MLB Power Rankings: The 15 Most-Selfish Players in MLB History
MLB has definitely had its share of selfish players over the past 100 years—with the recent steroid era putting it further under a microscope.
Selfishness has changed since the Babe Ruth days. Back then, you had to really try to be selfish. Nowadays, it is pretty much written into a player's contract.
I recently comprised a piece listing the 15 most-selfish players in baseball today—a piece that stirred up much debate about what is actually considered selfishness.
I humbly noted all of the feedback received, while ultimately creating a list of the 15 most-selfish player's in MLB history.
Enjoy, and let the debates begin!
Honorable Mention: Steve Bartman
1 of 16Dammit, Steven. Why couldn't you just let Moises Alou catch the damn ball? How selfish can you possibly be to choose a souvenir over an NL pennant for the Cubs?
OK, well I'd bet most of us probably would have done the same thing, so we can't blame Bartman that much. Either way, this video is hilarious so I suggest you check it out (as long as you aren't a Cubbies fan).
15. Hanley Ramirez
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Kicking off our list is the ultra-talented shortstop of the Florida Marlins—Hanley Ramirez.
Ramirez was originally No. 10 on my list of the most selfish players currently in MLB, but it later became clear that I was underestimating his selfishness.
Han-Ram has been called out numerous times in his short career for being straight-up lazy. Again, laziness in any sport is nothing but selfishness.
A respondent to the previous article—Sixto Garcia—said it best: "Quite obviously, Hanley never learned in school about Copernicus' theory of the universe: it is HE who goes around the sun, not the other way around."
14. Lefty Grove
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Lefty Grove is one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history—albeit he was quite the prima donna for his time.
People have long debated why on most occasions he wouldn't pitch against the Yankees—some claiming it was by his manager's decision, while others claim it was because that's what Lefty wanted.
He was the kind of player who would sulk for days if he didn't get what he wanted, and he was known to disappear from the team for days on end at times when he was unhappy.
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13. Darryl Strawberry
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Darryl Strawberry is arguably the biggest waste of talent in MLB history. The guy could have been phenomenal.
Instead, he was too busy abusing drugs—which inevitably led to Strawberry fighting with coaches and teammates, while sometimes failing to show up to meetings and even practices.
It's hard to argue against Strawberry's selfishness, regardless of how stellar he performed in the postseason.
He has been a part of an array of other off-field issues and was never able to do the most important thing in sports that we learn as children—put the team first.
12. Mark McGwire
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Let's face it: Mark McGwire came clean about his steroid use for selfish reasons—to better his chances at getting into baseball's Hall of Fame.
It wasn't because he felt remorse for lying to himself and to fans for years; it was because he only received 23.7 percent of the votes on the Hall-of-Fame ballot.
"Now that I have become the hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, I have the chance to do something that I wish I was able to do five years ago," McGwire stated.
You weren't able to tell the truth five years ago?
While I commend him for finally telling the truth about something everyone already knew, I would be more sympathetic if he had shown the humility we witnessed with his 'roid buddy, Jason Giambi.
11. Curt Schilling
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Former Philadelphia Phillies GM Ed Wade said it best when speaking about Curt Schilling:
"Every fifth day, Curt has the opportunity to go out and be a horse on the mound. Unfortunately, on the other four days, he tends to say things which are detrimental to the club and clearly self-serving.''
Schilling has always been very outspoken, to say the least. What he may not have realized is how his self-serving attitude affected the rest of his ball club.
I admire Schilling's accomplishments on the field—but he was being paid to pitch, not to run his yap.
10. Carlos Zambrano
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If there were any remaining doubters of Zambrano's selfishness, he surely proved it a couple of weeks ago by blasting Carlos Marmol and his team for blowing a game.
There is a difference between being an emotional leader and being selfish—and Zambrano has proved, once again, that he is just plain selfish.
Zambrano has by far the worst temper in baseball and it is clear that whatever treatment program he went through last season failed him.
He has always been a distraction in the clubhouse and by the looks of it—he always will be.
9. Alex Rodriguez
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I was given a lot of heat for naming Alex Rodriguez as the most selfish player currently in baseball (at least from Yankees fans). The fact is, A-Rod is the definition of a narcissist.
