MLB: The 40 Most Controversial Quotes in Baseball History

On June 16, fellow Bleacher Report MLB colleague Dmitriy Ioselevich posted his take on the 15 most controversial quotes in MLB history.

His thoughtful and well-researched article was a terrific take on quotes that redefined the game of baseball both on and off the field.

Together with Dmitriy’s help and research, we are expanding on his original take and have included another 40 quotes, both recent and from the past, from players, managers, general managers, owners and writers who have influenced the game of baseball through their actions, and as seen in the quotes, through their words as well.

My thanks and gratitude go out to Dmitriy for his input, ideas, research and help in collaborating on this extension of his original work.

While many of the quotes seem to be much more recent, as Dmitriy originally pointed out in his piece, the age of social media and expanded coverage of baseball through the Internet over the past several years has opened up lines of communications that goes beyond the MLB  team’s clubhouse doors.

While there are quotes from the past that certainly altered people’s thinking in regard to the game of baseball, today’s media blitz and immediate availability of information lends to quotes that are instantly judged and commented on.

Prior to the writing of the book Ball Four by former New York Yankees pitcher Jim Bouton, what was said by players in the clubhouse or in the dugout rarely made it the pages of the newspaper or magazine. Those days are long gone.

Here then is an extension of Dmitriy Ioselevich’s original article, with 40 more of the most controversial quotes in MLB history.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

Pete Rose Makes Admission After Years of Denial

Pete Rose, one of the greatest players in baseball history, received a lifetime ban for allegedly gambling on baseball while as a player and manager for the Cincinnati Reds. After over a decade of denial, Rose finally admitted what everyone suspected in an interview with Dan Patrick in 2007.

"I bet on my team every night. I didn't bet on my team four nights a week. I bet on my team to win every night because I loved my team, I believed in my team," he said. "I did everything in my power every night to win that game."

Rose hoped the admission would improve his chances of reinstatement and thus give him a chance at the Hall of Fame, but he remains in baseball’s doghouse.

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman Sounds off on Derek Jeter

At the end of the 2010 season, the New York Yankees started negotiations with 16-year shortstop Derek Jeter on a contract that would take Jeter through the age of 39. To say that the negotiations became contentious is a vast understatement.

General Manager Brian Cashman, negotiating with Yankees president Randy Levine, made an original offer that Jeter rejected out of hand, causing Cashman to utter some very harsh words about the beloved Yankees shortstop.

"We understand his contributions to the franchise and our offer has taken them into account. We've encouraged him to test the market and see if there's something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine. That's the way it works."

Jeter would go on to sign a three-year, $51 million contract, and on July 9, became the first Yankee ever to collect 3,000 hits, becoming only the 28th player in MLB history to achieve the historic mark.

Cashman is continuing to try to mend fences.

Hanley Ramirez Disses Mets Fans and Former Manager

Talented Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez caught some heat last season not only with actions on the baseball field, but also in comments made that were quite disparaging in nature.

First, in May, Ramirez made an error on a flyball to short left field and then kicked the ball, failing to retrieve the ball in a timely manner, scoring two runs for the Arizona Diamondbacks. At the end of the inning, Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez pulled Ramirez from the game.

Ramirez popped off about it the following day, ripping his manager Gonzalez.

"We have a lot of people dogging it after ground balls. Hopefully, he does it with everybody. That's OK. He doesn't understand that. He never played in the big leagues."

Ramirez stayed. Gonzalez was fired, and is now with the Atlanta Braves after replacing legendary manager Bobby Cox.

Manny Ramirez and His First PED Suspension Excuse

On Friday, May 8, 2009, Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Manny Ramirez was slapped with a 50-game suspension for violating MLB's drug policy. The violation was for a fertility drug that Ramirez said was supplied by his doctor.

"Recently, I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me. Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy."

Uh huh.

