Vernon Wells and the Player Most Impossible to Root for on Each MLB Team

Every team has fan favorites, whether they be superstars or role players who have endeared themselves to the fans for one reason or another.

On the other side of things, there are certain players who are genuinely hard to root for. Whether it is a result of unfulfilled expectations, personality issues or constant injury issues, some players are just hard to get behind as fans.

So here is a look at the one player from each team who is hardest to root for, as well as what makes rooting for each so difficult.

Baltimore Orioles: 1B/3B Mark Reynolds

Why He's Hard To Root For

Reynolds was once among the best power hitters in all of baseball, making it easier to overlook his prolific strikeout totals.

Back in 2009, he struck out a whopping 223 times to set the single-season record, but he managed to have a .260 batting average, 44 HR and 102 RBI. 

His average plummeted to .210 over the past two seasons, but he still managed to launch 69 home runs during that span.

This year has been a different story, though, as he's posted just a .203 BA, 8 HR and 32 RBI and has been a weak link in an improved Orioles lineup.

Boston Red Sox: SP Josh Beckett

Why He's Hard To Root For

Over his 12-year career, Josh Beckett has proven to be one of the best big-game pitchers in all of baseball, but he has also been terribly inconsistent.

After going 13-7 with a 2.89 ERA last season, he's struggled to a 5-9 record and a 4.54 ERA in 18 starts this year. 

On top of his inconsistency, he has a notoriously prickly personality and is far from a fan favorite.

There is no question he's had his shining moments in the postseason, but as a whole, he's a tough one to get behind.

New York Yankees: RP Joba Chamberlain

Why He's Hard To Root For

We're going to avoid the obvious answer of Alex Rodriguez here and opt for someone else who is just as a hard to root for but for different reasons.

Ranked as the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball heading into the 2008 season, Chamberlain was fantastic in a relief role the previous season, with a 0.38 ERA and 12.8 K/9 in 24 innings of work.

He opened the next season in the bullpen once again, joining the rotation for 12 starts and pitching well. After joining the rotation full-time the next season, his ERA climbed over two points, but he did make 31 starts.

Since that season, however, he's been limited by injuries and ineffectiveness.

Chamberlain was a pitcher who once appeared destined for stardom; now it appears as though he'll never be anything more than a middle reliever.

Tampa Bay Rays: CF B.J. Upton

Why He's Hard To Root For

Upton appeared to be on the cusp of stardom after a phenomenal first full season in 2007, as he had a .300 batting average, 24 HR, 82 RBI and 22 SB at the age of 22.

However, he has never again matched those numbers, and since the start of the 2009 season, he has hit just .241/.318/.402, with his on-base percentage down to a career low .301 this season.

He's headed for free agency at season's end, and between his inconsistent play and his previous inabilities to get along with teammates, it will be interesting to see what sort of contract he can get on the open market.

Toronto Blue Jays: SP Ricky Romero

Why He's Hard To Root For

Romero got progressively better over each of his first three years in the league, and after a 15-11, 2.92 ERA, 178 K line last season, he seemed primed to emerge as a bona-fide ace.

However, this season he has been frustratingly inconsistent, going 8-8 with a 5.47 ERA and posting 11 quality starts in 23 total outings.

In those 11 quality starts, he's gone 5-3 with a 2.59 ERA, but over his other 12 starts, he is 3-5 with an 8.77 ERA, including three games in which he has allowed eight earned runs.

That is the sort of frustrating inconsistency that makes it hard to root for a guy.

Chicago White Sox: C A.J. Pierzynski

Why He's Hard To Root For

Dating back to 2002 when he first became an everyday catcher, Pierzynski has been among the most consistent offensive performers at the position, with an average stat line of .284 BA, 12 HR, 58 RBI.

At 35, he is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career this year, as he's hitting .293 with a career-high 21 home runs and 62 RBI, which put him 15 off of his career best.

However, he has always ranked among the most hated players in baseball and was even voted as such in a recent Men's Journal poll.

There's no doubt he's an asset to the White Sox, but he's far from a fan favorite.

Cleveland Indians: SP Ubaldo Jimenez

Why He's Hard To Root For

The Indians paid a steep price to acquire Jimenez from the Rockies at the deadline last year, as they shipped their top two pitching prospects and four prospects in total off to acquire the right-hander.

Unable to match the tremendous success he had in 2010, Jimenez has been a bust in Cleveland to this point, going 12-15 with a 5.22 ERA over 33 starts.

Jimenez ripped the Rockies organization this spring, and went on to intentionally plunk ex-teammate Troy Tulowitzki during a spring training game, earning him a suspension to open the season.

