#6 – Alex Rodriguez
No team is more hated in baseball than the New York Yankees, and All-Star slugger Alex Rodriguez is no exception. There was a time when he would easily have been the most disliked player in the game, but the younger generation has surpassed him on the list.
A-Rod has been suspended twice for using performance-enhancing drugs, including being caught up in the Biogenesis scandal that rocked the baseball world. The former MVP and All-Star was busted for being not just a user of PEDs, but a source of clients for the Biogenesis clinic.
Needless to say, MLB went after Rodriguez hard and issued a one-year suspension for the superstar. At the time, there were five years left on his contract, and the Yankees had been displeased with his performance for some time. They fought to void his contract, saying that his behavior violated the morality clause of his contract, among other arguments.
Luckily for A-Rod, the players’ union was able to easily prove that the Yankees had no legal basis for voiding the deal, and it ended up reflecting poorly on the organization. However, the damage had already been done for Rodriguez in terms of his reputation – he is widely considered an overpaid, underperforming cheater, and fans around the league take joy in booing him when he comes to town.
Next: The Fiery Young Pitcher