Who would be the worst player to one day own the Dodgers?

As rumors circulate about Alex Rodriguez potentially placing a bid to purchase the New York Mets, it got us thinking, who would be the worst player to one day own the Dodgers?

After a miserable period of ownership, Dodger fans fell into heaven when Magic Johnson led an ownership group to purchase the team from Frank McCourt.

The former Laker star, whose smile is as infectious as his style of play was to watch on the court, changed the entire image of the franchise when he became the new face of the Dodgers, helping to lead the Boys in Blue back to prominence as one of the elite franchises in the National League.

But what if Magic hadn’t used his business ties and basketball wealth to help purchase the Dodgers?

As rumors swirl about former Yankee Alex Rodriguez and his wife Jennifer Lopez raising capital to place a bid on the New York Mets, it got me thinking, what if a rival player tried to purchase the Dodgers? Would it matter? What if a player everyone disliked became owner of the team?

To have some fun with the idea, I made a list of the five players who would be the worst candidates to one day own the Dodgers. I am putting money aside in developing this list. Let’s assume everyone would manage the team the same. I’m thinking of five players who you would just hate to have their names associated with the beloved franchise in Chavez Ravine.

5. Manny Ramirez

Manny Ramirez time in Los Angeles is like a bad break-up story for Dodger fans. When he arrived from the Red Sox in 2008, all of the warning signs were there, but they were quickly forgotten when he powered the Dodgers into the postseason, stealing the hearts of fans as they wore Mannywood t-shirts in the bleachers at Chavez Ravine.

Then it all fell apart. A cheater always cheats. Ramirez was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs after signing a two-year, $45 million contract to stay with the Dodgers. An official break-up eventually followed.

The right-handed slugger is still remembered fondly by some fans who appreciate his career achievements and performance during that 2008 stretch-run, regardless of the steroid use. But he would be a polarizing figure to put in charge of a mostly buttoned-up franchise. I think Dodger fans would be happy to keep Manny in the back of their memory banks instead of front and center as owner of the franchise.

4. Madison Bumgarner

As Dodger fans have been waiting since 1988 to win another World Series, Madison Bumgarner almost single-handedly brought three world championships to the hated Giants.

He has pitched what amounts to an entire starting pitcher season against the Dodgers over his career. In 35 starts, he is 15-14 with a 2.72 ERA, and most impressive, he has 218 strikeouts to just 47 walks in 225 innings of work. A lot of numbers to say he’s been dominant against the Boys in Blue.

You can’t have a San Francisco Giant who represents winning and superiority over the Dodgers as a future owner.

3. Josh Reddick

You almost felt bad for Josh Reddick when he came to Los Angeles with the impossible task of replacing the popular Yasiel Puig in the lineup, and then failed to perform. The fans were tough on him, but maybe he deserved another chance.

Then Reddick joined the cheating Astros, batted .167 in the World Series they stole from the Dodgers, and continues to flaunt the win to Dodger fans:

Reddick was quoted as saying he wanted to play the Dodgers in the World Series to stick it to the fans who boo’d him during his struggles.

This man deserves every boo he receives at Dodger Stadium.

2. Jose Altuve

I wanted to make him number one. But you’ve probably already scanned your eyes down the page to see why I couldn’t. The 2017 Dodgers would be World Champions if the cheating Astros didn’t exist. Nobody represents that team more than Jose “Bad Tattoo” Altuve.

He’s even worse than Reddick.

1. Barry Bonds

You knew the worst player had to be a San Francisco Giant. While fellow steroid user Alex Rodriguez played for the hated Yankees, he at least grew up rooting for the team he is interested in buying (Mets). There’s nothing redeeming about Barry Bonds.

Bonds was part of the ’97 Giants squad that beat out the Dodgers by two games in the NL West. And he was the difference maker in a key, two-game sweep of LA that September. Bonds went 3-6 with two home runs and 5 RBIs in those two games the Giants won by a total of only two runs.

Bonds played 15 seasons for the Giants, a nemesis to the Dodgers before steroid use was even revealed. A lot of pennant races would have looked different had he been playing somewhere else, or on the up-and-up.

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Nobody likes Barry Bonds, even outside of LA. He would be the worst imaginable player to one day own the Dodgers.