Sorry if I hurt your feelings...

I've been told on more than a few occasions that I'm a little rough around the edges, that maybe I'm a little harsh. I'm sorry you feel that way, but get in line. My wife has told me that, so has my mother--and they love me. But I'm going to tell you about five baseball players who were 'harsh' with me, but helped me become less selfish and more of a team player in my playing days. Let's start in the minor leagues. A man, a very good player and my pitching coach in Triple-A Nashville was Wayne Garland. He was still being paid for what was then, a record Major League contract. I was in the middle of one of my little childlike meltdowns, arguing with an umpire, being held back by my manager and some teammates. Wayne looked me in the eye and said, "That's enough." Out of respect for him, I stopped what I was doing and walked into the clubhouse. My first year in the big leagues, our team had just been beaten by the Pittsburgh Pirates. I was sitting on the team bus after the game, smiling and carrying on because I had played well. Our second baseman and one of the toughest players I ever played with, Ron Oester, proceeded to tell me to shut up and stop thinking about myself. He said that when we lose, we all lose. When we win, we all win. And those words are still true today. Then, one of the best players I ever played with on and off the field, Eric Davis, told me after a solid outing, 'That was okay, but don't ever be satisfied. You have to work hard every day to get better, no matter how great you perform.' Another time the Reds were in Chicago. I had just been ejected from the game, following a four-game suspension, and I was getting some work in a one-sided game and melted down. I was sitting in front of my locker when chairs started flying past me. Our hardnosed third baseman Chris Sabo was furious. He told me to stop being a jerk on the field because the team needed me. Of course he was right, and I realized how my actions were hurting the Team...Again. The last thing, and something I've never been proud of because it was totally my fault, was the altercation between myself and my manager, Lou Pinella. Lou and the team needed me, and I wasn't there for them. Lou was right, and we remain Family to this day... Maybe all the Nationals need now is someone to step up and be "Harsh."