OC Register: Mike Trout remains hopeful Angels can turn around season, affirms ‘This is where I want to be’

[AngelsWin.com]

MIAMI — The questions that have dogged the Angels throughout almost all of Mike Trout’s career are back again.

The Angels’ three-time American League MVP and future Hall of Famer is again putting up big numbers statistically – although he says he hasn’t felt good all season – and the team is losing.

It’s likely that once again the Angels and Trout are going to miss the playoffs, prompting questions about whether Trout has had enough.

“I signed the contract and this is where I want to be,” Trout said Tuesday, referring to the 12-year, $426 million extension he signed prior to the 2019 season. “A lot of people are like, ‘Oh, he wants to be traded. Do this. Do that.’ I want to win. Everybody knows that.

“Going into the year, this isn’t where we wanted to be, obviously. Everybody knows that. We’ve still got time to turn this around.”

The Angels were at the exact midpoint of the schedule before Tuesday’s game against the Miami Marlins. They won 37 games in the first half, so they’ll likely need to win at least 50 in the second half to have a shot at the playoffs.

FanGraphs gives them an 11.2% chance of making it.

Their slim chances have started a conversation in some circles about whether the Angels should trade Trout. Trout would have to approve any deal. Also, a deal is complicated because most teams couldn’t take on his entire salary, and a team would also have to be willing to part with enough young players to make it work for the Angels.

Trout isn’t ready to throw in the towel on this season.

“We’ve still got half the season left,” Trout said. “There’s still a lot of ball to be played. We’ve got to start winning some games.”

Trout said he trusts that General Manager Perry Minasian and the others running the baseball operations department are trying, even though it hasn’t been working.

He said the blame doesn’t lie in the front office. It lies in the clubhouse.

“Obviously, this isn’t the way they wanted it,” Trout said. “I know it’s not. They’ve got a winning mindset up there. They are doing everything they can to put a winning team out there. We’ve gotta go out there and play. That’s the biggest thing. It falls on the players. We’re not performing.”

Trout said his hopeful words are not to be confused for a lack of urgency or lack of effort among his teammates, though.

“The guys come in every day working hard,” Trout said. “It’s not like we’re trying to lose ballgames. Everybody wants to win in there. People say we’ve always got the positive mindset. We do. Everybody knows what they need to improve on. It’s not going our way now for sure. But there’s no lack of effort. We’re all staying positive in there. We’re a tight group in there. We play for each other.”

Against that backdrop, Trout has had an unusual season.

He has a .995 OPS, which translates to an OPS+ of 178 in the reduced offensive environment of this season. His career OPS+ is 176, so he’s right in line with his normal numbers. He has hit 23 home runs, which is a pace to surpass his career-high of 45. He’s also played better defensively.

All of that has added up to a WAR of 3.7, according to FanGraphs. That ranks seventh in the American League.

But Trout also endured a career-worst 0-for-26 slump during the Angels’ 14-game losing streak. He entered play on Tuesday without a hit in his past 14 at-bats, including nine strikeouts. His season strikeout percentage of 29.5% is the highest rate of his career.

“I’ve been feeling like this for a while at the plate,” Trout said. “I’ve had some good spurts, some good games, some good weeks. But I’ve been battling it the majority of the year. Just trying to get the lower half in order. Some games I feel good, some at-bats I feel good and some at-bats I don’t.

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“When I’m not in a good spot in the box, it’s not right. I’m just trying to find that spot in the box. It hasn’t been consistent as I wanted to, but it’s baseball. When stuff isn’t right, I’m in there working hard at it every day.”

NOTES

Manager Phil Nevin said he started shortstop Andrew Valazquez instead of Michael Stefanic on Tuesday because he wanted the best defensive infield behind Noah Syndergaard, who generally induces a lot of ground balls. Nevin also wanted an extra left-handed bat against Marlins ace right-hander Sandy Alcantara. Nevin said Stefanic would start at second base for the rest of the week. …

Infielder Matt Duffy (back) has been throwing, hitting flips and doing some running. He said he still hasn’t taken ground balls, which will be the last step. Duffy has no timetable for a return. …

Infielder David Fletcher (hip surgery) continues to hit, field, throw and run. Nevin said Fletcher is expected to face some live pitching soon. Nevin said he’s expecting Fletcher back just after the All-Star break.

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Shohei Ohtani, 7-4, 2.68) at Marlins (LHP Trevor Rogers, 4-6, 5.56), Wednesday, 3:40 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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[thebloob]

Gotta say it’s a bit concerning on the tail of an injury that cost him almost an entire season to be complaining about his lower half.  Chronic leg problems can be an issue for aging sluggers, I think the Angels have seen this movie. 

[tdawg87]

I'll just say it right now: He's not going to say anything else. He's not going to say they have no chance or that the team is in a bad spot or that he doesn't want to be here.

[Angelsjunky]

 

 

[T.G.]

I have no reason not to believe him.

[Angels 1961]

Mike Trout just gave halo fans a vote of confidence

[tomsred]

9 minutes ago, True Grich said:

I have no reason not to believe him.

Neither do I, I believe he means what he says.

[yk9001]

He ain't no Kevin Durant.

[nando714]

How can anyone blame if he request a trade? 
 

I mean would you really be upset ? I’d be bummed out for sure but I’d understand it 100%

[tdawg87]

3 minutes ago, nando714 said:

How can anyone blame if he request a trade? 
 

I mean would you really be upset ? I’d be bummed out for sure but I’d understand it 100%

I'd literally revoke my fandom. That would be the absolute lowest point of this organization and I want no part of that.

He won't request a trade though. At least not publicly. 

[Taylor]

What if Trout retired and became a weatherman?

[m0nkey]

Franchise saved

[Swordsman78]

Dude has a nice pad in Newport which his wife probably loves.  Why would he want to go the a dump like NYC or Houston?  Every other team has the same chance to get to the playoffs in the next 5 years as the Angels, plus the other teams don't have Ohtani.