Believe it or not, I like A-Rod and was glad to see him finally win a World Series title—but I am not going to pretend like he isn't the center of his own universe.
A-Rod balked out of his already record-breaking contract only to seek more from the overly generous Yankees' brass (and despite rumors, I don't think C.C. Sabathia will do the same thing).
Selfishness and entitlement are a part of A-Rod's personality and—in his defense—sometimes to be great, you have to be selfish.
8. Reggie Jackson
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The great thing about Reggie Jackson is that he always calls it how he sees it, so to speak.
The problem was, he became known as one of the most self-centered players to ever play the game. Jackson was the most important person in the world—at least in his own eyes.
His selfish attitude led to many fights in the clubhouse and didn't bode well with a lot of his peers.
No one can deny the talent Jackson had on the field—it is just a shame he couldn't be a better teammate in the process.
7. Rafael Palmeiro
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Another product of the steroid era, Palmeiro stood before Congress and the world to declare his innocence of using steroids.
"I have never used steroids. Period. I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that. Never," Palmeiro stated to Congress back in 2005.
Really? Never?
Then how come the next season—conveniently after collecting your 3,000th career hit—did you test positive for steroid use?
That's right, you must have started using steroids after Congress and MLB cracked down on PED use in baseball.
6. Manny Ramirez
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Whether talking on his cell phone in left field during the game or going bonkers on a team employee for not getting him what he desired, Manny Ramirez proved to be one of the more selfish players the game has ever seen.
It's OK, though—it was just Manny being Manny.
Ramirez—one of the best pure hitters in MLB history—left the game abruptly after testing positive for PEDs a second time.
Call it a hunch, but I don't think MLB has seen the last of Manny Ramirez.
5. Rickey Henderson
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There is no denying Rickey Henderson's greatness—at least while swiping bags. But I'm gonna let Rickey tell you about Rickey:
“This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball.”
“Don’t worry, Rickey, you’re still the best.”
“It gave me no chance. He (Nolan Ryan) just blew it by me. But it’s an honor. I’ll have another paragraph in all the baseball books. I’m already in the books three or four times.”
“Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I’m trying to do. You know, I never answer myself, so how can I be talking to myself?”
Thanks, Rickey!
4. Ty Cobb
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Ty Cobb is widely considered one of the greatest players in MLB history, but he is, without a doubt, also one of the most-selfish players to ever put on cleats.
Cobb—an admitted racist—was just plain nasty to both fans and teammates, while rumors have swirled around for years that Cobb potentially set up games.
It's hard to respect a man with these arrogant qualities, regardless of his accomplishments on the field.
3. Jose Canseco
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How can a guy who writes a book naming dozens of players throughout MLB as steroid users not be considered selfish? Especially considering the fact that he did it all for financial gain?
Canseco pretty much created what we know as the steroid era in baseball. That is not to say the players he called out didn't deserve to be caught and/or punished for their actions, it's just the way he did it.
Canseco is the most classless person to ever wear a baseball uniform and everything he has ever done has been for monetary gain—regardless of who he runs over along the way.
2. Barry Bonds
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With or without steroids, Barry Bonds was a great ballplayer. Along with (dare I say) the alleged steroid usage, Bonds was always quite arrogant wherever he put on his uniform.
"No. I don't have to [use steroids]. I mean, I'm a good enough ballplayer as it is. I don't need to be any better. I can't get any better at this age."
Barry, is that why you increased by some 15 home runs per season from your age 34-to-36 seasons?
You're just lucky that Greg Anderson—your only friend—proved to be a good friend, or you'd be doing 10-to-20 years right about now.
1. Roger Clemens
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Roger Clemens is, without a doubt, the most selfish player in the history of MLB.
From starting his season about halfway into his teams' season to leaving his team on all off days, Clemens became more selfish during every passing season. He is pretty much the Brett Favre of MLB.
Add to it how vigorously he is trying to clean his forever-tainted name—as if every human being in the world other than him is a complete moron—and there is no question that Clemens is arguably the most selfish athlete our world has ever known.
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