Manny was being Manny once again in early April 2011, when he abruptly retired after six games with the Tampa Bay Rays, after it was revealed he had tested positive a second time for violating the MLB drug policy and was facing a 100-game suspension.

Billy Martin and His Opinion of the 1973 Milwaukee Brewers

In 1973, while managing the Detroit Tigers, Billy Martin, who had been known to say his piece on a few occasions before taking on George Steinbrenner and the New York Yankees, had this to say about one particular team after facing them in a series.

"If they can win (the pennant) with that club (1973 Milwaukee Brewers), I'm a Chinese aviator."

He was right. The Brewers did not win the AL East, finishing with a record of 74-88. However, his Tigers finished third in the AL East with a record of 85-77, and Martin was fired by the Tigers for ordering his pitchers to throw at opposing hitters, an order he did not deny.

George Steinbrenner Calls out the Silk Stocking Fans

When George Steinbrenner purchased the New York Yankees in 1973, he promised one thing to Yankee fans—that winning was the most important thing to him in his life.

Over 38 years, he certainly proved that, and when his Yankees won the World Series in 1977, Steinbrenner had this to say to anyone thinking he did it sitting in a penthouse.

"Maybe the silk stocking guys don't like the way I run this ball club, but the little guy—the bartender, the guy pushing a cart, the cab drivers—they're the ones who need the Yankees. My involvement is not sipping cocktails in all the fashionable places. My involvement is in the roots of the city."

The Yankees under Steinbrenner's tenure (1973-2010) won seven World Series and 11 American League pennants.

Barry Bonds Lashing out at Media for a Variety of Offenses

All-time home run leader and singles-season home run record holder Barry Bonds has always enjoyed what could best be called a churlish relationship with the media. After allegations surfaced that Bonds was allegedly using PEDs, the media came calling. And Bonds came out fighting.

"Can you get my son [on camera) too, just not on me? So you guys can show the pain you're causing my whole family." Quote Source: MLB.com, Mar. 23, 2004

"You wanted me to jump off the bridge; I finally have jumped. You wanted to bring me down, you've finally brought me and my family down. You've finally done it. So now go kick a different person. I'm done. I'll do the best I can and that's about it. [I'm talking about] inner hurt. I'm physically, mentally done. I'm mentally drained. Tired of my kids crying." Quote Source: MLB.com, Mar. 23, 2004

“All you guys lied! All of y'all and the story have lied. Should you have asterisks behind your name? All of you lied. All of you have said something wrong. All of you have dirt. When your closet's clean, then come clean somebody else's." Quote Source: USA Today, Feb. 22, 2005

"I don't know if steroids are going to help you in baseball. I just don't believe it. I don't believe steroids can help eye-hand coordination [and] technically hit a baseball." Quote Source: USA Today, Feb. 22, 2005

Bonds was acquitted of perjury charges earlier this year in a California court, but was found guilty on one obstruction of justice charge

Roger Clemens, His 1986 MVP Award and His Demeanor on Days He Doesn't Pitch

On Thursday, the Roger Clemens trial, in a mind-boggling turn of events, was declared a mistrial by presiding District Court Judge Reggie Walton after he objected to the prosecution's use of evidence that had already been declared inadmissable.

However, that doesn't let Clemens off the hook on this list. Back in 1986, after Clemens had captured both the American League Cy Young and MVP awards following his sensational 24-4 season with the Boston Red Sox, former home run king Hank Aaron criticized the voting process, saying that the MVP award should only be awarded to an everyday player. Clemens' response?

"I wish he were still playing. I'd probably crack his head open to show him how valuable I was."

Later in his career during an interview with Esquire Magazine, Clemens told the writer:

"If someone met me on a game day, he wouldn't like me. The days in between, I'm the goodest guy you can find."

Goodest? Okay then!

Yogi Berra Potent Quotables

New York Yankees catcher and left fielder Yogi Berra has had a life filled with "Yogiisms." While many of the words that came out of his mouth were not controversial by nature, they were irreverent and classic.

