OC Register: Mike Trout is a believer in the Angels’ long-term plan

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM — When Mike Trout and Billy Eppler would exchange texts over the winter, it typically began with “smack talk,” Eppler said, about the Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, their respective favorite teams.

Then there might be some small talk about their families, and then exchanging ideas about the future of the Angels.

Those conversations provided a snapshot of a relationship that would eventually lead to Trout becoming an Angel for life.

On the day that the Angels celebrated Trout’s 12-year, $426.5-million deal with the Angels, Trout explained why a kid from the New Jersey would want to commit to spend the rest of his career in the same uniform.

It came down to Trout’s belief in the organization’s future, and his relationships with those in the organization. Trout seemed specifically to enjoy working with Eppler.

“He relates to the players more than anybody,” Trout said of Eppler. “That’s the biggest thing I like. When he asks something or something comes up, he asks me and I relay it to the guys and the guys give me feedback and we go from there. The communication in the whole organization is top-notch.”

So it should be no surprise, then, that Trout is buying what Eppler is selling when it comes to the future of the Angels.

Since he was hired in 2015, Eppler has often said his plan to make the Angels consistent winners is to build a strong farm system.

“Knowing we’re going in the right direction in the future, that was big for me,” Trout said. “If I didn’t see that, I’d have definitely considered leaving.”

Over the past three years, the Angels went from having one of the worst farm systems in baseball to one in the upper half.

“I feel with the pieces we have coming up in the minor leagues, we have great prospect, great arms,” Trout said. “If we add some guys in free agency, the team each year I feel like is getting better and the direction is good…

“We’ve been through some ups and downs, but I’m really looking toward the future. I really see us winning a championship here.”

Besides Trout’s confidence in the Angels, he also saw what free agency looks like. He had watched Manny Machado and Bryce Harper endure a frustrating winter. Those two superstars had to wait until past the start of spring training to get their deals with the Padres and Phillies, respectively.

“I kind of saw what Manny and Bryce went through and it drew a red flag for me,” Trout said. “I talked to Manny and Bryce. It was a tough couple  months in the offseason. They put perspective in my mind.”

As Trout, Eppler and owner Arte Moreno described it, there had been general conversations about Trout’s new contract for a couple years, but the wheels really began turning about a month ago.

“I said I want to deal with it now,” Trout said. “If not, I’m going to explore free agency. I didn’t want to go through the next few seasons thinking ‘Am I going to get a deal or not?’ I want to know. The Angels, Arte and Billy and (president John Carpino) sat down and said to me ‘Let’s get this done.’

“It was a good process. I wanted to get it done.”

Moreno said talks with Trout began before Harper agreed with the Phillies on Feb. 28. They accelerated over the next couple weeks. Eppler wouldn’t specify how many offers flew back and forth between the club and Trout’s agent, Craig Landis, but he said the process was relatively smooth.

Mike Trout of the Angels, left, is joined by his wife Jessica at a press conference about his new contract outside Angel Stadiumin Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Eppler said Landis asked early in the process how the Angels felt about opt-out clauses. Eppler said they “would rather not give then. We look at it as a commitment on both directions, and they said ‘OK, that’s fine with us.’ ”

About two weeks ago, Moreno sat with Trout in Manager Brad Ausmus’ office at Tempe Diablo Stadium and they had a heart-to-heart for about an hour. Apparently, it helped comfort both sides.

“I think any time you’re gonna make that kind of investment, you want to be able to sit across from them and look them in the eyes,” Moreno said.

The deal came to a head on Monday morning. Eppler, Moreno and Carpino had talked on the phone to determine the ultimate level they could go financially. Eppler, who had been back in Southern California for a season-ticket holder event last weekend, was at John Wayne Airport, on his way back to Arizona, when he relayed the offer to Landis.

While Eppler was in the air somewhere over Arizona, he got a message on his iPad.

“We have an answer,” said the message from Landis.

Eppler waited.

“I guess I won’t make you wait until you land,” the next message said. “Mike Trout’s going to be an Angel for the rest of his life.”

Eppler —  who famously fell out of his chair after getting the news that Shohei Ohtani wanted to be an Angel — was this time safely buckled in his seat. He texted Moreno, and the Angels had their man.

Just like that, the questions hanging over the Angels and over Trout had been answered.

“I think Mike just got a couple of pianos lifted off his shoulders,” Moreno said, “because for him it was just a lot of pressure from everyone. I feel for Mike because when I was talking to him, you could just tell he just wanted to play baseball.”

Trout smiled and apologized to writers because he had not been open when asked throughout spring training about his negotiations with the Angels.

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“It was a crazy process the last few weeks, but I’m happy,” he said. “I’m relieved. If we hadn’t gotten a deal done, it would have been tough for me. I obviously wanted to be here.”

Trout wanted to stay despite the constant narrative that the Angels had “wasted” his career. Although Trout has put up historic numbers, winning two MVPs and starting on a Hall of Fame track, the Angels have had losing records in four of his seven seasons. They’ve been to the playoffs once.

“It’s not like we’re trying to lose,” Trout said. “We just had some bad luck with injuries. There are a lot of great teams out there. They are competing to do the same thing we are. We just gotta stay positive. For me ,it’s 12 more years. It seems like a lot but in the baseball world it goes quick. I got to enjoy every minute of it and bring a championship here.”

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  Mike Trout of the Angels smiles during a press conference about his new contract outside Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Angels owner Arte Moreno, left, shakes the hand of Mike Trout during a press conference about his new contract outside Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Mike Trout of the Angels, center, is joined by his wife and other from the Angels to holds press conference about his new contract outside Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Mike Trout of the Angels speaks to a crowd about him staying with the Angels during a press conference outside Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Fans gather outside Angel Stadium to show their support for Angel Mike Trout during a press conference about his new contract in Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Mike Trout of the Angels, left, is joined by his wife Jessica at a press conference about his new contract outside Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Fans gather outside Angel Stadium to show their support for Angel Mike Trout during a press conference about his new contract in Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Thousands gather outside Angel Stadium for a press conference with Mike Trout of the Angels about his new contract in Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Mike Trout of the Angels smiles during a press conference about his new contract outside Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Angels owner Arte Moreno, left, shakes the hand of Mike Trout during a press conference about his new contract outside Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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