#18 – Johnny Cueto
When the Cincinnati Reds faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2013 NL Wild Card game, Johnny Cueto got the start for the Reds. Pirates fans let their disdain for him be known by chanting “Cueto” throughout the second inning, rattling Cueto the point where he dropped the baseball as he faced Russell Martin and had to walk several feet off the mound to pick it up. Then, Martin smacked the next pitch into the seats to give the Pirates a lead that they would never relinquish.
During that start, Cueto was relatively subdued as the Pirates’ bats kept him quiet. Normally, he has an interesting delivery that includes “shimmying” before he throws the pitch, which tends to irk fans and opponents:
Cueto is talented enough to get away with a little showboating, but it’s easy to see why players and fans alike are consistently ready to yell “Just throw the ball already!” whenever he pitches.
#17 – Melky Cabrera
When White Sox outfielder Melky Cabrera played for the Giants, he cemented himself onto the list of most-hated baseball players. In 2012, Cabrera went from virtually unknown around the league to the favorite to win the National League batting title, as he helped carry the Giants to a playoff berth.
However, prior to the end of the season, Cabrera was popped for PED use and received a 50-game suspension. To compound the betrayal felt by fans, it was discovered that Cabrera’s camp had created a fake website in an effort to mislead investigators about how the banned substance wound up in his system. As a result, the Giants declined to add him to the postseason roster at the end of his suspension, and Cabrera recused himself from the batting title competition.
Even after well-paid stints with the Blue Jays and White Sox, Cabrera hasn’t regained a favorable reputation with fans or fellow players.
Next: The Former Yankee and the Aging All-Star