Spanish in an exclusive interview with MLB.com. "I'm grateful that this has happened in my life. I'm happy for myself, my teammates and all the fans of Los Angeles. They've all supported me in this month. I'm really happy with all the fans out there."

 

Since Puig arrived, the fans have had plenty to cheer about. He has multiple hits in 17 of his first 34 games and, according to SABR, Puig is the second player since 1950 to maintain a batting average of .400 or better through at least his first 130 at-bats.

 

Since making his June 3 debut, the right-handed hitter leads the big leagues in hits with 55, and he ranks among Major League leaders in batting average, home runs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The rookie finished June with 44 hits, second in history in the first month of a career to DiMaggio's 48 in May 1936.

 

The Dodgers are 21-13 since Puig made his debut, and they're racing up the NL West standings. They've won two of the first three games against the first-place D-backs this week and trail the division leaders by only 2 1/2 games.

 

Puig is also experiencing the price of fame, and he's handling the media requests from reporters who want to share his story with the world in an unorthodox manner. Unlike most players, Puig refuses talk before games. He is elusive after the games are over.

 

Puig says part of his distrust of the media stems from his days as a member of Cuba's national team, when reports surfaced that he shoplifted during an international tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The outfielder was also stunned to hear he was being characterized as a hot head following last month's scuffle with the D-backs in Los Angeles -- a game in which he was hit in the face by a pitch from Arizona starter Ian Kennedy -- and that's helped shape his opinion of the media.

 

"In Cuba, there wasn't much press. Here, I have a lot of press on me, and it's not something I really like. Maybe they don't understand the situation I'm in," Puig said. "I'm not bad, I just don't like the press and I don't like the fame. I'm having fun and I want my team to get the attention. There are a lot of guys in the bullpen or in the dugout waiting for their turn to talk. It's not that I don't want to give an interview, I just don't want all the press all over me."

 

The fans love Puig and he loves them back. He's a showman, full of bat flips, gestures and flair rarely seen outside of Caribbean-style baseball.

 

"He's a good guy," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly. "Yasiel is a good kid. It's a lot for him to handle. You've got to look at both sides. He just wants to play. It's not fair to throw all this at him and say, 'Handle it perfectly.' You'd like the guy to handle everything that comes with it. You [reporters] have to be patient."

Puig is high energy, equal parts effort and style, but he has been prone to falling victim to his fervor, sometimes running into an out on the bases or trying to throw out an advancing runner instead of hitting the cutoff man. It's also a good bet that he will swing at first pitch during an at-bat if the ball is anywhere near home plate. There's also a good chance he'll make contact.

 

"I've been an aggressive player since I was a little kid, and I thank my father and all the trainers who worked with me over the years for that," Puig said. "It's my style. But in this game, I'm learning you have to let guys like Hanley Ramirez and Adrian Gonzalez do their jobs. I feel bad about messing that up sometimes, but they help me when I make errors. That's something I'm working on. I'm always going to give maximum effort, but I'm realizing I have to be calmer."

 

Now in its 12th year, the 2013 All-Star Game Final Vote sponsored by freecreditscore.com gives baseball fans around the world the opportunity to select the final player on each All-Star team. Balloting began immediately following Saturday's Major League All-Star Selection Show presented by Taco Bell and ends Thursday at 1 p.m. PT. The winners will be announced on MLB.com shortly thereafter.

 

Mobile voting in the U.S. and Canada is open to everyone. In the U.S., to receive the 2013 All-Star Game Final Vote sponsored by freecreditscore.com mobile ballot, text the word "VOTE" to 89269. To vote for Puig, simply text message N5 to 89269. In Canada, fans should text N5 to 101010. Standard message and data rates may apply.

 

For the second consecutive year, the Final Vote will include a social balloting element as Twitter support from the candidates' fans over the last six hours of balloting will count toward their final vote totals.

 

The 84th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM also will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage.

 

"It all depends on the fans," Puig said. "I always give my best and I thank the fans that like the way I play. If I make it to the All-Star Game, it's because of them. They can expect the best from me and I'm always going to out there and give maximum effort."

