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No Way, Jose: Orioles Not Interested In Bautista Because Fans Don't Like Him

Orioles Exec VP/Baseball Operations Dan Duquette said that he "has rebuffed" free agent RF Jose Bautista's agent Jay Alou at "every turn because he knows that the team’s fan base would not be receptive to any notion" of pursuing a contract with him, according to Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore SUN. Duquette: "The agent called and I said, ‘Really? Jose is a villain in Baltimore and I’m not going to go tell our fans that we’re courting Jose Bautista for the Orioles because they’re not going to be happy.'” The 36-year-old Bautista, who spent the last nine seasons with the Blue Jays, is also one of "several free-agent sluggers tied to draft-pick compensation." Duquette added that was "another factor in the lack of interest." But for Orioles fans, no player "currently fits the Public Enemy No. 1 stigma like Bautista." He has "usually been at the center of any friction between the teams." Asked how he came to the conclusion that Orioles fans would not be interested in acquiring Bautista, Duquette said, "I’ve just been watching the games." Duquette "conceded that Bautista could eventually fit in the Orioles clubhouse, especially if he could help the team build on three playoff trips in five years." Duquette: "Our players are very professional about that. But our fans, I know they still don’t like Jose Bautista” (Baltimore SUN, 12/8). MASNSPORTS.com's Roch Kubatko wrote Bautista is "widely disliked" in the Orioles organization. Bautista and Orioles P Darren O'Day "have their own nasty history." The Orioles also "remember how the slugger glared" at P Jason Garcia in '15 and "coasted around the bases after hitting a home run" (MASNSPORTS.com, 12/7). 

WHAT DID YOU SAY? ESPN’s Mike Greenberg said he cannot decide if Duquette's reason for not pursuing Bautista "is the greatest thing I've ever heard or the dumbest thing I've ever heard." Greenberg: "I don't know if he’s just saying that because they weren't really, legitimately interested anyway and it’s a good way to say it or ingratiate yourself to your fans. ... If he wasn’t interested in the player, it’s a good thing to say. It’s just a funny interesting thing to say" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 12/8). ESPN's Michael Wilbon called it a “stupid reason," as "fans -- all of us who root for something passionately, fandom, fanatics -- are stupid people when it comes to our teams." Wilbon: "We're not rational" ("PTI," ESPN, 12/7). ESPN's Pablo Torre said Duquette sounds like someone "trying to drive the price down on a player now that he is not really so much interested in." The Boston Globe's Bob Ryan said there are “compelling reasons” not to sign Bautista, but “one of them is not whether or not the fan base is going to accept him.” ESPN’s Bomani Jones: “It does seem weird that Duquette would come out and say that … when you could easily just say he hit .234 last year” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 12/7). ESPN's Michael Smith said Duquette's rationale is "preposterous.” Smith: "The old saying is, ‘If you start listening to the fans, you'll be sitting with them.’ There's no way you wouldn't take Jose Bautista on your team because your fans don't like him." Smith did acknowledge the "question is about the players in the clubhouse." Smith: "Would they embrace him? That's the trickier thing. Like, how much hatred is there? But they're professionals, they would get over that too” (“His & Hers,” ESPN2, 12/7).

TWITTER REAX: CBSSports.com's Jon Solomon tweeted, "That's a silly thing to say to pander to fans. Using that logic, the A's should never pursue Manny Machado." Sports TV producer Chris Black: "Has anyone mentioned how unclassy it was for Duquette to say what he said about Bautista? What was the need to make that public?" Yankees blogger Gershon Raboniwitz tweeted comments like Duquette's are "unheard of." Univ. of Maryland student blogger Jordan Katz: "Even if people hating Bautista is accurate I still can't believe Duquette used this as a reason."

NOT IN A HABIT OF MAKING FRIENDS: In Toronto, Richard Griffin writes in "addition to being banned in Baltimore, Bautista is perceived as a villain" in Texas, where he and Rangers 2B Rougned Odor "duked it out at second base" early in '16. Rangers fans and players also "still remember the bat-flip" in the '15 ALDS. Griffin: "So he’s also persona-non-Batsa in Arlington" (TORONTO STAR, 12/8). In K.C., Pete Grathoff noted Bautista "irritated" Royals fans during the '15 ALCS when he "faked throwing a ball to a fan in the stands." Grathoff: "I’d imagine there would be some Royals fans who would not be pleased if Bautista was signed" (K.C. STAR, 12/8). 

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