Ozuna Odium
odi•um
1: the state or fact of being subjected to hatred and contempt as a result of a despicable act or blameworthy circumstance
2: hatred and condemnation accompanied by loathing or contempt
3: disrepute or infamy attached to something
Marcell Ozuna is now a champion. He’s now taken over the top spot for “Worst Contract” for an active player.
Shield your eyes, Patrick Corbin fans; a rikishi shot’s on the way. It took Marcell Ozuna adding DUI arrest & countless strikeouts to his 2022 statistics to overtake Patrick Corbin. But perseverance pays off.
Patrick Corbin’s contract is only so bad because Washington has to play him, they have no one else. Corbin’s also not out making a mockery of his organization; he’s just been really bad at baseball since he signed a very big contract with the Nationals.
Not only has Ozuna added DUI to his list of arrests since signing his deal, but he’s completely out of touch with the public’s response.
He was asked after Sunday’s game what he thought of the boo-ing he heard from fans throughout the game. He said the boos motivate him & he “doesn’t listen to what they say”.
He doesn’t seem to grasp just how blatantly he’s disrespected the Braves, his teammates, & the fans.
He was held out of the starting lineup for a few days, and instead of looking for ways to improve & find his way back into the lineup or be ready when his number was called, he was out drinking until the wee hours of the morning, then driving home.
But it’s ok, he wasn’t trying to hurt anybody. He was “here for the party” according to bodycam footage captured during the traffic stop. He also thought being an Atlanta Brave would save him; because the first thing he said when the officer approached the vehicle was “I’m Ozuna from the Braves”.
He had the audacity to attempt to use the organization for which he’s underperforming for & shaming, as a crutch to lean on when faced with the consequences of his completely avoidable, senseless transgression.
If you’re of the belief - like I am - that Marcell Ozuna shouldn’t spend another second under the employ of the Atlanta Braves, you’re going to have to be patient. Alex Anthopoulos isn’t going to jump at the opportunity to release Ozuna & also pay his remaining contract.
The Braves will let the legal process play out so that then the front office could have the ammunition they need to release Ozuna without fulfilling his remaining contractual monetary obligation. This could take weeks, it could take months; but it will definitely take more than a few days.
So as disheartening as it is, get used to seeing Ozuna. Just know that his presence with the ball club means that there’s still a chance that his contract won’t haunt the Braves. As soon as the front office is told they’re on the hook for the contract, they’ll release him; so even though seeing his face is the last thing we all want, it means all hope is not lost on his stupidity handcuffing the Braves’ (pun intended) ability to sign marquee free agents this coming offseason.