 

Puig will join fellow Cuban stars Aroldis Chapman of Cincinnati, Miami pitcher Jose Fernandez, and Oakland's Yoenis Cespedes, who was recently added to the American League's Home Run Derby team, in New York if he wins the Final Vote.

 

"We've all been working every day to get to this point. We've played all over the world and in different leagues," Puig said. "In Cuba, we played because we loved baseball. Here, we play for the fans, too. We know how to play the game, and that's why there are so many of us here.

 

www.mlb.com

 

 

Another article arguing for his inclusion in the ASG, comparing the situation to Brett Cecil, of all players.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?g...mp;mode=gameday

Edited July 11, 2013 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9469926/...lb-jersey-sales

 

Puig now in the Top for best-selling MLB jerseys in 2013 despite missing the first two months of the season.

 

 

 

The Top 20

1. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

2. Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees

3. Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals

4. David Wright, New York Mets

5. Matt Harvey, New York Mets

6. Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals

7. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

8. Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles

9. Mike Trout, LA Angels of Anaheim

10. Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers

11. Hyun-Jin Ryu, Los Angeles Dodgers (Korean-American fanbase really kicking in, last year Ichiro was 3rd, Darvish also on the list)

12. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

13. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox

14. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

15. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

16. Sergio Romo, San Francisco Giants

17. Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

18. Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers

19. Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants

20. Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

Edited July 11, 2013 by caulfield12

[Noonskadoodle]

Freeman beat out Puig

 

Delabar in for the AL

[caulfield12]

Freeman beat out Puig

 

Delabar in for the AL

 

Yep, just looked it up at twitter.

 

Wonder about the odds of one of the NL outfielders mysterious suffering an injury in the last 4-5 days?

 

And the #FinalVote winners are ... @FreddieFreeman5 and @SteveDelabar_50!

 

 

 

Harper, Beltran, CarGo, McCutchen, Carlos Gomez, Dominic Brown, Michael Cuddyer.....7 OF's on the roster right now.

 

Of course, Bochy could choose a DIFFERENT player or simply refuse to play Puig, which wouldn't surprise anyone around the game. He's definitely old school.

 

It would make the Giants/Dodgers rivalry a bit more interesting.

Edited July 11, 2013 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

Puig quickly earning the title of villain with some

Bill Plaschke

July 10, 2013, 11:55 p.m.

 

 

PHOENIX — Just when the baseball world thought it had seen everything that Yasiel Puig could become, the Dodgers phenom has added yet another tool.

 

It's not as overwhelming as his bat, or as strong as his arm, but it can be just as powerful — or powerfully destructive — as both.

 

The hot young outfielder and hitter is also now officially a villain.

 

It happened this week in Arizona, where the charging Dodgers swept through the first-place Diamondbacks against a backdrop of boos, accusations and rips.

 

It wasn't Arizona hating on Los Angeles. It was Arizona hating on Puig.

 

It was folks in both the Chase Field stands and home dugout jeering the Dodgers' 22-year-old magician for what they considered needless sleights of hand and crass tricks.

 

They hated the way he tossed his bat after even the mildest of hits. They hated how he growled at the pitcher even after walks. They hated how seemingly every bit of hustle was accompanied by a glare.

 

"He plays with a lot of arrogance," said Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy.

 

They hated on him even though he had had no homers, no extra-base hits and no RBIs in the series. They hated on him because it's become obvious in the last 35 games that Puig is about a lot more than numbers.

 

The kid is about an unbridled swagger that hasn't been seen around the Dodgers since Manny Ramirez, the kind of swagger that enrages fans and distracts opponents. It is an attitude jolt that, if backed by good play, can turn a complacent club into champions. It is also an attitude jolt that can tear that same club apart.

 

The Dodgers, for now, are publicly looking on the bright side.

 

"I don't mind a guy playing with a little attitude, honestly,'' said Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly before his team's 7-5 victory over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep. ''I played with Rickey Henderson, he was a guy who irritated a lot of people, but he was a pretty good player."

 

Mattingly, however, knows there's a line that kids should not cross, lines that separate villains from fools. Like everyone else on the Dodgers, they are holding their breath that Puig can successfully straddle that line.

