Nicest and Rudest Athletes?

[jbone17]

Worst: Bryce Harper. I regularly do IP autos at Lakewood, Trenton, etc. and at the time, the Hagerstown Suns came in to play the Lakewood BlueClaws. During the first day, Harper blew everyone off. The second day, myself and three others were waiting outside the ballpark as the bus drove up to the clubhouse door. Harper wasn't even on the bus! Five minutes later, a GMC Yukon pulls up in front of the bus and Harper walks out of the car with teammate Blake Kelso. The four of us waited until he walked near us and he didn't even acknowledge our request for an auto. He acted like we weren't even there. Eventually, on the third day of beating the bus, it was a success. Instead of not acknowledging you, he grabbed your item, signed it, and kept his head down the whole time.

Best: Kyle Drabek. He signed everything in sight. Walking from the bus, during warm-ups, before the game (even on the days he started), while he was charting, after the game, and outside the bus afterwards. He cares about his fans and it was always a pleasure to hear his perspective on the game. Yes, he actually talked with me outside for over 20 minutes on many occasions.

 

[dbacksfan4life]

Worst:
Willie Bloomquist


Best:
Andrew McCutchen
Adam Eaton
Didi Gregorius
Patrick Corbin
Tyler Skaggs
Brad Ziegler

 

[Dazed]

It didn't happen to me but a guy, Dennis that used to hang out at the local shop. He used to go to the visiting team hotel and hang out in the lobby to get autographs. One time Julio Franco stopped to sign for everybody he's signing and visiting with fans. When he gets done he realized the team bus had left. Dennis told him he would give him a ride. Once they get to the stadium Julio says hold on a minute. He comes back with an arm load of bats and dumps them in the passenger seat of his car.

I knew Dennis pretty well and saw the pile of bats so I tend to believe the story.

 

[nyc3]

Worst: Bryce Harper. Instead of not acknowledging you, he grabbed your item, signed it, and kept his head down the whole time.

These comments always get me. What was he supposed to do? Stare into your eyes and sing you a song as he signs the thing you asked him to? Maybe he is not the type of guy who talks to anyone. Not looking into your eyes dont make him the worst. Hell he gave you what you asked for. Maybe next time ask him to stare into your eyes and tell you a cool story.

 

[predatorkj]

Guys you can't say a dude is a bad person because he won't sign an autograph. Perhaps we should rename the thread to "Who are the rudest/nicest players when it comes to autographs"?. You can't equate a lot of IP auto opportunities as actually meeting a guy let alone getting a good idea of them as as a person. Now if you sit there and talk to the guy for twenty minutes, I'd say you met him and you know a little bit about his personality. But if your experience consists of "hey you, sign this.", it's not meeting the player any more than you met the guy at the Pizza Hut last week buying a pizza.

 

[jbmm161]

Best: Josh Hamilton was awesome both times I met him. Once at a signing in 2009 and the other was in a Target checkout with his wife 2 days before Christmas 2010. I didn't ask for an autograph just talked about how great it was to see the team make the W.S.

Tommy Hunter when he was a Ranger was one of my favorite players and he was awesome both times I had him sign for me.

Don't really have a worst experience but Ian Kinsler signed the same day at the local card show with Hamilton and he came off as a tool.

 

[blanning71]

I have had some great experiences in the past with some guys you might not have heard of but it was still fun. When I was growing up in Greensboro, this lanky kid named Mariano used to come over and sit with our families in the stands on his days off. I remember his floral patterned shirts and huge smile as he strained thru broken English to try to understand us. Some people say that he would become the all time leader in saves.....idk...

This Jeter guy used to have dinner with us from time to time. Kid can kill some food and also had a fascination with video games. Always was a class act after the games.

Manny Ramirez was warming up before a game we were at and my buddy and I wanted to get his autograph. He told us to meet him by the third base gate after the game. So, afterward, we did, and he signed baseballs and cards for us and talked to us for a few minutes before he hit the showers.

Jorge Posada can fish! Was really fun taking him as well as Shane Spencer. Those guys loved it!

 

[BiggioBrooks755]

Awesome stories

Keep them coming

 

[tchronis24]

Matt Kemp had to be the nicest. Always comes over to sign autographs for the kids and is always so humble which is why i pc him.

Worst was probably Jose Fernandez. The day before his debut at Citi Field he came over and signed autographs but would only sign 1 thing per person as if it was a private signing or he was some big shot which at the time he wasn't. Its just that you'd expect someone who's just coming up to the majors to be a bit more humble like some of the superstars who are 10 times better. Just my opinion

 

[Super Mario]

My favorite football player ever is Deion Sanders............but he probably shouldn't be.

