25 Most Manipulative Figures in MLB History

As much as we all love baseball for its players who play for love of the game and for the fans, there are always going to be a few bad apples in the barrel. Throughout history, there have been some head cases who have manipulated their way into getting what they want, no matter how many people they upset in the process.

A prime example of a manipulative player is retired outfielder Manny Ramirez, who was notorious for toying with the emotions of Red Sox Nation, as well as having a bad attitude in general.

Thus, while we're still in a good mood in the aftermath of Thanksgiving, let's show some love and count down the 25 most manipulative figures in baseball history.

No. 25: David Wells

Overall, David Wells was a classy guy. He was well liked in the clubhouse and helped the New York Yankees win a World Series in 1998. Yet, when the opportunity to acquire Roger Clemens arrived, team management traded Wells to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1999. 

Still, there were no hard feelings and Wells returned to the team on a two-year deal in 2002. However, the way that contract came to be was sketchy, for lack of better word.

You see, that offseason, Wells already agreed to an oral contract to join the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Right after that meeting with team owner Jerry Colangelo, he called up George Steinbrenner and negotiated his own new contract, essentially burning Arizona. He manipulated the team into thinking he wanted to be there, and then turned around and stabbed them in the back.

If that's not a manipulative action, I don't know what is.

No. 24: David Ortiz

If there's one way to get the contract you want from your current team, it's implying that you may go and play for said team's biggest rival. Red Sox DH David Oritz did just that this offseason, implying that he may leave the Boston Red Sox, for whom he has played since 2003, for the rival New York Yankees.

Oritz has yet to pick a team for next season, but, wow. Talk about messing with the fans' heads!

No. 23: Milton Bradley

Easily one of the biggest jerks in baseball history, Milton Bradley almost never took responsibility for his bad attitude. Instead, he manipulated the media (or at least tried to) into thinking that he was the victim and that the higher-ups on the team he played for were the ones to blame.

A classic case of this occurred in 2009, when Bradley was in the first year of a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chicago Cubs. Bradley was having an offseason that featured a couple of suspensions, and thus, demanding Cubs fans were not pleased. Instead of trying to start fresh and move forward, Bradley instead played with a chip on his shoulder and blamed everyone but himself.

In an interview he gave to a local Chicago paper, he cited "negativity" within the Cubs organization and that it was the reason the team hadn't won a World Series in over a century. He was suspended for the rest of the season.

Having a bad attitude is one thing, but throwing the team that signs your paycheck under the bus? That's just plain wrong.

No. 22: Johnny Damon

While David Ortiz is on the verge of burning his hometown team, his ex-teammate Johnny Damon did the unthinkable and actually did burn the Sawx fans. Allow me to take you back to 2005, when Damon was the popular starting centerfielder for the Boston Red Sox. It was his contract year and in an interview, he was quoted as saying "There's no way I can go play for the Yankees."

In saying that, Damon gave the Boston fans hope that he would sign a new contract with the team and remain in Beantown. Instead, in December 2005, he signed a four-year deal worth $52 million with the Yankees.

Making the fans nervous is one thing. Actually manipulating them into thinking you won't join the rival team and then doing just that some months later, that's just wrong.

No. 21: Cliff Lee

Last offseason, it appeared that Cliff Lee would sign with one of two teams: the Texas Rangers, with whom he had reached his second consecutive World Series; or the New York Yankees, where he would join former teammate CC Sabathia. Sure enough, both fan bases lost hours of sleep over the subject as they waited for Lee to make his decision between two contracts worth in excess of $20 million a year.

Then, a "mystery team" joined the race and seeing as how past mystery teams have never been the choice, fans brushed the report off. How foolish we all were.

It turns out that this "mystery team" was none other than the Philadelphia Phillies, with whom Lee had played in the 2009 World Series. A couple of months later, the same Philadelphia Phillies included him as the main piece of the three-team Roy Halladay trade.

Instead of being up front about the Phillies being a major player for his services, Lee toyed with the fans' emotions and manipulated them into thinking he would be either a Ranger or a Yankee. In surprising everyone by signing with the Phillies, he ticked off a ton of people who once loved him. It just goes to show you that in these cases, honesty is always the best policy.

