Former teammate calls Yasiel Puig 'worst person' in the game

It has become fairly public knowledge that there have been bad vibes swirling around the Los Angeles Dodgers' clubhouse for some time now. And the offseason doesn't appear to be simmering any of that ill will toward outfielder Yasiel Puig.

In a recent piece by Scott Miller of Bleacher Report, it would appear that Puig hasn't done much over his tenure in L.A. to endure himself to his teammates:

"He is the worst person I've ever seen in this game," one ex-Dodger who believes Puig is beyond redemption said flatly. "Ever."

This account comes on the heels of a radio interview with Andy Van Slyke in which the former player revealed some interesting insight about his son Scott's teammate in L.A.:

Former big-leaguer Andy Van Slyke, who's also the father of Dodgers outfielder Scott Van Slyke, on Thursday talked to host Frank Cusumano on CBS Sports Radio 920 in St. Louis. On the subject of his son's Dodger teammate Yasiel Puig, here's what the elder Van Slyke had to say: 

"This is just between you and I. When the best player — the highest paid player on the Los Angeles Dodgers — goes to the GM and ... is asked what are [the needs of the Los Angeles Dodgers], this particular highest-paid player said, 'The first thing you need to do is get rid of Puig.' That's all you need to know."

The highest-paid player on the Dodgers would be Clayton Kershaw, who checks in with a 2015 salary of $32.571 million and a 2016 salary of $34.571 million. Van Slyke wouldn't mention Kershaw by name, but the implication is clear.

Perhaps it isn't too big of a surprise that Puig's character is being questioned. Prior to an injury-plagued 2015 campaign, he built a reputation for arriving late to the field and has been benched on multiple occasions. His image off the field isn't much better, including a recent bar fight that is being investigated by the MLB.

NBC Sports suggests that perhaps teammates would be more tolerant of Puig's shenanigans if he had played more/better last season, but it is also possible that everyone's patience with him has worn thin.

Teammate Adrian Gonzalez is apparently still in Puig's corner, Miller reported:

"I'm still a guy who believes in Yasiel's heart and where he wants to go and where he wants to be. 

"When I talk to him heart to heart, he explains to me that he wants to be the best he can be. Growing up, sometimes it takes awhile to break bad habits."

It's anyone's guess how long it will take for those bad habits to break.