I was 11, outside of Busch Stadium hanging out well before game time. There were nobody else out there but my step dad and I. I wanted to see two players. Deion Sanders and David Justice.

I seen a group of 5 or so people walking toward us surrounding one man. And as I looked closely, I seen it was Deion. As they had just passed us I was excited as I could possibly be, and ran right up behind Deion and between two of the guys flanking him. He stopped quickly, turned around fast, elbowing me in my upper chest, and told me to get lost.

I was devastated. But I always loved the guy, and still do. I understand that's just who he was then. He was a jerk.

 

[TBTwinsFan]

Kyle Gibson gave me crap once for wearing shorts and a coat :lol:

It was in good fun of course.

 

[Super Mario]

Rudest - Reggie Jackson. Had his assistant kick me out of a public men's room so he could have it all to himself.

Nicest - Ted Radcliffe, old ***** Leaguer, was the nicest guy I ever met. Saw him sitting alone in a wheelchair at old Comiskey, sat down next to him and was rewarded with 30 minutues of great stories. Mark Grace has also been a super nice guy the two times I've spent talking to him, and signed a bunch of items for me.

Minnie Minoso talked to me and my buddies for three innings at a White Sox vs Indians game. We were decked out in Cardinals gear sitting right behind home plate and he moved down about 20 rows and sat with us and shot the breeze about everything.

Met my favorite baseball player ever that day too in the Indiana dugout. Aaron Boone. And he talked to us before the game for about 10 minutes. Couldn't have been any more awesome.

 

[BiggioBrooks755]

Minnie Minoso talked to me and my buddies for three innings at a White Sox vs Indians game. We were decked out in Cardinals gear sitting right behind home plate and he moved down about 20 rows and sat with us and shot the breeze about everything.

Met my favorite baseball player ever that day too in the Indiana dugout. Aaron Boone. And he talked to us before the game for about 10 minutes. Couldn't have been any more awesome.

You mean THIS Aaron Boone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLY16wmHdUk

 

[Super Mario]

You mean THIS Aaron Boone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLY16wmHdUk

Yup.

 

[BiggioBrooks755]

Loved his reaction...He knew it was gone

 

[clarkzac]

Matt Kemp had to be the nicest. Always comes over to sign autographs for the kids and is always so humble which is why i pc him.

Worst was probably Jose Fernandez. The day before his debut at Citi Field he came over and signed autographs but would only sign 1 thing per person as if it was a private signing or he was some big shot which at the time he wasn't. Its just that you'd expect someone who's just coming up to the majors to be a bit more humble like some of the superstars who are 10 times better. Just my opinion

Really? You're basing that off of him only signing one per? You should just be happy he signed at all. There are some minor league guys that don't always sign, or they are the same as JoFer and only sign one per and this while they are still in the minors. Nobody is required to sign for you at the stadium

 

[exigussrex]

Best experience: Jim Edmonds at 1999 Spring Training.

I was in the Angels locker room and asked Edmonds to sign a ball. He happily agreed and signed the ball, but after he gave it back to me I accidentally smudged it with my thumb (I was only 8 years old and very nervous). Once Edmonds saw what happened he told me to hold on and disappeared into the equipment room. He came back with the coolest game use bat, in black, and a silver sharpie. He signed it beautifully under his name and gave it to me. To this day it's one of my favorite pieces of memorabilia and one of my favorite baseball stories.

Worst experience: Barry Bonds at 1999 Spring Training

I was fortunate enough to sit in the dug out for a few innings during a Giants/Angels spring training game. I chose to sit in the Giants dugout so I got to see Barry Bonds (and Dusty Baker) swear up a storm and talk a lot of trash. I was young at the time so it probably felt more extreme, but I remember feeling seriously uncomfortable at the amount of aggression had towards the other players in a scrimmage. True competitor I suppose...

 

[Juan Gris]

Best Experience:

Jim Maloney (Reds pitcher through the 60's, pitched 2 no-hitters) - When I was a teen I went to the local mall to get a ball signed by Jim Maloney during a card show. The signing was free and afterwards, while waiting for my ride to pick me up from the lobby of the hotel connected to the mall, in walked Mr. Maloney. He recognized me from the signing and sat down and played a game of checkers with me right there in the lobby. Great guy and I'm pretty sure he intentionally let me win.

 

[devin]

i have never seem to have a bad experience with a player. closest thing would be morneau giving me crap on my packers sweatshirt on a couple of occasions

 

[dstrawberryfan39]

Billy wagner is the nicest guy ever!! I am friends with is hs baseball coach who is a guidance counselor at a local hs near me. Billy sent me a signed poster and news paper article from when the Phillies. Then we went to a braves game and he came over and signed and chatted for about 2mins.