He was the most talked-about player in the game over the first half of 2010, but there's not much to cheer for these days.

Detroit Tigers: DH Delmon Young

Why He's Hard To Root For

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 draft, Young put on a clinic in his first pro season, hitting .322 with 25 HR, 115 RBI and 21 SB as an 18-year-old playing in Single-A.

He continued to dominate minor league pitching leading up to his call-up in 2006. However, an incident in which he threw his bat at an umpire earned him a 50-game suspension and raised more than a few red flags about his character.

The Rays traded him to the Twins after just one full season, receiving Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett in return, and while he has been solid, he has failed to even come close to expectations.

Now with the Tigers, he continues to post mediocre numbers and is currently involved in on-going legal issues stemming from an April arrest in New York for "aggravated harassment."

Kansas City Royals: SP Luke Hochevar

Why He's Hard To Root For

Hochevar was taken in the first round by the Dodgers in 2005, but he never signed, and after a dominant year in independent ball, he boosted his stock enough to be taken first overall by the Royals the following season.

With that draft position came lofty expectations, and despite a less-than-stellar season in the minors, he was in the Royals rotation by 2008.

He struggled early on, and his progression has been minimal in the five years since.

His career record of 37-52 and 5.24 ERA leave him short of being a passable starter, but he still shows flashes of brilliance from time to time, as he shutout the Rays and struck out eight back in June.

Minnesota Twins: IF Tsuyoshi Nishioka

Why He's Hard To Root For

Looking to bolster their middle infield, the Twins signed Nishioka to a three-year, $9.25 million deal following a .346/.423/.482, 11 HR, 59 RBI, 22 SB season in Japan.

Just six games into his debut season, he went down with a broken fibula that sidelined him until the middle of June. Upon his return, he struggled to find any consistency and wound up hitting .226 with no home runs and only 19 RBI over 221 at-bats.

He has been a disappointment from the start, and while he was recently recalled, a .245/.309/.301 line in Triple-A does not inspire much confidence moving forward.

Los Angeles Angels: LF Vernon Wells

Why He's Hard To Root For

The Angels' acquisition of Wells, with the roughly $84 million that remained on his contract entering the 2011 season, remains one of the biggest head-scratching acquisitions in baseball history.

In his first season with the Angels last year, Wells hit all of .218 and registered a -0.8 WAR, as he failed miserably to build off of a bounce-back 2010 season in Toronto.

Now, with Mark Trumbo, Mike Trout and Torii Hunter entrenched in the Angels outfield, Wells is a drastically overpaid backup to whom the team is anchored for two more seasons.

Oakland Athletics: SP Brandon McCarthy

Why He's Hard To Root For

McCarthy ranked as one of the most promising young pitchers in baseball when the White Sox traded him to the Rangers in the deal that sent John Danks to the South Side.

However, he battled injuries throughout his time in Texas and spent the entire 2010 season either injured or in the minor leagues.

The A's took a chance on him last season after he was released he rewarded them with a 9-9 record and 3.32 ERA over 25 starts. Following the trades of Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill, McCarthy entered the season as the A's ace. 

He's been even better this season when healthy, going 6-3 with a 2.54 ERA over 12 starts, but he has not pitched since June 19.

He continues to show signs of being a front-line starter, but his inability to shake the injury bug makes him a tough one to rely on. 

Seattle Mariners: UT Chone Figgins

Why He's Hard To Root For

Figgins picked a great time to have the best season of his career, as he hit .298 with 114 runs scored and registered an AL-best 101 walks for a .395 OBP in 2009 while playing with the Angels.

That earned him a four-year, $36 million contract from the Mariners in the subsequent offseason, and while his average slipped to .259 in his first season with the team, Seattle would no doubt be happy to have even the 2010 Figgins at this point.

After hitting .188 over 288 at-bats last season, he's hitting .178 in 152 at-bats this year and has been relegated to the bench.

With Ichiro traded to the Yankees, he's now the team's second-highest paid player, after Felix Hernandez.

Texas Rangers: C Mike Napoli

Why He's Hard To Root For

Napoli has always had terrific power, especially for a catcher, but no one expected him to post the sort of numbers he did in his first season with the Rangers last year. 

He entered the season with a .251 career average, but rattled off a .320 BA, 30 HR, 75 RBI season in helping the Rangers to their second straight World Series trip.

This season, his numbers are not nearly as impressive, and he has proven to be one of the streakiest hitters in baseball.

When he's hot, he is among the best in baseball, but he is frustratingly inconsistent.

Atlanta Braves: 2B Dan Uggla

Why He's Hard To Root For

Uggla has perhaps the best power of any second baseman in baseball, and after a rough first half last season, he got off to a solid start this year by hitting .267 with eight home runs and 31 RBI through his first 52 games.

