Josh Beckett and MLB's All-Selfish-Teammate Team

Selfishness isn't necessarily a detriment in individual sports.

MLB teams, on the other hand, have no tolerance for me-first players.

These clubhouse cancers—talented as they may be—aren't properly wired for baseball. Misbehavior is the common thread that connects the following jerks.

Contract disputes, however, didn't land anyone on this roster. Professional athletes have brief careers, which could end at any moment. Sometimes that leads them to negotiate for every cent possible, opt for free agency or use other means to gain financial security. 

There's nothing immoral about that.

With that said, playing just one game with these despicable characters would be utterly miserable.

C A.J. Pierzynski (Chicago White Sox)

A.J. Pierzynski is constantly doing dumb things, which has earned him a reputation as one of baseball's most loathed players.

He famously antagonized Michael Barrett in 2006 following a home-plate collision (photos). The play was totally clean, but after the dust had settled, Pierzynski decided to nudge Barrett on his way to the dugout. He was begging for a retaliation, and got a left hook to the face.

When his team falters, Pierzynski doesn't like to take responsibility.

Last season, he threw pitcher Gavin Floyd under the bus for struggling to hold baserunners (via Chicago Sun-Times).

Did it ever occur to him that his own weak throwing motion was making it easy for the opposition?

Of course not.

1B Carlos Lee (Miami Marlins)

Carlos Lee showed no sympathy for the Houston Astros earlier this summer.

He knew that the franchise's depleted farm system was desperate for reinforcements. Management's pleas couldn't stop him from vetoing a deal to the Los Angeles Dodgers that would've returned exactly that.

The aging slugger was forcibly shipped to the Miami Marlins soon after, a team that wasn't included on his no-trade list.

Lee found himself in a nearly identical situation by late July.

In all-out fire-sale mode, the Fish had agreed to terms with the New York Yankees, according to ESPN's Jayson Stark. The trade was pending Lee's approval, but yet again, he didn't cooperate.

In a matter of weeks, he stalled two rebuilding efforts and refused to fill significant roles on a couple contenders.

2B Yuniesky Betancourt (Kansas City Royals)

Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost is fed up with Yuniesky Betancourt, whom he believes is a player with poor intangibles.

The skipper told Jayson Jenks of The Kansas City Star that the Royals "have to have 25 guys that are solely invested in one goal." It's evident from his demand for more playing time that Betancourt was not passionate about eradicating the losing culture in K.C.

Via Baseball-Reference.com, Betancourt was worth 1.4 WAR and 1.7 WAR in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The 30-year-old's production has since plateaued, however, due to a lack of motivation.

Betancourt swings the bat too frequently and has been unwilling to work on his bunting ability and plate discipline.

Developing either would make him more valuable.

SS Hanley Ramirez (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Hanley Ramirez actually deterred his team from improving this past winter. The lifetime shortstop was initially unwilling to change positions to accommodate superstar Jose Reyes, wrote Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com.

During spring training, he reluctantly shifted to the hot corner.

Few third basemen possess comparable athleticism, but most have fielded better than Ramirez in 2012. His mediocre defensive stats suggest that he isn't committed to improving.

"He plays when he wants to play," according to former Dominican Winter League teammate and current MLB Network analyst Eric Byrnes.

HanRam is the epitome of selfishness.

3B Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees)

Winning a World Series in 2009 did a lot to restore Alex Rodriguez's image.

It didn't alter his personality, though.

In a tell-all book, "The Yankee Years," former manager Joe Torre described him as "an ambitious superstar impressed and motivated by stature and status, particularly when those qualities pertained to himself."

His recent high-profile romantic relationships with celebrities Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz and Torrie Wilson verify that A-Rod's mindset hasn't changed.

Rodriguez is not at fault for negotiating record-setting contracts in January 2001 and December 2007, but some of the clauses included in the latter are ridiculous.

According to Baseball Prospectus, he cashes in on a multimillion dollar marketing agreement by reaching various career home-run milestones.

This diva is superficial incarnate.

LF Alfonso Soriano (Chicago Cubs)

Once upon a time, Alfonso Soriano was a speedy, error-prone second baseman. He never expected to be anything else.

However, prior to the 2006 season, he was traded to the Washington Nationals. Frank Robinson insisted on trying him in left field, where his defensive weaknesses wouldn't be exposed.

Later in Soriano's career, Lou Piniella of the Chicago Cubs became the first manager to drop him from the leadoff spot of the batting order.

He vehemently fought both commands before relenting.