No. 20: Hanley Ramirez

For the past few seasons, Hanley Ramirez hasn't exactly been Mr. Popular amongst Marlins fans. When he's good, he's very, very good. But, when he's bad, he's AWFUL.

Simply put, Ramirez's commitment to the new Miami Marlins is questionable at best. He has dogged it in the field and to be honest with you, I don't blame him considering how his team's front office has become notorious for not spending money on star free agents. It got so bad at one point that, according to B/R FC Tab Bamford,  Ramirez once wore a T-shirt that said "I'm sick of this s*it," but then said everything was "cool."

Mr. Ramirez, just one request from the fans. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!  DO YOU WANT TO BE IN MIAMI OR NOT?

I hate to sound like a broken record, but manipulating the fans' emotions is just wrong. If a player wants out, they should just say so.

No. 19: Gary Sheffield

As great a ballplayer as Gary Sheffield was, the man was a complete and utter headcase in his playing days.  In 22 seasons, the man played for eight different teams and was traded five times. Having read his autobiography, Inside Power, I can understand why some front offices took that route.

To be perfectly blunt, Sheffield had a horrible prima donna attitude wherever he played. With the Milwaukee Brewers, after moving to third base following losing the starting shortstop slot to Bill Spiers, he claimed the switch was made due to him being African-American. After four seasons highlighted by poor attitude and accusations of racism, he was traded to the San Diego Padres.

Years later, in 2007, Sheffield stirred up even more controversy when claimed to GQ that Latino players were easier to control than African-American players.

Simply put, instead of just shutting up and playing and acting like a man when criticized, Sheffield pulled a Milton Bradley and manipulated the facts to make himself seem like the victim. By constantly playing the race card, he has become hard to take seriously and is just another player with an attitude.

No. 18: Dick Allen

On paper, Dick Allen looks like a Hall of Famer. In 15 seasons, the man hit .292 with 351 career home runs and 1,119 RBI. On top of that, he was a seven-time All-Star who won NL Rookie of the Year in 1964 and AL MVP in 1972.

Yet, as evidenced by the cigarette in his mouth in this picture, Allen's attitude is what has kept him out of Cooperstown. It seems that on every team he played for, he started trouble. He lazied himself out of Philadelphia when he skipped a weekend doubleheader, claiming to be stuck in traffic, and a supposed feud with Ron Santo is what ended his tenure with Chicago.

The sad part is that Allen constantly manipulated the facts and made himself out to be the victim instead of owning up to his faults. As a result, following an uneventful season with the Oakland Athletics in 1977, he retired at age 35.

No. 17: Rickey Henderson

Seeing as how Rickey Henderson played for nine different teams in a whopping 25 seasons, it's no secret that his attitude was...er...interesting. He constantly referred to himself in the third person, and when it came to interviewing him, both the press and fans never knew which Rickey Henderson to expect.

He manipulated both parties, but not necessarily badly. Other players manipulate the fans and/or front office to get what they want. Henderson did it just because he realized his status as an entertainer. Either way, I'd welcome the 1990s Rickey over for a beer and a laugh any time.

No. 16: Mark McGwire

I was 12 years old in 1998 and at that age, I'm not ashamed to admit that I probably had more knowledge of baseball history than most. That year happened to be the same season that St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire was chasing the then-single season home run record of 61 held by former New York Yankees outfielder Roger Maris. Sure enough, I was following the chase like a hawk.

Of course, when McGwire finally did hit his 62nd home run, I was ecstatic. I was even more pumped when he finished the season with 70. Yet, the euphoria was short-lived, dying less than a decade later.

In 2005, McGwire was one of 11 players summoned to Congress to testify at a hearing on steroids. Instead of addressing the rumors and admitting to his steroid use (something he eventually did in 2010), McGwire got teary-eyed and took the Fifth Amendment.

In an instant, the man I once viewed to be a baseball god was someone I felt I barely knew. Had he admitted what he had done, I and some other fans would have taken the truth in stride. Instead, we were left not knowing what to believe and essentially forced and manipulated into standing behind a man who was later unveiled as a cheater.

