Players change teams every off-season. It's part of the business of sports. Usually, the organization and the players will go their separate ways with no ill will. With the way money involved in sports has increased over the last 20 years, both sides know it is just a business decision.
There are times when there are bitter feelings between the player and the team. General managers don't feel the player lived up to their contract. Players believe the team owes them more money for a job well done. Some players want to leave town because of the way they are treated by their fans. And how do they get their message through to the fans? Well, the media of course.
It brings us to the case of catcher J.P. Arencibia, former Toronto Blue Jay and now member of the Texas Rangers.
The Blue Jays wrapped up a weekend series in Arlington, Texas Sunday afternoon, making it the first time Arencibia squared off against his former team. The catcher only played in one game during the three-game set, and went 0-for-3 at the plate. It dropped his batting average to .133 this season, the lowest mark of his career.
Without making a difference during the game, Arencibia had to make an impact off the field. In an interview with the Toronto Star's Brendan Kennedy, Arencibia showed he had some hard feelings after not being offered a contract by the Blue Jays following the 2013 season. The disgruntled catcher called himself the "villain" of last year's Toronto team, blaming the media for the way the fans turned on him. He added the media made him a "monster" by twisting his words.
The biggest twist, in his words, was Arencibia denying a report that he went to Blue Jays president Paul Beeston to complain about negative things said by members of team's broadcast crew, Gregg Zaun and Dirk Hayhurst. Although the original quote came from Arencibia himself in an interview with MLB Network radio, he said the media twisted his words.
The problem with Arencibia's theory about being made into a monster was he had all of the opportunities to succeed as a member of the Blue Jays' organization. If anything made the Toronto fans turn on him, it was his play.
He was a fan favourite in Toronto early in his career. Drafted 21st overall by the Blue Jays in the 2007 draft, Arencibia worked his way up through the team's farm system to make it to the big leagues. He made a mark on the team and the fan base in his first plate appearance during his major league debut Aug. 7, 2010. On his first major-league pitch, Arencibia went deep for his first career home run. He followed that up with a double, single and a second home run.
"'Where do I go from here?'" asked Arencibia of himself after his debut in an interview with Sportsnet.ca. "This is not going to happen every day."
While Arencibia had a significant amount of pop in his bat, the rest of his game never measured up to statistics becoming of a major league player. Despite hitting 64 home runs in 380 games with Toronto, he never hit for average, with his highest career batting average peaking at .233 in 2012. He was also undisciplined at the plate, drawing only 74 walks during his three-plus seasons in Toronto compared to 400 strikeouts.
His numbers hit rock bottom last season, his final year with the Blue Jays. It was during this year the apparent meeting with Beeston occurred. But was the negativity justified?
Well, numbers never lie. In 138 games with Toronto, Arencibia added his regular power, supplying the team with 21 home runs. However, his batting average was a dismal .198, he drew only 18 walks and struck out 148 times. His on-base percentage, coming in at .227, was the lowest in history for a player that hit more than 20 home runs. That was just his offensive numbers. Arencibia committed the most errors (11) amongst MLB catchers in 2013. He also led the league in passed balls with 13. All of this was during a contract year.
Of course the fans are frustrated with the numbers being so low. They should have been. In a league that is increasingly being dominated by executives who are focusing on statistics, Arencibia was the worst offensive and defensive player in the majors last season. His OBP was the fifth lowest since 1901.
When Arencibia signed with Texas, he was expected to be a back up to Geovany Soto. With Soto injured, he's been thrust into a higher position in the depth chart. Arencibia now splits time with Robinson Chirinos as Soto recovers. With his low batting average and inconsistent offensive numbers, it will be interesting to see what Texas does once Soto returns. Arencibia's numbers certainly aren't deserving of a major league roster spot, let alone a position as the team's back up.
In reality, the media did not turn the fans on Arencibia. That's not how he became a monster. His transformation into a monster was the result of his unrealized potential as the long-term everyday catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.
No, Arencibia. It wasn't the media's fault for reporting on your miniscule numbers. This falls on your shoulders.
