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Yasiel Puig channels Bart Simpson, promises not to be a distraction

By Austin Belisle

October 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) reacts after striking out in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in game one of the 2014 NLDS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
October 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) reacts after striking out in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in game one of the 2014 NLDS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Yasiel Puig has long been criticized for his actions on the field, so the Dodgers outfielder used his Instagram to poke fun at himself and make a promise to the fans

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When Yasiel Puig burst into the MLB in 2013, fans and media members drooled at his raw talent. He had the power at the plate to knock home runs out of the park, the arm to throw runners out from the farthest corners of the outfield, and the speed to steal any base.

But, that act wore quickly on some of baseball’s “purists”, those who believe the game should be played as it has been for years – by baseball’s unwritten rules. Puig began taking chances, overthrowing his cut off man to get the runner out at home plate or getting himself stuck in pickles trying to steal a base.

Puig’s distracting issues followed him off the field, where he was arrested for speeding late in 2013, per ESPN. In 2014, Fox Sports reported that Puig, Lebron James, Carl Crawford and Matt Kemp partied together during the All -Star break Miami, racking up a $20K bar tab.

Clearly, Puig enjoys his lifestyle, both on the field and off. To silence his critics, he took to Instagram, posting a humorous take on his mindset heading into the 2015 season:

The image, taken from a cartoon that Fox Sports ran in March, shows Puig writing “I will not be a distraction” over and over again on a chalkboard in the dugout.

Yasiel Puig is the Bart Simpson of the MLB, the self-proclaimed troublemaker and funny guy. He has fun on the diamond, smiling as he rounds the bases, joking around and dancing in the locker room after wins. The game’s old cronies shudder at the sight, and want Puig to look serious, to enter every game with a newfound dedication.

Who’s to say Puig isn’t dedicated? Players can smile, can joke, can look like they’re having fun and still honor the game. Puig’s gifts are rare, and he’s putting them to use in ways that other people can’t. Let the man play baseball the way he wants to play.

If you’re the Dodgers, appreciate the man’s talents, embrace his personality, and get as much out of the rising superstar as possible. Puig hasn’t reached his potential yet, and with time, he may get there. Bottling up his energy and forcing him to be someone he isn’t will only prevent that.

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