No. 15: George Steinbrenner

When it came to winning, there was nothing that former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner would or wouldn't do. In doing so, he became one of the most unpredictable people in sports and manipulated the hell out of the fans.

One day, he would make people love him by acquiring a big bat or top pitcher. The next day, he would alienate the fans by trading away a popular player. Don't get me wrong, the guy was one of few owners who was actually involved in their team, but wasn't hiring and firing Billy Martin five times a wee bit excessive?

On top of that, Steinbrenner was no stranger to manipulating the system. He was suspended from baseball twice: once for 15 months following an investigation that uncovered illegal contributions to the Nixon presidential campaign, and again for life in 1990 for hiring a known gambler to "dig up dirt" on Dave Winfield, though he was reinstated in 1993.

The fact that he had no problem resorting to illegal activities says a lot about Steinbrenner and while he did wonders for my beloved New York Yankees, he was one manipulative individual.

No. 14: Charlie Finley

Before George Steinbrenner, there was Charlie Finley. He purchased the Kansas City Athletics in 1960, moving the team to Oakland in 1968. In 21 years as owner, he became known as one of the most volatile and most entertaining owners in all of baseball, even letting a young boy (who would later find fame as MC Hammer) call the opening inning of a game once.

Yet, Finley's actions as a manipulative man are best seen through his frugality. It seems that whenever he could, he would look for excuses not to pay his players what they deserved. On top of that, he was hesitant to even spend money on radio or TV promotions for the team, which prompted a lawsuit from the county in 1978.

However, the best example of Finley's manipulative behavior was showcased in a documentary released in 2003, Rebels of Oakland: The A's, the Raiders, the '70s. In it, former Oakland outfielder Reggie Jackson recalled an arbitration hearing following his MVP season of 1973, when he hit .293 with 32 home runs and 117 RBI.

During the hearing, Finley presented his case that as one of the top hitters in the league, Jackson should be hitting 30 homers and driving in 100 runs to begin with and thus, in 1973, he "really" only hit two home runs and had 17 RBI! The approach failed but...well, geez! Talk about a scarily convincing manipulative argument.

No. 13: Roger Clemens

During the last years of his career, particularly from 2004-2007, Roger Clemens was like that girl you like who likes you back, but is deciding to play extremely hard to get. In those four seasons, Clemens retired and came out of retirement a total of three times, the last two times not making the announcement until the baseball season had already started.

He still pitched well, but to keep a team's front office on its heels and thus preventing it from making any moves because of taking time to make this decision just seems wrong. It's as though the Houston Astros and New York Yankees wanted Clemens to go to the prom with them, but their waiting for his answer prevented them from exploring other options.

Still, despite the long waits, the man pitched very well despite being in his 40s.

No. 12: Ozzie Guillen

Ozzie Guillen's manipulative actions are certainly interesting. Sure, he has gone on some legendary rants when talking to the press. Yet, recently, his criticisms of umpires and game outcomes on his Twitter have gotten him into trouble.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for Guillen's brutal honesty, but there's a limit. As a manager, he needs to exercise some restraint and set an example for the young players with whom he works. 

Instead of defending his decision to get right in an umpire's face and unleash the profanity, he needs to step back and say "I overreacted" instead of using every single excuse to make everyone think that the umpire was at fault for what caused the argument.

No. 11: Albert Belle

Let me put it this way. Next to Albert Belle, Milton Bradley looks like a Boy Scout. The man has tried to manipulate the system more often than just playing the game and as a result, he will forever be known as one of the biggest jerks to ever play the game.

In 1994, he was caught using a corked bat prior to stepping up to the plate in a game, and the bat was confiscated. Instead of just dealing with it and using a new bat, he sent teammate Jason Grimsley to climb inside the stadium's ceiling to go into the umpire's room to get the bat back. He was suspended for seven games.

On top of that, when he signed a five-year, $55 million contract with the Chicago White Sox in 1996, he demanded that the deal have a clause that would always make sure he was one of the three highest-paid players in baseball. Instead of just playing, he was trying to cheat the system by having a way to get a raise even if he didn't deserve it.

