WT Serious F Manfred?

[Jeff Fletcher]

1 hour ago, Inside Pitch said:

Do you think MLB could do a better job of marketing it's players?   When you watch other sports they seem to go out of their way to showcase players -- do you think some of it has to do with a fear of players gaining even more bargaining power by becoming even more popular with fans?   I ask because I do believe that a lot of ownership decisions are made with an eye towards the bottom dollar -- not faulting that so much as acknowledging the reality that the players union in MLB has always been ridiculously more powerful than in any other sport.

I think the whole issue is bogus. You can’t compare baseball players to LeBron because baseball is not basketball. A baseball player has a small part in one particular game. You aren’t going to watch a 3-hour baseball game if you’re not a baseball fan because you saw Mike Trout in Jimmy Kimmel and want to watch him play. You’ll be disappointed. He’ll bat for about 6 minutes. 

I’m also dubious of the whole idea that it benefits MLB or the Angels if Mike Trout, as an individual, is more famous. For the reasons above, I just don’t see non-baseball fans becoming baseball fans (buying tickets, hats, etc) because they saw Trout in a commercial. 

If Trout wants more attention/money, that’s Ok with me. If he doesn’t, that’s OK with me too. 

Everyone who is a baseball fan knows who he is. 

[arch stanton]

A couple weeks ago I was in Baton Rouge handling some family matters. I went into the only shop I saw that had MLB jerseys to get a Trout shirt for my daughter. The lady working there said that only hometown boy Aaron Nola sold as much as Trout. I think he does just fine as is

[Slegnaac]

10 hours ago, JAHV76 said:

Why did Trout do several Subway commercials if he didn't want to be marketed? 

Because he couldn't reach a deal with Jersey Mike's?

[fan_since79]

14 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

As the commissioner of baseball, he should mind his own freakin' business.  Mike Trout isn't obligated to spend his free time sponsoring products.  And that's part of the reason why he's probably the most respected player on the field.  He's the best in his craft and he'd rather just play the game.

If you want theatrics, go with Baez or Harper.  

Let Mike Trout go hunting and fishing in the offseason and shut your stupid face Manfred.

Exactly.

Mike's going to make in the neighborhood of $400-500 million over the next ten years. I think he'll have no problem paying the bills. Let Manfred worry about his own financial situation.

[Dick B Back]

Only a guess, but when Manfred talks about Trout wanting to be marketed, I think he’s talking about Trout declining to market himself on a guaranteed national stage, i.e. the home run derby.

[yk9001]

Trout would suddenly become a lot more interesting if the Angels could win some playoff games.

[Dick B Back]

1 minute ago, yk9001 said:

Trout would suddenly become a lot more interesting if the Angels could win some playoff games.

^

[floplag]

5 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I asked the question. 

Everyone writes these stories all the time about how Trout isn’t a big enough celebrity. I know the reasons are 

1. Trout doesn’t want to be 

2. The Angels haven’t been good enough. 

So I asked Manfred if, given 1 and 2, there’s anything MLB can do about it, or if they even view it as a problem. 

He basically said it’s up to Trout whether he wants to be marketed. That was it. I didn’t take it as a slap to Trout at all. In my story I used the part of the quote where he said Trout is great, we all love him, he’s a nice guy, and he decided this is what he wants to do. 

With respect Jeff, it feels like he deflected that.   

[Stradling]

Well it is possible you are being sensitive and you read it in the tone you wanted to read it in.  If Jeff, the guy who asked the question didn’t feel as though it was an attack on Mike, then I’d probably defer to him.  

[floplag]

2 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Well it is possible you are being sensitive and you read it in the tone you wanted to read it in.  If Jeff, the guy who asked the question didn’t feel as though it was an attack on Mike, then I’d probably defer to him.  

Of course you would, and i didnt say he was wrong only that it felt like he was deflecting with the answer he gave. 
Its disingenuous to suggest they couldnt do more unless he does what they want him to do in my opinion. 

[Stradling]

It’s a fact they could do more but it is also a fact he has to want to do more.  If he doesn’t want to do more that is entirely on him.  But if someone asks him the question he shouldn’t shy away from telling the reason Mike isn’t more marketed.  Trust me, Mike isn’t bothered by it, because he doesn’t want more marketing.  If he wanted it, this point wouldn’t exist.  

[UndertheHalo]

This is also part of the problem. 

 

[Tank]

i thought the live interviews during this game were a terrific idea. hope they'll do them again next year.

[Tank]

2 hours ago, Slegnaac said:

Because he couldn't reach a deal with Jersey Mike's?

that would seem to be a match made in heaven. why hasn't it happened yet?

[Stradling]

6 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

This is also part of the problem. 

 

He’s an idiot

[Jeff Fletcher]

1 hour ago, floplag said:

Of course you would, and i didnt say he was wrong only that it felt like he was deflecting with the answer he gave. 
Its disingenuous to suggest they couldnt do more unless he does what they want him to do in my opinion. 

I think you’re being unnecessarily offended on Trout’s behalf. I don’t think Trout cares about any of this.

Also, I think you should read my story, which has Manfred’s complete answer. 

Again, I don’t believe this is anyone’s fault. Baseball is not a spot that lends itself to making individual players “famous” the way football or basketball do. 

[Inside Pitch]

47 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

This is also part of the problem. 

 

Yep...

[Blarg]

55 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

This is also part of the problem. 

 

Old Jewish guys?

[Blarg]

51 minutes ago, Tank said:

i thought the live interviews during this game were a terrific idea. hope they'll do them again next year.

And they mistakenly mic up a guy with Tourett's that makes an error. 

[hangin n wangin]

1 hour ago, Tank said:

i thought the live interviews during this game were a terrific idea. hope they'll do them again next year.

I actually found that pretty cool too.

[Second Base]

Yeah Trout and Kemp giving interviews in the middle of an exhibition game showed that they're really likeable people.

That was the closest I've seen Trout to being himself on camera.

And I love how Buck put Harper on the spot about Trout being the best player in baseball, a moniker you know Harper thinks is his.

Then again, not a fan about how he put Kemp on the spot with Machado.

[floplag]

41 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I think you’re being unnecessarily offended on Trout’s behalf. I don’t think Trout cares about any of this.

Also, I think you should read my story, which has Manfred’s complete answer. 

Again, I don’t believe this is anyone’s fault. Baseball is not a spot that lends itself to making individual players “famous” the way football or basketball do. 

Im not offended on anyones behalf,  and im sure you are right he doesnt care.  AS a fan of the Angels, i care. 

[hangin n wangin]

13 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

Yeah Trout and Kemp giving interviews in the middle of an exhibition game showed that they're really likeable people.

That was the closest I've seen Trout to being himself on camera.

And I love how Buck put Harper on the spot about Trout being the best player in baseball, a moniker you know Harper thinks is his.

Then again, not a fan about how he put Kemp on the spot with Machado.

Ummm. And what makes you think Harper thinks he is the best player in baseball? Just because you and other people on here don't like him, he must think that?

[Lou]

1 hour ago, Tank said:

i thought the live interviews during this game were a terrific idea. hope they'll do them again next year.

they did it last year, too

[Taylor]

2 hours ago, UndertheHalo said:

This is also part of the problem. 

 

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