Bautista Will Not Join Baltimore Orioles Because Fans Don't Want Him
Tom Bogert, CBS Local Sports
Who says the fans never have a say in front office transactions?
For the Baltimore Orioles at least, the fans are a major reason as to why the team is not pursuing Jose Bautista. According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, the Orioles told Bautista that he doesn't fit because the fans don't like him.
Had Jose Bautista been 29 years old rather than 36, or coming off another 40+ homer campaign rather than 22 HR with a moribund .234 batting average, would the fans have this big of a say? It makes for good argument.
The reasons behind the fans displeasure stem from Bautista's seemingly combative nature, who's no stranger to the occasional dust up. In April of 2015, he twice exchanged (un)pleasantries with Baltimore, resulting in a few 'send a message' inside fastballs. To be fair to Bautista, he ended each of those instances with homers.
Bautista is now infamous for eating a punch from Texas Rangers' Rougned Odor at second base. To be fair, he couldn't have taken it much better and didn't have the opportunity to get retribution.
We've seen it a million times, but just once more for posterity.
The Orioles will continue their outfield search elsewhere, as will the Bautista camp for a new home.
