MLB: Most Hated Players In Baseball Right Now

#1 – Bryce Harper

MLB’s disdain for Bryce Harper can partially be summed up in this quote by him from earlier this year:

"“Baseball’s tired. It’s a tired sport, because you can’t express yourself. You can’t do what people in other sports do. I’m not saying baseball is, you know, boring or anything like that, but it’s the excitement of the young guys who are coming into the game now who have flair.”"

Whether you agree or disagree with Harper, the majority of players and fans seem to believe he’s wrong. He’s been criticized for playing too hard, and for not playing hard enough. He’s despised for showing emotions on the field and “hot-dogging it” when he hits home runs.

Yes, the hatred for Harper runs deep. When teammate Jonathan Papelbon attacked him in the dugout last season, plenty of people felt that it was justified, as unbelievable as that might sound.

But aside from his lack of regard for the unwritten rules of baseball, Harper can also just be obnoxious at times. Take this example, from 2014, when he antagonized Braves fans by dragging his heels through the “A” logo behind home plate:

Sure, there are plenty of videos that demonstrate Harper doing more unlikable things, such as failing to run out grounders or fighting with various teams – but this might just be the pettiest, most immature example of why so many people root against him.

Bryce has also cussed out umpires and been ejected numerous times, so it’s safe to say he’s not very popular with the ump crews, either.

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It’s hard to beat out A.J. Pierzynski in terms of being universally disliked, but this is hardly the first or last time that Bryce Harper will do something that seems impossible.

Perhaps that’s the real reason that Harper is the most hated player in the game.