 

The Diamondbacks and their fans are already convinced he has crossed it. The crowds here spoke with boos every time Puig came near a ball or a bat. The players openly acknowledged it in the clubhouse, expressing feelings that are surely shared throughout the league, because very few baseball players ever speak alone.

 

"If he's my teammate, I'm probably trying to help him not be hated in the major leagues…that's where he's going right now, creating a bad reputation throughout the league," said Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero.

 

Montero was talking about, among other things, a play Tuesday night in which Puig foolishly tried to race home from first on a dropped fly ball in center field.

 

He was easily thrown out, but not before he hit Montero with a forearm shiver and then glared at him as he left the field.

 

"Does he have talent? Of course," said Montero. "It'd be really bad if he wasted it doing the stupid things he's doing.'' (Wow, good thing Montero hasn't watched either the White Sox this season or his own pathetic batting average and stat line, lol.)

 

The Diamondbacks were also angry at Puig for a perceived snub of one of the franchise's legendary heroes, Luis Gonzalez.

 

Before the series opener Monday, Gonzalez approached Puig behind the batting cage to introduce himself and talk about their shared Cuban roots.

 

Puig had apparently never heard of Gonzalez, and paid him little attention until Dodgers coach Mark McGwire explained Gonzalez's game-winning hit in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 2001 World Series and his significance to the organization.

 

 

Gonzalez then went on the local radio ripping Puig for showing bad manners, which is, face it, a little silly considering Puig has only been in the big leagues 35 days and can't be expected to know about players who starred when he was a child in information-controlled Cuba.

 

But that is what happens when you are a villain. Every move is scrutinized. Every action can be a distraction.

 

"You don't want him to be a distraction, and he doesn't want to be a distraction,'' said Mattingly. "If there's anything that is a behavior that you would watch out for, I think we'd talk about it."

 

They will probably have a talk this weekend after Puig pulled a rather villainous move in the outfield.

 

When running down a double into the right-center field gap by Paul Goldschmidt in the fifth inning Wednesday night, he stuck out his glove in ordering chasing center fielder Andre Ethier to halt.

 

When is the last time you have seen such a bold public move by one teammate against another?

 

The Dodgers would rather have Puig make the throw, but do they really want him showing up the steady Ethier to do it? Wouldn't the smart Ethier have relented anyway?

 

It didn't help that, an inning later, Puig dropped a line drive by Chad Pennington for an error.

 

"But he's a 22-year-old who loves playing ... playing with a flair.... I don't want to take that aggressiveness away from him," said Mattingly.

 

Puig also has a defender in Diamondbacks Manager Kirk Gibson, who sees a little of himself as a young player.

 

"He's kicking everybody's butt, some people are jealous and pop off on him," Gibson said. "I think the way he plays is awesome."

 

Awesome or overboard, Puig's style of play has now become so noticeable, it is in the heads of opposing players and fans. After these recent years of Dodgers invisibility, that's probably not a bad place to be.

[email protected]

 

 

Did Mike Trout and Bryce Harper get called "arrogant" last year for having a lot of the same qualities as Puig does? One wonders whether Gonzalez was deliberately trying to provoke him and incite the DBacks fanbase...because, if I were in his position, the first thing I would do is tell all the world or tweet about something like this? Kind of weird, making a mountain out of a molehill, when the only memory Puig had of the DBacks was the fight he was involved in earlier in the season....when tensions were so high the following day that Mattingly deliberately left him out of the line-up to prevent a recurrence of hostilities leading to injuries to key players.

 

Wonder why this kind of thing always seems to happen to minority/African-American/"foreigner" athletes (remember Usain Bolt being chastised for showboating in the Olympics the first time he was there and won gold by the IOC Commissioner?)

Edited July 11, 2013 by caulfield12

[Kyyle23]

Harper absolutely has been called arrogant

[caulfield12]

Harper absolutely has been called arrogant

 

 

I would love to see these quotes where players from other teams are calling him out in less than 40 games of his big league debut though?

 

Keep in mind, Bryce Harper was on the cover to SI at what age, 15 or 16? Everyone in the America knew who he was ... versus Puig, who has only been in the public eye for about a month now, except for hardcore baseball fans.

 

 

 

 

By Andrew Gastelum

July 11, 2013, 2:35 p.m.