Here are just a few that the great Hall of Fame catcher uttered.

"All pitchers are liars or crybabies."

"He hits from both sides of the plate. He's amphibious."

I could go on and on; however, there are Yogi books available...

Al Lopez, Chicago White Sox Manager, 1957

When Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams passed away last week, Sports Illustrated writer Tom Verducci passed along a story about one of the most unusual home runs in baseball history, hit by Dick Williams during a game on May 18, 1957.

Williams at the time was a utility player for the Baltimore Orioles, who were playing the Chicago White Sox on this particular night. The game was following a strict 10:20 p.m. curfew, as the White Sox were scheduled to play the Boston Red Sox the following afternoon in Boston as part of a six-team, 16-day road trip.

At 10:19 p.m., Williams stepped in to bat, leading off the bottom of the ninth against Paul "Lefty" LaPalme. The White Sox were winning 4-3 in a game that had dragged on for over three hours.

LaPalme delivered, and Williams hit the ball out of the park for his first home run of the season.

White Sox manager Al Lopez was incensed. The umpires then declared the game a tie because of the strict curfew in place, and then game was suspended and to be replayed in its entirety later in the season.

Lopez, who said all LaPalme had to do was wait one lousy minute, said:

"If I had had a rifle in the dugout, I would have shot him on the mound."

Source: Sports Illustrated

Jason Giambi First Blasting and Then Admitting PED Use

From 2002-2008, Jason Giambi manned first base and served as a designated hitter for the New York Yankees. During that period of time, PED and steroid use was not only starting to get noticed, and Giambi became a name tied to it.

However, early on in his career with the Yankees, Giambi painted a different tune.

"Guys that work their butts off and they're hitting home runs, now it's because they're on steroids. Even injuries, a guy gets hurt, 'Oh, he's on steroids.' It's a little sickening to me." Quote Source: ESPN, July 8, 2002.

However, a contrite Giambi later contracted and confessed.

"I was wrong for doing that stuff. What we should have done a long time ago was stand up—players, ownership, everybody—and said: 'We made a mistake.'" Quote Source: USA Today, May 18, 2007.

Tom Hicks, Former Owner, Texas Rangers and His Opinion of Alex Rodriguez

When former Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks was apprised of former star Texas Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez and his admission of PED use, he lashed out at his former player.

"I feel personally betrayed. I feel deceived by Alex. He assured me that he had far too much respect for his own body to ever do that to himself....I certainly don't believe that if he's now admitting that he started using when he came to the Texas Rangers; why should I believe that it didn't start before he came to the Texas Rangers?" Quote Source: ESPN, Feb. 10, 2009.

Toby Harrah and His Unique View of Baseball Statistics

In a 17-year career played mostly with the Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians, infielder Toby Harrah apparently didn't think much about looking at his statistics.

However he did have his own analogy of what statistics were, in his mind.

"Statistics are like a girl in a fine bikini. It shows a lot, but it doesn't show everything."

Harrah obviously said this before sabermetrics were introduced.

Hall of Fame Umpire Doug Harvey on Being Careful Posing at the Plate

Long-time National League umpire Doug Harvey was only the ninth umpire selected to baseball's Hall of Fame and worked 4,673 games over his 30-year career.

Harvey was well-known as an umpire who put up with very little, and in the following statement, he obviously spoke his mind about what he thought about showboating.

"Barry Bonds? I'll tell you what, if he hit a home run off (Bob) Gibson or (Don) Drysdale and stood and admired it, they'd knock that earring out of his ear the next time up."

And no doubt Harvey would have looked the other way.

Tim McCarver on Why Bob Gibson Was so Good

When former catcher and current FOX Sports analyst Tim McCarver was a player with the St. Louis Cardinals back in the 1960s, he had a front row view, so to speak, when Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson was on the mound.

