TORONTO SUN INTERVIEW REVEALS SHEA’S NO ANGEL: I’m sure Los Angeles Angels Manager (and Jose Guillen survivor) Mike Scioscia is pleased as punch about Bob Elliott’s piece in the TORONTO SUN today about Shea Hillenbrand.

Hillenbrand, who was signed by the Angels in the offseason, and who was exiled traded to the San Francisco Giants from the Blue Jays last July, gives us a definitive understanding of why he’s perceived as a malcontent: Because he is one.

He meticulously details his conflicts with Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi, Assistant GM Bart Given, Manager John Gibbons, Hitting Coach Mickey Brantley, and various teammates.

In other words, you can pretty much swing a dead cat in the province of Ontario and hit someone Hillenbrand says was out to get him.

This is the same Hillenbrand who left the Red Sox under a similar cloud, and proceeded to call his first spring training with the Blue Jays a “country club atmosphere” and that Blue Jay players were “content to be in the majors, that you can’t compete with the Bostons and New Yorks.”

Apparently Hillenbrand has no future desire to play for any club in the major leagues besides the Angels, since he also told the Sun’s Elliott that around trade deadline time last year, “during batting practice he was in the outfield talking with players (’players who wanted out, the trade deadline was approaching’).

“He admitted, in the interview this week, to writing ‘Play for yourselves’ on the clubhouse whiteboard July 19. Gregg Zaun mockingly wrote the next line ‘Play for your contract” and argued with Hillenbrand. Then, Hillenbrand wrote “This ship is sinking.’”