 

 

 

It seems the only thing Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig hasn’t been able to do in the last month is earn a spot in the All-Star game. Fans voted Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman into the final National League spot in the Tuesday game at Citi Field in New York.

 

Freeman, a Fountain Valley native, entered Thursday's games batting .307 with nine home runs and 56 runs batted in. The El Modena High product finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2011 and hit a career high 23 home runs with 94 RBIs last year.

 

Puig sat in second place heading into the final day of voting, which featured a frantic Twitter race that counted MLB-designated hashtags. In all, there were a record 79.2 million votes cast, according to Major League Baseball. Freeman won the NL balloting with a record 19.6 million votes.

Edited July 11, 2013 by caulfield12

[LittleHurt05]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9469926/...lb-jersey-sales

 

Puig now in the Top for best-selling MLB jerseys in 2013 despite missing the first two months of the season.

 

 

 

The Top 20

1. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

2. Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees

3. Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals

4. David Wright, New York Mets

5. Matt Harvey, New York Mets

6. Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals

7. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

8. Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles

9. Mike Trout, LA Angels of Anaheim

10. Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers

11. Hyun-Jin Ryu, Los Angeles Dodgers (Korean-American fanbase really kicking in, last year Ichiro was 3rd, Darvish also on the list)

12. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

13. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox

14. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

15. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

16. Sergio Romo, San Francisco Giants

17. Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

18. Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers

19. Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants

20. Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

 

 

He'd probably drop down to 13th if all the jerseys you bought weren't counted.

[caulfield12]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb...,0,390605.story

 

Incredibly long but worthwhile article about the origin of the signing,

 

how the Dodgers assessed him from a scouting perspective when he'd never faced live competition and there was only the Viciedo, Cespedes and Soler signings to go on, with the July 2nd signing deadline looming or the max for the contract would have been $2.9 million.

 

Also illuminating in light of the Micker Zapata "Top 25 prospects" thread.

 

 

The Dodgers had money. Months earlier, the Dodgers had been purchased for a record $2.15 billion, and the new owners were willing to dig deeper into their pockets. Team President Stan Kasten, a longtime baseball executive, was already on record saying the club needed to restock a depleted farm system.

 

Paul Fryer, a high-level scout, was dispatched to Mexico City to watch the final two of Puig's workouts. Fryer has a knack for projecting how a player in an overseas or college league would transition to pro ball in the U.S. However, in other instances he always had the benefit of watching a player perform in games.

 

The first thing Fryer noted about Puig: "He's pretty much a specimen, physically," he recalls.

 

Then he saw Puig hit. "I've never seen the ball come off somebody's bat like that," Fryer says. He was also impressed with the mechanics of Puig's swing, leading him to believe Puig would be able to hit a top-level breaking ball.

 

Fryer still had reservations. Baseballs traveled farther at Mexico City's high elevation.

 

"You have to put your instincts on the line there," Fryer says.

 

The Dodgers asked themselves, would a player of Puig's caliber be available to them in the 2013 draft? The answer was no. White and Fryer were also buoyed by how quickly other Cuban league stars such Oakland Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman had transitioned to American baseball.

 

The Dodgers had less than a week to work out a deal, and not much to go on. They knew Cespedes, who was older and more established than Puig, had signed a four-year, $36-million deal with Oakland. They also knew Jorge Soler, a year younger and less polished than Puig, had received $30 million over nine years from the Chicago Cubs.

 

What other teams might bid for Puig was unknown. So, as they had with their purchase of the Dodgers, ownership went bigger than ever, offering a record contract for a Cuban amateur.

 

Fryer called Puig's signing "as unique an experience that any scout has ever been involved in."

 

People involved in the situation insinuate — without explanation — that someone other than Puig and his agent decided which team won out. Says Fryer: "There's a lot of things I don't want to get into; how we had to find the real decision-maker."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Puig was not only well-behaved in the clubhouse, he exceeded even the most optimistic of on-field projections. His .517 average led the Cactus League and his all-around game wowed teammates and rivals.

 

Kemp, the Dodgers' star center fielder, compared Puig as an athlete to Bo Jackson, who played both professional baseball and football. Cespedes predicted Puig could do better than he had in 2012, when he was the runner-up in American League rookie-of-the-year voting.