McCarver was once asked why Gibson was so good. To that, McCarver replied tongue in cheek:

"Bob Gibson is the luckiest pitcher in baseball. He is always pitching when the other team doesn't score any runs."

Casey Stengel and His Feelings on All-Nighters

As manager of the New York Yankees between 1949-1960, Casey Stengel won seven World Series titles, being elected to the baseball Hall of Fame in 1966 one year after retiring as the first manager of the New York Mets.

Stengel was posed a question about players pulling all-nighters during the season, especially the night before a game.

"Being with a woman all night never hurt no professional baseball player. It's staying up all night looking for a woman that does him in."

There is no presumption here as to who Stengel was referring to.

George Foster and His Thoughts on the Long Ball

In 1977, Cincinnati Reds outfielder George Foster hit 52 home runs, becoming the only major leaguer to hit 50 home runs in a season in a 25-year period (1965-1990). His efforts won him the National League MVP.

The following year, Foster hit another 40 home runs to pace the NL once again. However, he was not totally enamored with the art of hitting home runs.

"I don't know why people like the home run so much. A home run is over as soon as it starts...The triple is the most exciting play of the game. A triple is like meeting a woman who excites you, spending the evening talking and getting more excited, then taking her home. It drags on and on. You're never sure how it's going to turn out."

Foster was the 10th player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs in a single season at the time.

Former Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten on the MLB Fan Experience

From 1986 to 2003, Atlanta Braves president Stan Kasten led the team to the most wins during that time of any other franchise. In 2006, Kasten became president of the Washington Nationals.

When asked about what he thought about the MLB fan experience, here was Kasten's response.

“I think the line always has to be drawn, and I admit you walk into some places and it’s too much, but I must say, I think for the most part baseball gets it right. I think it adds to the customer experience and I think the customer wants the entertainment between innings to complete their experience and make their experience more enjoyable. The guy who sits in the press box is not the average fan.”

Kasten stepped down as Nationals president in September 2010.

Tampa Bay Rays Reliever J.P. Howell on Manning Up

Tampa Bay Rays reliever J.P. Howell, on a recent minor league rehab assignment after returning from an injury, summed up what it's really like for all major league baseball players.

“We are so spoiled up here. The best down in the minors can’t even compare to up here. You realize you got to take a man pill. It was time to take a man pill when I was out there pitching in Port Charlotte. I was internally starting to whine about the heat or not enough water. You find out how much you can complain and how great an attitude they have for just being able to play baseball.”

Former Team Owner Bill Veeck and His Assessment of a Young Outfielder

At various times during his storied career as an owner and "promoter" of sorts, Bill Veeck owned the St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.

Veeck can not be considered, however, a great evaluator of talent. Here was his impression of New York Yankees great Mickey Mantle.

“The Yankees have one of the really great young rookies that I’ve ever seen, a kid by the name of Mantle, Mickey Mantle, who is a unique ballplayer in one respect: He’s a switch hitter, but with good power. While he has a slight limp, which is enough to keep him with the Yankees for awhile, he has tremendous speed afoot. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ballplayer run as fast, and he’s a good-looking hitter. He can really whack from either left side or right side, and he couldn’t catch a pig in a blind alley. It comes to fielding, he’s nonexistent. Of course, I’m in a good spot now, I can second-guess all these clubs, and I definitely would play the kid at first base. ”

Georgia House Representative Jack Kingston and His Thoughts on Baseball Trials

Apparently the state of Georgia, or at least one person representing the state of Georgia, doesn't take too kindly to the federal government spending millions of taxpayer dollars on going after ballplayers and PEDs.

Georgia state representative Jack Kingston certainly thought so, anyway.

“What bothers me is that you’ve got a very powerful federal government that has the money and time and resources to ruin someone’s reputation. Why did it take eight years to get to this point on Barry Bonds? And with all the problems we’ve got, why are we sitting here at the end of an eight-year investigation?”