He could have been one of the game's greatest players but by constantly trying to give himself an advantage, he left the game in 2001 not as a major league outfielder, but as a major league manipulative jerk.

No. 10: Jose Canseco

Here we have the man who blew the roof off of the house in 2005 when he released a book that named individual players who had used anabolic steroids during their careers. Jose Canseco claimed that players like Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire and others regularly used performance-enhancing drugs and, in the process, ruined some people's reputations.

Sure, I'll give the man at least partial credit for what was probably the first step towards getting juicing out of the game, but did he really need to manipulate the system the way he did. Instead of being quiet about it, he was very open and not subtle at all.

That being said, it's kind of hard to respect the guy. He basically threw people under the bus for his personal gain, though he too was guilty. Instead of taking fault, he manipulated it so that he was made out to be some sort of golden-boy savior when, in reality, he just looked like one major league joke.

No. 9: Rafael Palmeiro

"I have never used steroids, period."

Those words echoed loudly on March 17, 2005, when seeming future Hall of Famer Rafael Palmeiro addressed Congress during a hearing on steroid use. As a fan watching the hearing, it seemed so unlikely that a man so adamant and passionate in his refusal could ever be guilty of such a thing.

Sadly, on Aug. 1, 2005, Palmeiro tested positive for steroids and was suspended for 10 games. Instead of coming forward and admitting that he had in fact used performance-enhancing drugs, Palmeiro played the denial game and said, "I have never intentionally used steroids. Never. Ever. Period."

OK, so let me get this straight. A legacy is tarnished, Cooperstown is probably out of the question and the one chance at any saving grace is messed up?

If that isn't the worst type of manipulation to try and get people to still like you, then I don't know what is.

No. 8: Reggie Jackson

Prior to the 1977 season, the New York Yankees had made outfielder Reggie Jackson the highest-paid player in baseball with a five-year contract worth $2.96 million. Sure enough, before the regular season even started, Jackson stirred up some controversy in an interview he gave to SPORT magazine.

According to the writer of the article, Robert Ward, Jackson took a shot at Yankee captain and reigning AL MVP, Thurman Munson. Jackson said, "I'm the straw that stirs the drink. Maybe I should say me and Munson, but he can only stir it bad."

Jackson denied these remarks, but his teammates never forgave him for it. Instead of coming forward and admitting or at least clarifying what he meant, he just denied doing it at all. Seeing as how SPORT was a reputable magazine without any reason to lie, I have no problem saying Jackson manipulated the truth so that he wouldn't look like the bad guy.

Unfortunately, repeated clashes with manager Billy Martin and his general seeking-the-spotlight personality make his claims hard to believe.

No. 7: Jeffrey Loria

There is only one word to describe Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria: liar. For years, he lobbied for the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County to finance a new stadium for his team, claiming that the team was not making any profit. Finally, the city agreed to finance the stadium with some contribution from the team, a total of about $155 million.

In reality, the Marlins were profiting from baseball's luxury tax that is awarded to teams with lower payrolls. Here was Loria going on and on about how his team had no money, and he was pocketing millions the whole time.

There we have what could be considered the worst type of manipulation ever: the manipulation of financial records and thus defrauding taxpayers.

No. 6: Charles Comiskey

In the early 1900s, Charles Comiskey was the architect of some Chicago White Sox teams that featured top players like outfielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and pitcher Eddie Cicotte. 

Yet, despite his team's successes, including World Series titles in 1906 and 1917, Comiskey was not well liked by his players as he was notoriously cheap. He made his team pay to have their uniforms cleaned and as a "bonus" for winning the 1919 AL pennant, he gave the team a case of flat champagne.

His action that most sticks out, however, involved a bonus promised to Cicotte. In 1919, there was a clause in Cicotte's contract that promised him a $10,000 bonus if he won 30 games. When he got close to reaching that mark, Comiskey had him benched so as to avoid paying him.