 

But there was nothing Puig could do to make the Dodgers' opening-day roster. In Kemp, Crawford and Andre Ethier, the Dodgers had three former All-Star outfielders who were earning a combined $53.5 million per season. Puig was sent to the Dodgers' double-A affiliate in Chattanooga, Tenn.

 

"It really came down to him having to play the game," Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said. "He needed repetition, game repetition, situational repetition."

 

In Tennessee, Puig sulked. He butted heads with coaches. He was arrested for driving 97 mph in a 50-mph zone. His behavior was enough of a concern that longtime coach Manny Mota, a mentor to many of the organization's Latin American players, was asked to speak with him.

 

Puig never stopped hitting, though, and his attitude improved. So, on Monday, with the Dodgers in last place and Kemp and Crawford out with injuries, he was called up to the major leagues.

 

Again, the Dodgers didn't know what to expect. While Puig's physical capabilities were never in doubt, his minor league experience in America was limited to 262 plate appearances over 63 games.

 

When Angels star Mike Trout made his major league debut in 2011, he had played in 249 minor league games. Trout played in 14 major league games, hit .163, and was sent back to the minors before being recalled late in the season. He spent the early part of last season in the minor leagues, too, before being called up in late April and becoming the American League rookie of the year.

 

With Puig nearing the completion of his first week in the major leagues, questions remain.

Edited July 11, 2013 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

He'd probably drop down to 13th if all the jerseys you bought weren't counted.

 

 

Just one $29.99 replica jersey. Don't know if that counts or not, lol.

[Kyyle23]

I would love to see these quotes where players from other teams are calling him out in less than 40 games of his big league debut though?

 

First off, all of those quotes are from the diamondbacks players, who just got into a brawl with the dodgers and Puig was in the middle of it.

 

And instead of quotes from players, how about talent scouts, before Harper ever played in the majors?

 

http://yourkillinmesmalls.mlblogs.com/2012...asshole-cometh/

 

There was this from Baseball Prospectus before Harper was drafted:

 

“It’s impossible to find any talent evaluator who isn’t blown away by Harper’s ability on the field, but it’s equally difficult to find one who doesn’t genuinely dislike the kid.

 

“One scout called him among the worst amateur players he’s ever seen from a makeup standpoint, with top-of-the-scale arrogance, a disturbingly large sense of entitlement, and on-field behavior that includes taunting opponents.”

 

“He’s just a bad, bad guy,” one front-office official told Baseball Prospectus. “He’s basically the anti-Joe Mauer.”

[Jake]

Glad to see the more deserving and better player got in. NL one step closer to home field advantage!!!

[caulfield12]

Glad to see the more deserving and better player got in. NL one step closer to home field advantage!!!

 

 

Better? That remains to be seen.

[Jake]

Better? That remains to be seen.

 

You're right, Freddie isn't as good at blowing off Luis Gonzalez

[caulfield12]

You're right, Freddie isn't as good at blowing off Luis Gonzalez

 

He would probably be even more criticized if he spent all of his time talking to the media like he was George Clooney...for not concentrating on the field enough or being distracted by outside influences.

 

 

Becoming acclimated to American culture, both on and off the field, was the greater challenge. The Dodgers assigned Spanish-speaking executives to aid Puig in his transition, but word quickly spread that he didn't always hustle and that he was disobedient.

 

"There are unwritten rules that apply here that don't apply in Cuba," Torres recalls telling Puig.

 

Puig's English teacher and chaperone, Tim Bravo, thought Puig was misunderstood. He saw a different side of the ballplayer.

 

When Bravo's 6-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer, Puig offered to pay for the treatment.

 

"I love him like a son," Bravo says of Puig.

 

Puig was scheduled to play last fall in an Arizona league that is a finishing school for baseball's top prospects. After he developed a staph infection in his elbow that required surgery, he instead played winter ball in Puerto Rico — and batted only .232.

 

Between the unflattering reports about his temperament and his disappointing winter season, the Dodgers didn't know what to expect when he reported to spring training in Arizona.

 

He arrived with Eddie Oropesa, a former major league pitcher the Dodgers hired to help Puig acclimate.

