The Tao of Yasiel Puig: The Reds’ New Star Riffs on Bat Flips, Life and His Rocky End With the Dodgers

Some key lines:

Yet the Yasiel Puig Story, as full of fun as it’s been, remains frustratingly incomplete. He’s struggled to match the hype of his thrilling 2013 arrival that launched him into superstardom. He’s clashed repeatedly with managers, coaches and teammates over the years and earned scorn—often unfairly, sometimes deservedly—over his behavior on and off the field. His time in Los Angeles featured six straight division titles and back-to-back trips to the World Series in 2017 and ‘18, yet a championship eluded both him and a team that hasn’t captured one since two years before he was born. “It’s nice, but we haven’t won,” the 28-year-old Puig says in Spanish of his frequent trips to the postseason. “The only thing we’re getting is one more month instead of being on vacation. It’s as if you did nothing.” And for as much as he loves Los Angeles, he’s bitter about parting with his old team.

“It’s their problem,” Puig says of the Dodgers’ decision to move him. “I don’t know what they did with that trade, because they didn’t get anyone who could help them the way I could. But that’s business.”

With that business comes the closing of one chapter and the beginning of the next. But as Puig sheds blue for red and, to paraphrase Bill Belichick, moves on to Cincinnati, can he stay and grow in baseball’s spotlight as he leaves Los Angeles behind?

Kremlinologists among us, do you care to interpret these remarks?

Yasiel Puig admits he ‘never worked hard’ in L.A, vows to up effort in contract year with Reds

Shield your eyes, Los Angeles Dodgers fans.

Actually, take a long look. Because this is funny.

Yasiel Puig admitted to ESPN recently what was evident to most who were paying attention to the Dodgers in recent years.

He didn’t work hard in Los Angeles.

Fine by me- but, then again, I’m a Giants fan…..

Puig leaves LA, warms to wintery new home with Reds

Yasiel Puig boarded a jet in Los Angeles, flew all night and arrived in his new home just before sunrise. The temperature was still falling toward zero, and the wind chill was enough to cause frostbite in a few minutes.

That first blast of cold as he left the plane was another reminder: You’re not in LA anymore, Yasiel.

The former Dodgers outfielder who was part of a seven-player deal with Cincinnati in December decided to explore his new town Wednesday. He did just about every Cincinnati thing that a visitor could do on a below-freezing day.

Not sure what Puig should worry about more in Cincinnati- the weather, or the fans….

Reds agree with newly acquired Puig on $9.7 million contract

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds avoided arbitration with Yasiel Puig, agreeing with the newly acquired outfielder on a $9.7 million contract for 2019.

You know, this is rather disappointing, after everything claimed about Puig in the popular press.

Dodgers get better of blockbuster deal simply by getting rid of Yasiel Puig - Los Angeles Times

OK, say I wanted to put together a new web site called the Anti-Athletic.com. The site would only employ axe grinding, angry writers. I start with Dan Shaughnessy and Bill Plaschke. Who else do I sign up?

Dodgers to trade Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood to the Cincinnati Reds

We heard rumors of a deal like this brewing in the past several days, but now it’s happening: the Los Angels Dodgers have traded Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig and Alex Wood to the Cincinnati Reds. Jeff Passan of Yahoo was the first to report the deal was going down.

As previously rumored, Homer Bailey is going to the Los Angeles Dodgers as a means of offsetting some salary. The Dodgers will reportedly release Bailey once the deal is done, and will be getting prospects Jeter Downs, Josiah Gray and some international bonus pool money. They will send around $7 million in cash to the Reds.

What does one do with such money and such space? One suspects that one makes a run a Bryce Harper, who now would look really, really good in right field in Dodger Stadium.

Pros and Cons: Should the Mets trade for Yasiel Puig?

The Mets are looking for an outfielder to pair with Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo. As they search, Yasiel Puig is reportedly “disgruntled” in Los Angeles and could get traded during the Winter Meetings that kick off Sunday in Las Vegas.

Mind you, is Yasiel Puig ever really gruntled?

MLB—Manny Machado, Yasiel Puig embrace their villain roles all the way to the World Series

They are no Snidely Whiplash.

Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig burglarized for the fourth time

The home of Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig was burglarized on Tuesday night, the fourth time a police report has been filed on a residence owned by the baseball star in the last 18 months.

It’s the third time Puig’s current house in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley has been burglarized, and the second time this month.

Los Angeles Police Department public information officer Jeff Lee told USA TODAY Sports that a home on the 5800 block of Louise Avenue in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Encino was reported to be burglarized around 8:10 p.m.

So, which one of you has been doing this?

Dodgers bash their way to MLB history with record-tying seven 20-homer hitters

Home runs are dramatically up in MLB this season and that means some home run history will inevitably be made. The Dodgers fulfilled that idea Wednesday, entering the history books with a booming homer from Matt Kemp in the second inning of their game against the Rockies.

Kemp’s solo shot bumped his season total up to 20 and gave the Dodgers their seventh 20-homer hitter on the season, tying an MLB record for most 20-homer hitters on a team in a single season. The Los Angeles group now includes Kemp, Cody Bellinger, Yasmani Grandal, Enrique Hernandez, Max Muncy, Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig.

The Dodgers came close to such a mark last year with six players reaching the milestone, and they managed to hit seven this year without three of the hitters from last year (Corey Seager, Chris Taylor and Justin Turner).

For those of you who were wondering how a team that has felt like it has been underperforming all season has remained in the position it is relative to the playoffs…..