His disrespect of authority figures—knowledgeable men who realize that a low on-base percentage can't bat first and a weak glove doesn't belong in the middle infield—qualifies him for this selfish team.

CF Colby Rasmus (Toronto Blue Jays)

Simply put, Colby Rasmus is a spoiled brat.

Baseball success began for him at a very young age, when his 1999 team made it to the championship game of the Little League World Series.

Years later, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round (28th overall). His first few professional summers went according to plan, and he was touted as a future superstar leading up to his MLB debut.

Rasmus grew frustrated in 2010, his second big league campaign, because he wasn't playing every single day. For him, 144 games and 534 plate appearances didn't cut it.

He became the only pre-arbitration-eligible player in recent memory to request a trade. He was granted his wish the next season.

Just in time to find his own place in Toronto and watch the Cardinals celebrate a title.

RF Nyjer Morgan (Milwaukee Brewers)

There's no denying that Nyjer Morgan is an entertaining character. Unfortunately, this Canadian-born platoon player has an ego the size of his native Alberta.

In May 2010, Morgan threw a temper tantrum after failing to make a leaping catch. Instead of fielding the ball and keeping the score tied, he walked away. The result was an inside-the-park home run.

He (unsuccessfully) attacked Chris Volstad later that summer in response to an errant pitch. The Washington Nationals had no choice but to run onto the field and put themselves in harm's way to protect their obnoxious teammate.

Morgan frequently speaks of himself in the third person during interviews. His comments rarely concern the team.

DH Manny Ramirez (Free Agent)

Everybody knows that 40-year-old Manny Ramirez can still mash a baseball. It's his lackadaisical effort, not his age, that has teams keeping their distances.

If Manny has ever hustled, I'd like to see video evidence. Whether pursuing balls in left field or "running" down the first-base line, he has never moved with the least bit of urgency.

"Manny being Manny" used to be a cute saying. These days, it's an unacceptable excuse. He wore it out in 2003 when "pharyngitis" kept him off the field and in 2005 when he attended to a mysterious ailing grandmother instead of appearing with his teammates at the White House.

His performance-enhancing also deters many suitors. Ramirez is the only player in MLB history to test positive three times.

SP Josh Beckett (Boston Red Sox)

Josh Beckett's sour attitude has become a huge issue for the Boston Red Sox. In fact, the front office discussed Beckett with the Texas Rangers prior to the 2012 non-waiver trade deadline, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.

His fall from grace began last September. Beantown needed its No. 1 starter to keep dealing, but he instead posted his highest ERA (5.48) and WHIP (1.35) of the season, contributing to an historic collapse.

The story behind his regression came out the following month. Beckett and others had subscribed to a steady diet of fried chicken, beer and video games while Boston's playoff aspirations hung in the balance.

Reports of his questionable preparation resurfaced in May 2012. Just days after being scratched with a lat injury, Beckett was seen exerting himself on the golf course.

"I spend my off-days the way I want to spend them," he said to Yahoo! Sports to justify the decision. "My off-day is my off-day."

Yeah, real mature.

RP Carlos Zambrano (Miami Marlins)

No list of selfish players could exclude Carlos Zambrano.

On June 1, 2007, he exploded at catcher Michael Barrett in the dugout. After tying a career worst by allowing 13 hits, he put more blame on Barrett's pitch selection than his own execution. Years later, Derrek Lee was also a victim of his rage.

Not surprisingly, Big Z has been frequently ejected during his MLB career. Over time, his short outings have taxed bullpens—specific pitchers like Aaron Heilman quickly declined upon joining the Cubs relief corps.

Local and national media would often craft their headlines around Zambrano's antics instead of Chicago's results. The right-hander embarrassed his former organization by arguing with umpires and ditching the club.

Even supportive teammates had a tough time defending his actions.

RP Bobby Jenks (Free Agent)

I bet many of you had completely forgotten about Bobby Jenks.

That's understandable. Back injuries and ineffectiveness have jeopardized his future in baseball.

He began his MLB career with the Chicago White Sox and behaved relatively well...until his numbers started slipping in 2010. Rather than taking responsibility, Jenks fired shots at manager Ozzie Guillen (via MLB.com's Scott Merkin) and critiqued his ability to run a bullpen.

Professional athletes cannot achieve peak performance without healthy bodies, yet Jenks has always prioritized alcohol consumption ahead of conditioning. He totaled nearly as many DUI arrests as wins while under contract with the Boston Red Sox and pitched only 15.2 innings.

A life-threatening infection caused him to lose significant weight, but I assure you that he didn't shed an ounce of selfishness in the process.

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