Edited July 12, 2013 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

LOS ANGELES – Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig smiled and shook his head vigorously from side to side when someone asked him whether he will ever tone down his style of play after a series of critical comments came out of a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this week.

 

Arizona pitcher Ian Kennedy described Puig's style of play as "arrogant," and catcher Miguel Montero called some of the rookie's actions on the field "stupid."

 

"That's my game," Puig said Thursday. "I'm going to play my baseball the way I play. We don't like the way [Gerardo] Parra plays or the way Montero plays, but we don't go to the press or anybody and talk about how we don't like it, because we're more reserved."

 

Puig's teammates rallied to his defense Thursday.

 

"He just gets attacked for no reason. He's a great kid," second baseman Mark Ellis told ESPNLosAngeles.com. "All he's done is come in here and make our team better. So what if he rubs the opponents the wrong way? I don't care. He's on my team. I couldn't care less if somebody from our division rival doesn't like what he does.

 

"Then, to have people run with it like they do and make things up about him -- that players in our clubhouse are jealous of him -- is a joke."

 

Earlier Thursday, Puig brushed off a question about "playing with arrogance," saying he plays the way he does for the fans.

 

"I learned to play that way as a kid," Puig said. "I always like to play aggressive and always try to put on a show for the fans. They [the fans] come to spend their time and lose sleep watching us play. It is one, to me, of the more emotional things in baseball."

 

Puig, reticent to talk to the media since being called up to the majors on June 3, spoke to ESPN in Spanish during a live interview with anchor Max Bretos, who translated both his questions to Puig, and Puig's answers to the audience.

 

Puig also said he wasn't bothered not to be selected to the National League All-Star team in fan voting for the final spot, which went to Atlanta's Freddie Freeman. Puig had been the subject of much debate on whether a player with only 142 career at-bats in six weeks in the big leagues deserved an All-Star spot.

 

"Everyone has their own opinion," Puig said during the interview. "Only they would know why they say I should not be in the All-Star Game. But that depends on the fan voting and whatever God has planned for me."

 

After the voting was released, he thanked fans in English and Spanish on Twitter.

 

 

Puig, hitting .394 with eight home runs and 19 RBIs heading into Thursday night's game against Colorado, also addressed criticism that he was less than cordial to former Arizona star and fellow Cuban Luis Gonzalez during a brief meeting with the former World Series MVP earlier this week.

 

"Yes, I did get to meet him in Arizona," Puig said. "I was with my hitting coach [Mark] McGwire. He presented him [Gonzalez] to me. I don't know why those reports have come out. They are going to try and fix the problem today or in the upcoming days.

 

"I did greet him. If they keep saying those things, I can't do anything about it. My thing is to play baseball and not worry what the press says."

 

Puig got into a small spat with Montero after running into the Diamondbacks' catcher while trying to score a run. Montero wagged his finger at Puig, and said after the game: "Does he have talent? Of course. It'd be really bad if he wasted it doing the stupid things he's doing.''

 

Puig flipped his bat after a single and after a walk in the Arizona series. The Dodgers swept Arizona to cut their division lead to 1½ games. Kennedy had hit Puig in the nose with a pitch on June 11, prompting the Dodgers to hit Montero and sparking a pair of scuffles that resulted in multiple fines and suspensions.

 

"He has a different flair. Not everybody is an average guy out there," Ellis said. "Nobody would watch baseball if everybody was like me. You need guys like him that are entertaining."

 

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Puig's perceived arrogance was not "a baseball problem," and insisted Puig is popular in the Dodgers' clubhouse.

 

"These guys would fight for him, and I think you're seeing that," Mattingly said.

 

www.espn.com/mlb

 

 

 

Puig won't get to play in Tuesday's game at Citi Field in New York unless he is added as an injury replacement. The outfielder was batting .394 with eight homers and 19 RBIs heading into Thursday night's home game against Colorado, helping the Dodgers shoot up the NL West standings following a slow start.

 

"I'm happy with it," Puig said. "It's not what I expected for the team and for the city, but I've just got to keep on playing. I'm very happy. I don't have my head down at all. I want to congratulate Freddie for winning."

 

Puig has been in the majors for only five weeks, leading some to question whether he belongs on the NL team.