However, since June 1 he's hit just .155 with four home runs and 23 RBI, and on the season he is currently batting a career-low .212.

He's got a solid .344 OBP this season, as he leads the NL with 66 walks, but he is as prone to extended slumps as anyone in baseball and can be terribly frustrating as a result.

Miami Marlins: RP Carlos Zambrano

Why He's Hard To Root For

In his 11 seasons with the Cubs, Zambrano ranked among the most successful pitchers in all of baseball, going 125-81 with a 3.60 ERA. 

Over the five year span from 2004-2008, he averaged a line of 16-8, 3.45 ERA, 181 K while finishing in the top five in Cy Young voting three times.

However, his time in Chicago was highlighted not by his success but by his inability to control his emotions, and in the end the Cubs opted to cut ties with him and pay out $15.5 million of his $18 million salary this season.

After pitching well early, he's hit a rough patch and was recently demoted to the bullpen.

At this point it seems like only a matter of time before his next blowup.

New York Mets: RP Frank Francisco

Why He's Hard To Root For

Francisco has spent time at closer throughout his career, as he entered the year with 49 saves. The Mets signed him to a two-year, $12 million contract as a low-cost closing option this offseason.

He's converted 19 of 22 saves on the season, but he has posted a 4.85 ERA in the process and has been far from a reliable ninth-inning man.

Aside from his struggles in the ninth inning, one can't help but think back to the nasty incident back in 2004 when Francisco threw a bullpen chair into the stands at a heckling fan and hit a women in the face with it. 

Philadelphia Phillies: 2B Freddy Galvis

Why He's Hard To Root For

Galvis was thrust into starting duty this season with Chase Utley on the shelf to open the season, and while he looked out of place at times, he held his own and hit .226 with three home runs and 24 RBI over 58 games.

A fractured back landed him on the disabled list, and he'd more than likely have been back in the minors at this point anyway, but a positive PED test earned him a 50-game suspension.

One of the Phillies top prospects, Galvis squandered his opportunity to make a splash and earn a starting spot in the near future. It will be interesting to see how he fits into the Phillies' plans now moving forward, but he has no doubt hurt his career.

Washington Nationals: CF Jayson Werth

Why He's Hard To Root For

Let me preface this by saying Jayson Werth is a fine baseball player and was undoubtedly one of the better free-agent targets on the market prior to the 2011 season.

In his time with the Phillies, his average line was .282 BA, 24 HR, 75 RBI, 15 SB, and he racked up a total WAR of 15.0.

However, he was in no way worth the seven-year, $126 million contract the Nationals gave up, and with that bloated contract comes the inevitable cloud of indignation and resentment from the fanbase when he underperforms, as he did last season.

Chicago Cubs: RP Carlos Marmol

Why He's Hard To Root For

The closer of any team is likely to be under as much scrutiny as anyone on the roster, and that is certainly the case with Marmol.

Once the top setup man in all of baseball, Marmol transitioned smoothly to the closer's role in 2010, but he has struggled since.

With a career walk rate of 6.1 BB/9, he's among the most frustrating relievers in baseball, and while his devastating slider has led to an 11.7 K/9 mark, it is a constant adventure every time he takes the mound.

Cincinnati Reds: CF Drew Stubbs

Why He's Hard To Root For

There are few players in baseball who possess the power-speed combination of Stubbs, and his talents were on full display during his first full season in 2010, when he hit had 22 home runs and 30 stolen bases.

The following season, he led the NL with 205 strikeouts, and while he still had 15 home runs and 40 steals, he saw his WAR slip from 2.8 to 1.6.

It's been more of the same this season, as he has struck out 101 times in 336 at-bats.

The Reds will likely look for an upgrade in the outfield and atop the lineup this offseason, and that could mean the end of Stubbs' time as an everyday player in Cincinnati.

Houston Astros: C Jason Castro

Why He's Hard To Root For

In short, it is hard to root for someone who is not playing, and to this point in Castro's career, he has struggled mightily to stay on the field.

The 10th overall pick in the 2008 draft, Castro put himself on the top-prospect map in 2009 when he hit .300 with 10 HR and 73 RBI between High-A and Double-A as a 22-year-old.

He earned a cup of coffee in 2010 but missed the entire 2011 season with a torn ACL. 

Castro followed that up with foot surgery in the offseason, and is once again on the DL with knee soreness. He has played in just 54 games this season.

Milwaukee Brewers: RF Nyjer Morgan

Why He's Hard To Root For

Morgan proved to be an integral part of the Brewers' postseason run last season, as he hit .304 and swiped 13 bases on his way to posting a 3.1 WAR.

