Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Mike Trout remains stuck on a consistently losing Angels team despite his repeated public calls for change.
- Arte Moreno's leadership has failed to build a contender around him for nearly a decade,
- Trout's next move in LA could go a long way in determining his MLB legacy.
From the time he truly arrived on the scene in his 2012 Rookie of the Year season, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout has always shied away from being a global superstar, and all that title entails. It’s not just about insurance commercials or podcast appearances. Trout has never presented himself as someone genuinely frustrated, or even outright angry, with his team’s continued losing and poor management.
Not only has Trout reached the playoffs just once, but he hasn’t even experienced a winning record since 2015. The Angels are yet again comfortably sitting in last place, and an aging Trout has resumed his place in baseball purgatory. Trout might not want to take this next step, but the time has arrived for him to finally be the bad guy and demand the Angels trade him to a contender.
A Mike Trout trade is the only thing that will save his legacy
The entire concept of “rings culture” is admittedly flawed, and it’s a system that has been most effective in giving television networks justification for paying their talking heads millions of dollars.
At least with someone like Aaron Judge, the Yankees are almost always in the postseason. If the Yankees fail to win a championship within the coming years, Judge — who has historically struggled in October — will eventually leave baseball with that stain on his resume.
Trout, though, can’t claim anything even remotely along those lines.
For as much blame rightfully falls on Arte Moreno and the Angels’ leadership, we can’t excuse Trout’s role in this. He opted to re-sign with the Angels in 2019, and he’s stubbornly stuck things out for as long as he could.
In the modern playoff system, there is absolutely no reason why the Angels should consistently be out of the postseason picture, nor should Trout continue to accept this as his reality. One would rightfully think that Trout, who turns 35 in August, would do whatever it takes to play a meaningful game in October.
Whether they would use Trout in the outfield or make him a full-time designated hitter, it’s hard to think there isn’t at least one contender that’d be interested in acquiring him. The Cubs and Diamondbacks, both of whom currently have winning records, could each use another power bat.
The unfortunate reality is that Trout, who has a full no-trade clause, has likely already told the Angels not to even bother taking calls on him. If Trout wanted out of Anaheim, he’d have already been sent elsewhere.
The worst part of this all is that Trout, through his own actions, has created the impression that he’s fine repeating the same yearly cycle. Trout will show up to spring training, talk about how the team needs to win, and then hit some home runs throughout the first few weeks. By August, we’ll hear how Trout is frustrated, and we’ll eventually reach the offseason knowing he won’t be traded.
Trout is the greatest player in Angels history, and he’s almost guaranteed to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. And, yes, he should be commended for remaining loyal to the Angels.
At some point, though, you must ask yourself if Trout, either consciously or subconsciously, is content with this routine. He’s going to get paid either way, and the Angels are in no rush to break up the marriage, either. So why not stick with what you know?
We’re long past the point of whether or not a championship impacts Trout’s legacy. Right now, it’s all about Trout doing something completely uncharacteristic by prioritizing winning and his short-term future.
Otherwise, Trout will eventually look upon his career with regret and a sense of having missed out, just as his fans have felt for so long.
More MLB news and analysis:
Add us as a preferred source on Google