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and His Thoughts on the State of Baseball

Before the 2011 season started, MLB commissioner Bud Selig gave his thoughts on the state of baseball today.

“Nobody who was in baseball in the 1970s or even the 1960s could dream that this sport would enjoy 16 years of labor peace. It’s been a shock for me. It isn’t a coincidence that we also have enjoyed the growth we have had in the industry. You had owners ripping owners. Owners ripping the union. The union ripping owners. And everybody ripping the commissioner. You don’t hear that anymore.”

My guess is that Bud doesn't read the papers or get out much?

Sparky Anderson and His Views on the Tie Between Free Agency and Player Effort

The great Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson, who won a World Series in both the American and National Leagues with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds, knew a thing or two about managing players' egos as much as their talent.

When once asked a question about baseball free agency, here was Sparky's response.

“Just give me 25 guys on the last year of their contracts; I’ll win a pennant every year.”

Yeah. Sounds about right.

Derek Jeter and Voicing His Concerns About His Deteriorating Skills

At the press conference announcing his new three-year contract with the New York Yankees late last year, shortstop Derek Jeter gave an assessment of what was generally perceived to be an off-year for the Yankee legend.

“You’d like to think that last year was a hiccup, so to speak, but it’s my job to go out there and prove that it was. I understand any concerns that anyone has, especially from an organizational standpoint. I’m sure they have concerns about a lot of people throughout the year, so they’re entitled to those concerns. It’s my job to go out and change that opinion.”

Not sure if he's changed that opinion, but making the 3,000 hit club goes a long way toward redemption in the eyes of the fans for sure.

Hank Aaron and the Comparison Between Golf and Baseball

When Hank Aaron finally retired in 1976, he had amassed more home runs than anyone else in the game of baseball and had also collected 3,771 hits, good for third on the all-time list.

However, when it came to hitting a little white-pimpled ball on a golf course as opposed to hitting a baseball, Aaron came to his own conclusion.

“It took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course.”

Mo Vaughn and the Conspiracy of the Boston Red Sox

In the mid-1990s, Boston Red Sox first baseman Mo Vaughn was one of the more feared left-handed hitters in the American League, winning the MVP award in 1995.

However, off the field, Vaughn also became known for some "antics." Vaughn was standing trial in March 1998 on drunk-driving charges and was acquitted. However, Vaughn, who was also attempting to negotiate a contract extension with the Red Sox at the time, turned all Oliver Stone, saying that the Red Sox were using everything they possibly could against him.

"They're trying to use my arrest for drunk driving against me. It's going to be theater in two parts—up to the All-Star game, and then part two after the All-Star game. They'll have me using drugs and selling drugs."

Bob Feller and His Impression of Washington Nationals Phenom Stephen Strasburg

In 1936, as a 17-year-old teenager, Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller won 17 games—and threw upwards of 100 MPH to boot.

In 2010, after watching young Washington Nationals flamethrowing pitching prospect Stephen Strasburg at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Feller was asked to give his assessment of the young pitcher.

“Call me when he wins his first 100.”

Enough said.

Orlando Hudson and His Views on Baseball's Still Massive Coverup

Second baseman Orlando Hudson has played with four different teams in the past four seasons, and when once asked about why some players were not signed to a contract prior to the 2010 season, Hudson had this to say.

“You see guys like Jermaine Dye without a job. “Guy with [27 home runs and 81 RBIs] and can’t get a job. Pretty much sums it up right there, no? You’ve got some guys who miss a year who can come back and get $5, $6 million, and a guy like Jermaine Dye can’t get a job. A guy like Gary Sheffield, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, can’t get a job.

“We both know what it is. You’ll get it right. You’ll figure it out. I’m not gonna say it because then I’ll be in [trouble].”

It should be noted that Dye was looking for a one-year, $8 million contract at the time.