Along the way, he developed his "Tony Plush" alter ego on Twitter and developed his catchphrase "AHHH, GOTTA GO."

He has nearly 90,000 Twitter followers, so there are people out there who find Morgan's act interesting. But I am not among them, and I can't be the only one who finds his entire act completely annoying.

Pittsburgh Pirates: 3B Pedro Alvarez

Why He's Hard To Root For

The second pick in the draft in 2008, out of Vanderbilt, Alvarez made a splash upon being called up in 2010, as he hit .256 with 16 HR and 64 RBI in just 347 at-bats.

Expected to emerge as an offensive force in the middle of the lineup, Alvarez slumped badly in 2011 before being injured and finished the season with a .191 batting average, four home runs and 19 RBI through 235 at-bats.

He's managed to regain his power stroke this season with 21 home runs in 330 at-bats, but he's hitting just .233 on the season and is a long way from where most people thought he would be at this point in his career. 

St. Louis Cardinals: IF Tyler Greene

Why He's Hard To Root For

Greene has proven capable of playing all around the infield, and he had a shot to win the everyday second base job out of spring training with Skip Schumaker on the DL.

The 28-year-old had a terrific season last year at Triple-A, hitting .323 with 14 HR, 43 RBI and 19 SB as he posted a gaudy 1.001 OPS.

However, he has proven time and again to be nothing more than a Quadruple-A player, as he has compiled a line of .220 BA, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 25 SB in 492 at-bats over parts of four seasons in the majors.

He continues to get opportunities, but to this point he has failed to seize one.

Arizona Diamondbacks: CF Chris Young

Why He's Hard To Root For

Young had a solid rookie seaosn for the Diamondbacks in 2007, when he had 32 home runs and 27 stolen bases to finish fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

He has always struck out a ton, but he appeared to take a step forward in 2010, when he raised his OBP from .311 to .341 and posted his first 20-20 season since his rookie year.

His numbers dropped again last season, though, and this year he is posting the worst numbers of his career, with a .213 batting average, 11 HR and 29 RBI. As a result, he's been moved to the bench in favor of Gerardo Parra.

Colorado Rockies: C Ramon Hernandez

Why He's Hard To Root For

With Chris Iannetta traded to the Angels, the Rockies signed Hernandez to a two-year, $6.4 million contract after he played well in a platoon with Ryan Hanigan in Cincinnati.

The idea was for Hernandez to bridge the gap to top prospect Wilin Rosario, but the 23-year-old has proven ready sooner than expected, as he leads all NL rookies with 18 home runs.

The Rockies shopped Hernandez at the deadline, but the fact that he is signed through next year turned off potential suitors, as do his .220 batting average, four home runs and 22 RBI in 141 at-bats.

At this point, he is just taking at-bats from Rosario and earning more than he should.

Los Angeles Dodgers: 1B James Loney

Why He's Hard To Root For

Loney set the bar incredibly high when he hit .331 with 15 HR and 67 RBI over 344 at-bats as 23-year-old rookie back in 2007.

He has been unable to match that success since, as those 15 home runs still represent a career high, and over the past four season he has averaged a line of .281 BA, 12 HR, 83 RBI.

Those are respectable numbers, but his stats are down across the board this year (.255 BA, 2 HR, 29 RBI), and in a contract year, his days in Los Angeles could very well be limited.

San Diego Padres: CF Cameron Maybin

Why He's Hard To Root For

Maybin came to the Marlins from the Tigers with big expectations, as he was the key piece the team received in return for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.

However, in three seasons with the Marlins, he played in just 144 games, and he was traded to the Padres for a pair of relievers. Given an everyday job for the first time in his career, Maybin broke out last season and hit .264 with nine home runs, 40 RBI and 40 SB.

That earned him a five-year, $25 million extension, but he's struggled mightily this season, hitting just .213 on the year.

The potential for stardom is there, though, and he owns the longest home run of the season, having crushed a 485-foot shot against the Diamondbacks. 

San Francisco Giants: SP Barry Zito

Why He's Hard To Root For

In his seven seasons in Oakland to begin his career, Zito went 102-63 with a 3.55 ERA and won the 2002 AL Cy Young award.

However, the seven-year, $126 million contract that Zito signed with the Giants prior to the 2007 season ranks as perhaps the single worst free-agent signing in baseball history.

He's gone 51-69 with a 4.51 ERA in six seasons in San Francisco, and while he has been as good this season as he has at any point during his time with the team, he's still just 8-8 with a 4.27 ERA and is far from earning his $19 million salary.