Matt Bush: Biggest Bust Of All Time?
Sam Bowie. Ryan Leaf. Anna Kournikova. Matt Bush. Bust, bust, bust, bust. All were highly lauded players, who upon making it to the professional levels of their respective sports, managed to compile a resume of success shorter than Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger’s playing time at Notre Dame.
The difference between the first three, and the last one, though, is this: At least the first three made it to the highest level of their professional sports. Bowie had to contend with NBA competition. Leaf was an immature man-boy but was still throwing against NFL defensive backfields. Kournikova, when she wasn’t considering a film career or dating Enrique Iglesias, actually competed in the Major tennis tournaments.
Matt Bush? The $3.15 million man never even saw AA ball. An utter failure at shortstop, Bush was moved to pitcher where he promptly got injured. His stats (or lack of stats) on the field aren’t the real story with this kid, however; it’s his off the field actions that prove his “Bust-Worthy” status. Stuff like: 1) trashing the owner’s suite at Petco park less than two weeks after being drafted, 2) Getting arrested in Arizona during Spring Training for allegedly fighting a bouncer, and in the process, biting his ear, a la Tyson, and finally, 3) picking a fight with high school lacrosse players, and brandishing a 3 iron in the process.
The last occurrence was apparently the final straw for the front office, as Bush was waived this week, and promptly signed by the Blue Jays, who somehow are voluntarily committing a form of self punishment by bringing this cancer of a player into their minor league system.
Taking all of that into consideration, it is obvious to this writer why Matt Bush must be considered one of the biggest busts of all time. A number one pick that never makes it to the major leagues? Just as Ryan Leaf ruined the Chargers (who are just now, in the last few years, recovering from how much he set the organization back), Bush has set the Padres organization back for years, especially at shortstop, where they assumed they had signed their player of the future.
I don’t hope Matt Bush success. I ask for his failure, as a lesson to other number one picks: act like this guy, and you’ll end up just as much of an embarrassment.