 

"I think he'd love to be at the All-Star Game," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "I think he's the kind of kid who'd love to go show off, but the All-Star thing is not going to take his joy away."

Edited July 12, 2013 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

Yasiel Puig's arrogance not a bad thing

July, 11, 2013

JUL 11

9:20

PM ET

By David Schoenfield | ESPN.com

 

From Buster Olney's blog today on Yasiel Puig and the apparent growing dislike for him among other big leaguers:

What the scout saw in Puig in spring training was someone who played as if he were the only person on the field. Without the niceties and with the body language that makes it clear that he believes he is the best player on the field and everybody else should get the heck out of the way. And it’s working for him. He’s hitting .394 and has been a driving force for the Dodgers in their push from the bottom of the National League West.

 

Buster referred to an MLB.com story in which Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero called out Puig's behavior: "If he's my teammate, I probably try to teach him how to behave in the big leagues. He's creating a bad reputation around the league, and it's unfortunate because the talent that he has is to be one of the greatest players in the big leagues."

 

Montero, you'll remember, is also the guy who bashed former Diamondbacks pitcher Trevor Bauer because "he never wanted to listen." In Montero's world, there is one way -- the right way, by his definition -- to do things. If you don't adhere to the time-honored baseball code, you're a jerk or arrogant or a rookie who doesn't know better.

 

What I don't get is what Puig has done exactly to break that code: Play the game hard? Play the game with an enthusiasm and joy that frankly is missing from too many players? Why must baseball be played with such a cheerless disposition? Fear of showing up the opponent? OK, he got in the brawl with the Diamondbacks and got a little crazy. So did Mark McGwire, Matt Williams, Don Mattingly and Alan Trammell, former players who would seemingly know something about the "right way."

 

As Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis told ESPNLA's Mark Saxon, "He just gets attacked for no reason. He's a great kid. All he's done is come in here and make our team better. So what if he rubs the opponents the wrong way? I don't care. He's on my team. I couldn't care less if somebody from our division rival doesn't like what he does."

 

Puig's in good company though. People are comparing his attitude towards that of Barry Bonds, but I think that's unfair. Bonds never played the game with the jubilance I see from Puig, but instead treated it as his own personal feud with the world. Babe Ruth was arrogant, Rickey Henderson flipped his bat and snapped his glove after catches, Pete Rose was despised for running to first base after drawing walks. That wasn't how you were supposed to play the game. Opponents gave him the "Charlie Hustle" nickname out of derision, not out of respect. Pedro Martinez was a head-hunter, cocky and insufferable at times, but I've never enjoyed watching a pitcher more than him.

 

Remember, too, that Puig comes from a culture where baseball is celebrated and enjoyed differently than it is in the States. In Cuba, fans attend games to exult in the performance of the players and the atmosphere, and games are a constant onslaught of noise and cheers. As Puig said today, "I always like to play aggressive and always try to put on a show for the fans. They [the fans] come to spend their time and lose sleep watching us play. It is one, to me, of the more emotional things in baseball."

 

God forbid, playing the game with emotion. So Puig thinks he's good? OK. So far, he has been.

 

 

 

Puig-mania turning to Puig backlash

July, 11, 2013

JUL 11

10:52

AM ET

By Buster Olney | ESPN.com

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A scout who saw Yasiel Puig in spring training provided this report in March:

 

He plays hard -- really, really hard.

 

He’s got big-time power, to all fields.

 

He can run like crazy.

 

He’s got a great arm.

 

And, the scout said, with zero emotion, "Other players are going to hate him."

 

Every game is filled with small gestures of acknowledgment and respect between brothers of the game. Before batting practice, rival players wave to each other across the field. There are handshakes and hugs among players wearing different uniforms. When Derek Jeter walks to the plate today for his first at-bat of the season, he will nod at the home plate umpire and likely tap the catcher on the shin guard with his bat. If he gets a hit, Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer probably will congratulate him and welcome him back.

 

Before the first pitch of Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, Jeter stepped into the batter’s box and looked out at the mound at Curt Schilling, and the two men greeted each other with their eyes, like two boxers tapping gloves before the start of a heavyweight fight.