Sure enough, Comiskey's manipulative behavior led to easily the worst scandal in baseball history, the Black Sox Scandal. The White Sox made the World Series in 1919, but eight players accepted money from gamblers and agreed to throw the series as a way of getting back at their stingy owner. The team lost the series and all players were suspended for life a year later.

And all because Comiskey had to manipulate the system for his own profit? It just wasn't worth it.

No. 5: Manny Ramirez

Even though he was a star on the Boston Red Sox and won two World Series rings with the team, Manny Ramirez seems to be known more for his volatile behavior while with the team and less for his accomplishments. It seemed that year by year, he tried to manipulate the system so that he could get what he wanted.

In 2003, he missed several games with pharyngitis or, as most people call it, a viral throat infection. Still, despite being unable to play, he was healthy enough to drink in a hotel bar with a friend.

From 2004-2008, he demanded a trade three times and just looked lazy out in the field and at bat. He was ultimately traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008, but his time there was marred by a bad attitude and a 50-game suspension for testing positive for an illegal substance.

This past season, after just a couple of games, it was reported that he had tested positive again and would be suspended for 100 games. Instead of being a man, he retired and has refused to comment.

Manny being Manny? More like Manny being elusive and manipulating.

No. 4: Barry Bonds

Don't let that innocent little wave fool you. Barry Bonds has been one of the most manipulative figures in baseball history since he last played in 2007. Long the source of speculation regarding possible steroid use, Bonds has been indicted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice regarding his role in the BALCO scandal.

Instead of cooperating with authorities, Bonds has worked to manipulate the system so that he can appear innocent. Despite the fact that I will personally refuse to believe that he used steroids until an actual positive test is uncovered and confirmed by Major League Baseball, he needs to man up here.

His elusive behavior and stand-offish personality certainly aren't helping his case, and nor is his lack of cooperation with the authorities.

No. 3: Alex Rodriguez

There's no denying that Alex Rodriguez probably has the biggest ego in baseball right now. In terms of his manipulative behavior, let's go back in time to the 2007 season. He had the option of opting out of his record-setting 10-year, $252 million deal at season's end, but he stated a desire to remain with the Yankees.

Instead, Rodriguez opted out of his deal during Game 4 of the World Series and drew tons of criticism. He said he wanted to remain a Yankee a few months before, and now he was listening to other offers? What's that all about?

Though he ended up re-signing with the Yankees, Rodriguez still played the fans like an XBox 360. He manipulated the situation just so he could have more money, and now he's probably the worst contract on the team.

No. 2: Pete Rose

Despite being the all-time leader in total hits with 4,256, Pete Rose is not in the Hall of Fame. This is due to his permanent ineligibility as a result of a lifetime ban handed down by then-commissioner Bart Giamatti in 1989. You see, despite his accomplishments, Rose was suspected of betting on baseball both as a player and a manager.

Where is the manipulation in this? Well, despite recent events, I'm still not convinced that Rose has told the whole story.

For over 10 years, he danced around the issue. Then, in an autobiography released in 2004, he admitted that he bet on his own team, the Cincinnati Reds, both as a player and a manager. Three years later, he said that he bet on the team to win every night.

Call me crazy but considering how he admitted to his actions twice in three years, I smell a rat. I believe that Rose is still manipulating the truth and until the full story is out, he should remain ineligible.

No. 1: Cap Anson

Forget the subtle work of Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis to keep baseball segregated. Compared to Cap Anson, Landis looks like a perfect angel. Anson was actually very outspoken about his prejudice towards African-Americans, and this prejudice spilled over onto the baseball field.

Up until 1890, baseball featured African-Americans. Yet, on at least three separate instances prior to then, Anson refused to play because the opposing team featured African-American players. However, that's not the worst of it.

Anson actually threatened to organize a player's strike in 1885 simply because African-Americans were allowed to play. The strike didn't happen, but the fact that Anson's status as an elite player was so high that he had the power to manipulate league officials into banning African-Americans is just scary. He was the best of his time so without him, the game could die.

Toying with fans' emotions, I can deal with. A little bit of money manipulation a la Jeffrey Loria, no sweat.  But manipulating the progress of the game itself for a personal agenda? That is just plain unacceptable.