Jim Bouton- Ball Four

For years after writing his controversial book Ball Four, former New York Yankees pitcher Jim Bouton was blacklisted by baseball insiders for releasing the inner workings of a baseball clubhouse and what was said behind those "hallowed" walls.

In spite of newspaper beat writers who had covered teams for decades and had not ever published what players said or did behind the clubhouse walls other than what happened in the actual baseball games themselves, Bouton turned the tables on what had previously been considered off-limits.

Here are just a few of the controversial things that Bouton had to say.

"For a hundred years, the owners screwed the players. For 25 years, the players have screwed the owners—they've got 75 years to go."

"They call baseball a game because it's too screwed up to be a business."

"Jim Pagliaroni joined the club tonight and is going to be a welcome addition.  He was describing a girl that one of the ballplayers had been out with and said, “It’s hard to say exactly what she looked like.  She was kind of Joe Torre with tits.”  This joke can only be explained with a picture of Joe Torre.  But I’m not sure any exist.  He dissolves camera lenses."

"Right before the plane landed, the guys were telling stories about how much we’d been getting on the road.  And as we were getting ready to leave the plane and dash into the loving arms of our waiting wives, Pagliaroni said, very loud, “Okay, all you guys, act horny.” 

Source: Ball Four

Mark Buehrle and His Animal Lover Views

Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle is an animal lover; there is no doubt about that. He and his wife Jamie are aligned with Purina in an Adopt a Pet campaign, and billboards that market the campaign can be seen throughout Chicago with photos of Mark and Jamie featured.

When Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was back in the spotlight last year after a remarkable season in which he almost captured NFL MVP honors, Buehrle was none too pleased to see Vick back on the field after his conviction on running a dog fighting kennel.

"He had a great year and a great comeback, but there were times where we watched the game and I know it's bad to say, but there were times where we hope he gets hurt," Buehrle said. "Everything you've done to these dogs, something bad needs to happen to these guys."

John Rocker and How He Really Feels About New York

When Atlanta Braves relief pitcher John Rocker sat down with Sports Illustrated for a candid interview, Sports Illustrated got a whole lot more than candid comments from Rocker. When asked whether or not he would ever play in New York, Rocker did not hold back.

"I would retire first. It's the most hectic, nerve-racking city. Imagine having to take the [Number] 7 train to the ballpark, looking like you're [riding through] Beirut next to some kid with purple hair next to some queer with AIDS right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing." 

On New York City itself: "The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. I'm not a very big fan of foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?" 

Gary Sheffield and His Feelings About His Playing Days in Milwaukee

Gary Sheffield played the first four years of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers before departing for the San Diego Padres. When asked about his experiences playing for the Brewers, let's just say Sheffield did not have warm and fuzzy feelings.

"The Brewers brought out the hate in me. I was a crazy man...I hated everything about the place. If the official scorer gave me an error, I didn't think was an error, I'd say, 'OK, here's a real error,' and I'd throw the next ball into the stands on purpose.' "

Turns out Milwaukee wasn't the only place that brought out the hate in Sheffield.

Bronson Arroyo and His Feelings Regarding Steroids and PEDs

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo is without a doubt his own man and says what is on his mind. Arroyo has said in the past that he has taken various "substances" throughout his career before they were banned, including androstenedione, the same substance found in Mark McGwire's locker back in 1998 before it became a banned substance.

"I do what I want to do and say what I want to say," Arroyo said in 2009. "But society has made this such a tainted thing. The media has made it where people look at it in such a super-negative light. I've always been honest. I'm not going to stop now."

Leo Durocher and His Take on Competitive Baseball

Hall of Fame manager Leo Durocher was nicknamed Leo the Lip for a reason—he was NEVER afraid to speak his mind about anything. Ballplayers playing for and against Leo were not considered out of bounds in terms of what Leo thought about them in public, and even his own mother wasn't spared.

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry Mom', but nobody beats me."

