Last week, MLB Network re-ran the entire Ken Burns documentary series. I never tire of re-watching it, and have been working my way through them on my DVR the past several days.
A lot of what we're now saying about Puig was said about another player about 95 years ago. A young kid whose baseball skills were all that got him out of a prison-like reform school and a likely career in a shirt-making factory, but who had no idea how to behave in public or how to handle himself in the outside world. He did things like marry a waitress he met on his first day in his new MLB home town; cheat on her serially; frequent brothels all over the league circuit; stay out all night eating and drinking; live fast and big, drive flashy cars, wear furs and other fancy clothes.
His initial success only made it worse for some time, until he hit bottom, and also hooked up with a new woman who rode herd on him.
You might've heard of him, a guy named Ruth.
Fenway, your forbears sold him away. Was that a good idea?