No Way Jose

Yesterday the Major League Baseball regular season came to a close and the playoffs will start Friday.  The last day of the regular season was exciting as both wild card races came down to extra innings.  Despite all the excitement, one man sticks out as a complete douche bag.  Who you ask?  Well let me congratulate the 2011 National League batting champion, Mr. Jose Reyes.  What a complete jerk.  This man is a disgrace to the game of baseball.

For those of you who don’t know, the douche from the Dominican was in a heated race with Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers for the batting title.  Heading into the final day Reyes led Braun .336 to .335.  Jose led off the bottom of the first inning in the Mets game with a bunt single.  He then was pulled for a pinch runner.  The whole move was premeditated with Reyes saying, “"I said, 'If I go 1-for-1, take me out of the game,' and I did that.”  

After all the talk this MLB season about respecting the game, the unwritten rules, and integrity, Reyes pulled the most selfish and classless act an athlete could do.  Here’s a quick history lesson about how Ted Williams played a double-header the last day of the 1941 season while hitting .400.  All Ted had to do was take both games off and he’d hit .400.  What did Ted do?  He played both games and went 6 for 8 and finished hitting .406.  That’s classy.  He earned that .400 average.  Reyes?  He took the punk way out.  I will never have any respect for him (and not just because he plays/played for the Mets).  This man respects nobody but himself.  He claims it was good for the Mets and the Dominican Republic.  I say it’s good for only one person.  Jose Reyes.  I want to apologize to Ted Williams.  Putting him in the same post as Jose Reyes is a huge insult to Ted.

Reyes is a free agent at the end of this season.  Being the defending National League batting champion will surely give him a few extra million in his contract and/or more leverage during the negotiation process.  Don’t get me wrong Jose had a tremendous season and is a very good player (when healthy), however, what he pulled is total bullshit.  He has no respect for the game or his teammates.  Obviously the Mets were out of it and just playing out the string but they are definitely a better team with Reyes in the lineup.  He gives them a better shot to win than pinch runner Justin Turner.  No matter what, in the words of Herm Edwards, “You play to win the game.”  Reyes simply, “Played to win the batting title.”

 

If you’re going to rip a guy for bunting during a no-hitter in a still winnable game, then Reyes should be crucified.  So I say here’s to you Jose.  Congrats on your batting title and soon to be new hefty contract.  My only hope is that karma comes back and bites you in the ass.  I hope you hit .265 the next few years and never get to even sniff a championship.  I also want to say kudos to Braun for handling the situation with class.  I’d have been furious, but in the grand scheme of things Braun will be playing October baseball while Jose will be dreaming of his batting title. Until next time this is Jimbo saying Stay Classy Jose.

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