If you’re a Dodger fan you love him. But if you’re a fan of any other team in baseball you absolutely loathe him – not because he is bad, but because you are jealous that he is not on your favorite team.

He is, of course, Yasiel Puig and Tuesday, June 3 marks the one year anniversary of his arrival in Los Angeles.

Imagine what might have happened if Yasiel Puig had arrived on April 1, 2013 instead of June 3, 2013. (Photo courtesy of DodgersFacebook.com)

Those who followed Puig closely in the minor leagues after he signed his controversial seven-year/$42 million contract basically sight unseen knew he special and was the real deal, and a bargain at the price. They also knew that he couldn’t get here soon enough. But when opening day 2013 arrived, Puig was not on the Dodgers roster but was instead on the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts roster. Dodgers fans screamed “How can this be? How can Puig not be on the Dodgers opening day roster?”

We were told that he was too raw, that he wasn’t mature enough for the big leagues, that he needed time to develop. We were even told by Dodgers manager Don Mattingly that nobody was that good, in spite of the fact that he destroyed the Arizona Rookie League, he knocked Advanced Single-A pitchers around like Little Leaguers and ran the bases at will. And then he treated Dodger fans to what was arguable the single greatest spring training in MLB history in 2013. Yet when Yasiel finally arrived on June 3, 2013 he proved to us that he actually was that good – so good, in fact, that he was named the National League Player of the Week in his very first week in the big leagues. Who else has done that?

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti’s reluctance to include Puig on the Dodgers 2013 opening day roster cost Yasiel a trip to the All-Star Game and most likely cost him the NL Rookie of the Year title and quite possibly the NL MVP title as well. But putting these individual accomplishments aside, Puig and a returning (and healthy) Hanley Ramirez helped propel the Dodgers on their historic 42-8 run from June 21 through August 17, 2013; a run that earned them the 2013 NL West title and a trip to the post season.

Throughout his (now) first full season with the Dodgers we have seen a man child grow and mature into what may very well be the best baseball player of our generation. Oh sure, Mike Trout has and continues to rack up incredible numbers in his three-plus seasons with the Angels, but Puig has racked up equally incredible (and in many cases historic) numbers in only 156 total games played – and he has shown no signs of slowing down.

No one, not even Mike Trout, has brought more excitement to the game than Yasiel Puig has.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

The national media continues to scorn Puig for his reckless abandon, yet he pulls over to the curb at a local Little League field after leaving Dodger Stadium and plays baseball with a group of kids for an hour or more. Opposing pitchers berate him (and throw at him) for his bat flips and other antics that they feel are disrespectful to them or to the game, yet he gives the very jersey off of his back or baseball and bats to severely handicapped fans.

When Yasiel Puig gave his jersey to handicapped Dodger fan Alex Solis Jr., he created a memory that Alex will cherish for the rest of his life. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

And of course he continues to bring an excitement and flair to the game of the likes we have never seen before.

He is Yasiel Puig and he is a Dodger – and for that I am grateful.

Happy Anniversary, Yasiel.