Jim Murray, Hall of Fame Sportswriter

The Baseball Hall of Fame awarded Los Angeles Times sportswriter Jim Murray with the J. G. Taylor Spink Award in 1987 for his contributions to the game of baseball through his words. Murray also won a Pulitzer Prize for commentary for articles written in 1989.

Murray chastised himself for winning the Pulitzer Prize, saying at the time that the winner should have "to bring down a government or expose major graft or give advice to prime ministers. Correctly quoting Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda shouldn't merit a Pulitzer Prize."

Murray also had his own outlook on the game of baseball.

"Baseball is a game where a curve is an optical illusion, a screwball can be a pitch or a person, stealing is legal and you can spit anywhere you like except in the umpire's eye or on the ball."

Murray wrote for the LA Times between 1961-1998.

Gary Sheffield Opens Up Once Again-Oh My

Back in 2007, Gary Sheffield sat down for an interview with GQ Magazine, and when asked about his thoughts concerning the apparent decrease in the percentage of African-Americans playing in Major League Baseball, Sheffield brought a whole other group of people into the fray.

“What I called is that you’re going to see more black faces, but there ain’t no English going to be coming out...(It’s about) being able to tell (Latin players) what to do—being able to control them,” he told the magazine. “Where I’m from, you can’t control us.”

In expanding on his comment about control, Sheffield said, “They have more to lose than we do. You can send them back across the island. You can’t send us back. We’re already here.”

“So there are a lot of factors involved you look at. I’m not saying you can tell them what to do and it’ll be ’yes sir’ and ’no sir.’ I’m just saying from a grand scheme of things.”

Wow, Gary. Way to bring down a whole ethnic group. Nice.

Gil Meche on His Retirement from Baseball

In January 2011, Kansas City Royals pitcher Gil Meche shocked the baseball world by suddenly announcing his retirement from the game of baseball and was walking away from a guaranteed contract of $12 million.

In explaining his reason for retiring, Meche said:

“When I signed my contract, my main goal was to earn it. Once I started to realize I wasn’t earning my money, I felt bad. I was making a crazy amount of money for not even pitching. Honestly, I didn’t feel like I deserved it. I didn’t want to have those feelings again.”

Wow, what a concept. Somehow, I don't think Adam Dunn will be walking away from his contract for the same reasons anytime soon.

Joe Torre and ARod's Fascination with Derek Jeter

In his book co-authored by Sports Illustrated reporter Tom Verducci, former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre recalls the relationship between Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter and A-Rod's efforts to try and fit in.

"In his own way, Rodriguez was fascinated with Jeter, as if trying to figure out what it was about Jeter that could have bought him so much goodwill. The inside joke in the clubhouse was that Rodriguez's pre-occupation with Jeter recalled the 1992 film, 'Single White Female,' in which a woman becomes obsessed with her roommate to the point of dressing like her."

Frank McCourt and Bud Selig

When embattled Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt filed for bankruptcy in a Delaware court last month, in the official press release from the Dodgers' front office, McCourt put the blame squarely on the shoulders of MLB commissioner Bud Selig.

“I simply cannot allow the Commissioner to knowingly and intentionally be in a position to expose the Dodgers to financial risk any longer.”

Um, excuse me Frank, but isn't that essentially what you did throughout your entire ownership tenure?

Ty Cobb and How Much He Was Beloved by Fellow Players

While Hall of Famer Ty Cobb is considered to be on the best players in MLB history, he was also one of the most hated.

Cobb himself knew of his own reputation, but was undeterred.

"I had to fight all my life to survive. They were all against me, but I beat the bastards and left them in the ditch." Source: The Early Years (Harold Seymour, 1989)

Even in the 1989 movie Field of Dreams, actor Ray Liotta, portraying former player Shoeless Joe Jackson, had this to say while in the corn fields.

“Ty Cobb wanted to play...but none of us could stand the son-of-a-bitch when we were alive, so we told him to stick it!”

Source: Baseball Almanac