 

It’s part of the game and has been for a lot longer than even old-timers like to admit.

 

What the scout saw in Puig in spring training was someone who played as if he were the only person on the field. Without the niceties and with the body language that makes it clear that he believes he is the best player on the field and everybody else should get the heck out of the way. And it’s working for him. He’s hitting .394 and has been a driving force for the Dodgers in their push from the bottom of the National League West.

 

Whether you like this or hate it, this is the way he is. This is how he goes about his business, and as the scout predicted, he’s rubbing other players the wrong way -- not only on other teams but also in his own clubhouse.

 

The Diamondbacks’ Miguel Montero became one of the first players to put voice to it before Wednesday’s game. From Tyler Emerick’s story:

"If he's my teammate, I probably try to teach him how to behave in the big leagues," Montero said. "He's creating a bad reputation around the league, and it's unfortunate because the talent that he has is to be one of the greatest players in the big leagues.

 

"Right now, I'm not going to say he's the best because he hasn't proved anything yet. Does he have talent? Of course. Does he have the tools? Of course. He's got so much talent, it'd be really bad if he wasted it doing the stupid things that he's doing. You have to respect to earn respect. If you don't respect anybody, you aren't going to earn respect."

 

Even though Puig has been with the Dodgers for just over a month, the D-backs already have a lengthy history with the 22-year-old. On June 11, Ian Kennedy hit Puig with a pitch in the nose in a game that saw two bench-clearing incidents resulting in eight suspensions. Puig was fined for his role, but he wasn't given a ban, something that irked D-backs players who said he punched former Arizona first baseman Eric Hinske in the back of the head.

 

Then on Tuesday, Puig was thrown out easily at the plate in the fifth inning but not before he collided with Montero and then stared down the catcher as he walked back to the dugout. Replays showed Montero waving his finger at the rookie, a la former NBA big man Dikembe Mutombo.

 

"I don't blame him running me over, it's part of the game," Montero said. "The only thing I really don't appreciate is why you have to look back at me. I really don't appreciate that."

 

Luis Gonzalez wasn’t thrilled with Puig either, after an exchange with him.

 

How other players feel about him might be irrelevant in the end. Barry Bonds was disliked by almost all his teammates and many opposing players because they found him to be completely self-centered.

 

In time, we’ll know if any of this perception affects Puig in any way.

 

He has earned the role of villain, writes Bill Plaschke.

 

The Diamondbacks bullpen unraveled, Hanley Ramirez came up big again, and the Dodgers drew to within 1½ games of first place.

 

Edited July 12, 2013 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

However, just because everyone seems to know who Puig is does not mean Puig knows who everyone in the baseball world is just yet.

 

Case in point, Diamondbacks legend Luis Gonzalez, who tried to introduce himself to the rookie phenom prior to Tuesday night's game at Chase Field.

 

"I was just trying to show professional courtesy that I would to any other player just standing around the cage," Gonzalez told Arizona Sports 620's Doug and Wolf Wednesday. "I was actually talking to (Dodgers hitting coach Mark) McGwire and (John) Valentin, the other assistant hitting coach, and I said 'you know, let me go say hi to Puig.' He was right by the cage."

 

The 2001 World Series hero proceeded to explain that he introduced himself as Luis Gonzalez.

 

"I didn't expect him to know who I was, and I could care less," he admitted.

 

Gonzalez then intimated what AZCentral Sports' Dan Bickley wrote in a Wednesday column -- Puig blew him off, and received a bit of a talking to from McGwire.

 

"As far as the human factor is concerned, this guy's been up in the major leagues for a month, and about four or five months ago nobody knew who this guy was and coming from a family from Cuba, where my parents have always taught me to appreciate everything you have," Gonzalez continued. "This guy is making money now that he will have never even thought about where he was before in Cuba, so you have to learn to appreciate things.

 

"And I think for all of us it was a valuable lesson."

 

Gonzalez then said he walked away and it was "no big deal" to him, and that his only intent was to open up a bridge of communication with a player with whom he shares a connection.

 

"I wasn't asking him to sign baseballs or take a picture with me or anything like that," he said. "I just thought we had a common bond with where my family is from and where he's from."

 

Arizona Sports, arizonarepublic.com/sports