The 15 Biggest Jerks in MLB Right Now

By Jacob Kornhauser

Nobody likes a jerk. These 15 MLB players are complete jerks, but are actually still cheered on by some. No matter their talent, these players are the league’s biggest jerks right now.

The 15 Biggest Jerks in MLB Right Now

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Justin Upton — Upton is just one of those players who has always been in it more for the money than the love of the game. That's true of many players in the league, but Upton makes no attempt to hide it. That and his general bad attitude have made him seem like quite the jerk.

A.J. Pierzynski — Pierzynski is well respected around the league, but he's also hated by the majority of his opponents. A former teammate put it best: "you hate him when you're playing against him and you hate him a little less when you're playing with him." Even though he has had a very nice career, Pierzynski has been a jerk at times by instigating his opponents.

Sergio Romo — Relief pitchers are generally very demonstrative on the mound and Romo is no exception. He often shows up opponents and it can cause problems. Romo might just be acting passionately, but it can definitely rub fans and players the wrong way at times.

Kelvin Herrera — Earlier this season, Herrera threw at an opposing player and signaled to his head as if to warn him he was going to bean him. If that doesn't tell you how much of a jerk he can be, nothing will. It might have been a momentary lapse in judgment on Herrera's part. Regardless, people remember and look at him as a jerk.

Jonathan Papelbon — Another reliever, another jerky baseball player. Papelbon is another demonstrative reliever and he can really get on the nerves of opposing teams. He's not afraid to buzz the tower every now and then.He'll even shout at opponents if need be. His competitive fire has turned him into a bit of a jerk.

Carlos Gomez — Carlos Gomez can really get fired up and that has caused problems for him in the past. Generally when he does something stupid, it starts a skirmish. That has happened to Gomez a few times just in the last couple years and it doesn't figure to stop anytime soon. When a player is a jerk to the opposition, tempers are going to flare.

Jeff Samardzija — Samardzija started turning into a jerk toward the end of his tenure with the Cubs. He was really belligerent in throwing jabs at the team before and after contract extension talks broke down. In the heat of battle on the field, he will routinely shout at the opposition and incite fights. For someone who has declined so much in the past year, one would think he would just focus on baseball.

Brett Lawrie — Lawrie's true colors came out earlier this season when he fought with the Kansas City Royals. He was the victim of a revenge pitch after Alcides Escobar was taken out with a high slide, and he went nuts. Over the course of the series, he was thrown at more than once and he was justifiably upset. Still even after things died down he would try to pick more fights.

Ryan Braun — Braun is about as bad as they come. He personally attacked the person who handled his tainted urine sample, even though the person was doing their job. Of course, he did actually take steroids, so his argument against the man fell apart. His stats are tainted as a result of his steroid use and now it seems like he's bitter about it.

Matt Garza — Matt Garza will really get after it on the mound and when things aren't going his way. He will pick fights with his own team or the opposing team. This guy just can't deal with failure and it turns him into a jerk. You don't want to be around this guy when he's fuming about a bad start.

Joey Votto — Votto is one of the best hitters in baseball, but he's also one of the league's biggest jerks. He feuds with umpires when things don't go his way and he doesn't fully respect his competition. He once refused to congratulate Marlon Byrd on winning the All-Star Game MVP award because he played for the Cubs -- even though his play helped the Reds potentially get home-field advantage in the World Series. Yeah, jerk move.

Yordano Ventura — Yordano Ventura gets angry really easily. Since he can throw up to 100 mph, that anger can have disastrous consequences. He's helped ignite three fights this season by retaliating or just being stupid. There's no other explanation for his behavior other than the fact that he's a jerk.

Yasiel Puig — Yasiel Puig plays a unique style of baseball, but he can come off as a jerk sometimes as a result. He plays fast and hard and sometimes tries showing people up. Puig is a pest and a lot of that comes down to him being a jerk occasionally. No wonder the Dodgers want to trade him.

Bryce Harper — Bryce Harper might be one of the most talented players in baseball, but he really needs to grow up. He runs through coaches' stop signs, argues with umpires, doesn't seem like a great teammate, and just all around seems like he thinks too highly of himself. That has given him the reputation as a jerk before his 23rd birthday.

Alex Rodriguez — There aren't a ton of people around baseball who think too fondly of A-Rod. He has taken steroids multiple times, lied about it and then he sued his own Players Union. His ridiculous behavior over the course of his career has given him a set-in-stone reputation as a jerk. Don't expect that reputation to ever go away.

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