Dodgers rookie phenom Yasiel Puig, who narrowly missed making the NL All-Star team after the Braves’ Freddie Freeman beat him out in a fan vote, has responded to criticism regarding his style of play.

The response was prompted by remarks made by several Diamondbacks players, including pitcher Ian Kennedy and catcher Miguel Montero, with whom Puig collided on a play at home earlier this week. Montero said that Puig’s actions on the field were “stupid”. Here is video of Montero’s remarks:

Puig responded to the critiques from the Diamondbacks on Friday.

From ESPN:

“That’s my game,” Puig said Thursday. “I’m going to play my baseball the way I play. We don’t like the way Parra plays or the way Montero plays, but we don’t go to the press or anybody and talk about how we don’t like it, because we’re more reserved.”

While saying you don’t go to the press and talk about something at the exact same moment you are going to the press and talking about something is inherently contradictory, Puig does have legitimate complaints about how the rest of baseball is reacting to his success. From Jonathan Papelbon saying Puig going to the All-Star game is a “joke” to the Braves’ very public campaign against him making the All-Star team and now the Diamondbacks ripping on the rookie, there does seem to be a trend to MLB players having problems with the recognition and press coverage Puig is getting, along with his style of play.

Puig won’t apologize, however.

“I learned to play that way as a kid,” he said. “I always like to play aggressive and always try to put on a show for the fans. They come to spend their time and lose sleep watching us play. It is one, to me, of the more emotional things in baseball.”