OC Register: Mike Trout expects to ‘have conversations’ with Angels management about the organization’s future

[AngelsWin.com]

OAKLAND — The days are counting down for another painfully familiar ending for Mike Trout.

Trout is hurt, and so are the Angels, limping toward their eighth straight losing season.

At this point in the 32-year-old Trout’s career, he accepts that people want to know his opinion on the direction of the franchise and his role in it.

Before he gives his thoughts, he has some questions for Angels management.

“When it’s brought up in the offseason, you’ve obviously got to talk about it, and think about it,” he said. “I haven’t thought about it yet. There are going to be some conversations in the winter, for sure. Just to see the direction of everything and what the plan is.”

Asked if he could see a scenario in which he would ask for a trade from the only franchise he’s known, Trout said: “I’m not even going to comment on that.”

In reality, trading Trout would be difficult. Trout has seven years and $252 million left on his contract.

He missed almost all of 2021 with a strained calf, about six weeks of 2022 with a back injury and so far about eight weeks with a broken hamate bone.

Trout acknowledged that the injuries have led to his career taking a disappointing turn, and he’s focused on turning it around.

“100%,” Trout said. “If you look back at the last few years, I’ve been banged up. To go out there and put a full year together, that’s the main goal for everybody, especially myself.”

Trout said he had a new program this year to prevent the type of muscular injuries he had in 2021 and 2022, making it even more frustrating the way he got hurt this year.

“I can’t control breaking my hand,” he said. “It just happened. This is the best my body’s felt, midway through the season, in my career, ever since I first came up. Just the preparation and the pregame routine, we had a good a good little routine going. My body felt good and then that happened. It obviously sucks and frustrates me, but I gotta come back stronger.”

Trout said his hand is “getting a lot better,” but he still isn’t swinging a bat because he’s still waiting for the pain to subside to the point that he “doesn’t feel anything.” He added that his “plan” is to come back and play this season, but he conceded that the team’s position in the standings meant risking further injury wouldn’t be a good idea.

“We’re gonna be smart about it,” Trout said. “When it feels right, I’m going to go out there. It could be a few days, could be a week. I don’t have a timeline on it. It’s frustrating.”

Trout said he “rushed it” when he came back for one game two weeks ago. He felt some pain and went back on the injured list.

Since then, the Angels clearly signaled the end to their push for the playoffs in 2023 by placing six players on waivers.

“I was surprised as much as everybody was” by the waiver moves, Trout said. “I didn’t see what was coming.”

Trout also said he has not talked to Shohei Ohtani about what he has in mind for his free agency this winter.

“I really haven’t asked him,” Trout said. “Ultimately you can hear all the speculation and whatever you’re going to hear. It all comes down to what he wants and he doesn’t really mention anything about that.”

NOTES

Outfielder Jo Adell (strained oblique) began hitting in the cage. “He came out of it well,” Manager Phil Nevin said. “He feels fine. Obviously, it’s been a long road for him.” Nevin said there is a chance that Adell could make it back later in the month. …

Left-hander Kenny Rosenberg will get a start on Monday. Nevin said the Angels are still waiting to see when Chase Silseth can pitch again after suffering a concussion. “Every once in a while he feels a little something when he’s throwing, when he gets really built up, but that’s diminishing each day, which is comforting to us,” Nevin said. …

Nevin said he’s comfortable using Tyler Anderson on four days rest, but they are going to try to avoid doing it with the other starters over the final month of the season.

UP NEXT

Angels (LHP Tyler Anderson, 5-6, 5.58) vs. A’s (TBD), Sunday, 1:07 p.m., Oakland Coliseum, Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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[CaliAngel]

If Trout's bailing, this organization is in serious trouble. 

Would not blame him if he and Shohei went to Atlanta at this point. You know they're talking. 

That ball club wins, and knows how to play baseball.

Hilarious watching them toy with the Stankees. 

[DMVol]

I love my team but if you’re Trout, the clock is ticking and you’d have to think about asking for a trade….just not sure there’s a feasible scenario to get that accomplished. 

[Angelsjunky]

38 minutes ago, CaliAngel said:

If Trout's bailing, this organization is in serious trouble. 

Would not blame him if he and Shohei went to Atlanta at this point. You know they're talking. 

That ball club wins, and knows how to play baseball.

Hilarious watching them toy with the Stankees. 

Why would the Braves want Trout? He can't stay healthy and is owed $252 million over the next seven years, which are his age 32-38 seasons.

Ohtani, sure. But he has his own problems. And it isn't like what the Braves are doing isn't working - it is. I wouldn't mess with that, if I'm them.

[jsnpritchett]

Just now, Angelsjunky said:

Why would the Braves want Trout? He can't stay healthy and is owed $252 million over the next seven years, which are his age 32-38 seasons.

Ohtani, sure. But he has his own problems. And it isn't like what the Braves are doing isn't working - it is. I wouldn't mess with that, if I'm them.

Yeah, signing or trading for Trout/Ohtani is absolutely against their m.o.  No reason for them to do it.  They have their young core locked up for years to come.  They can supplement with smaller, shorter deals and still stay within their budget.

[Angelsjunky]

^Yup.

I'd say the over/under on Trout earning his contract is about 5 WAR per season - or $8M per win. 7 years x 5 WAR = 35 WAR. He could reach that, but probably needs to front-load it with another couple big (7+ WAR) seasons, and in order to do that he needs to play 130+ games in a year, which he hasn't done since 2019. 

Not saying that can't or won't happen, but Trout has to prove it. Most teams wouldn't want to risk that for the money he's owed, certainly not a franchise like the Braves. 

Edited September 2, 2023 by Angelsjunky

[CaliAngel]

9 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Why would the Braves want Trout? He can't stay healthy and is owed $252 million over the next seven years, which are his age 32-38 seasons.

Ohtani, sure. But he has his own problems. And it isn't like what the Braves are doing isn't working - it is. I wouldn't mess with that, if I'm them.

Why would they want Trout? lol did this guy really say that

Can't stay healthy here, just like the rest of the 40 players on this roster...

Braves with Trout and Ohtani on top of what they have for the next 10 years is a dynasty...

[tdawg87]

5 minutes ago, CaliAngel said:

Why would they want Trout? lol did this guy really say that

Can't stay healthy here, just like the rest of the 40 players on this roster...

Braves with Trout and Ohtani on top of what they have for the next 10 years is a dynasty...

You didn't answer his question. 

[Angelsjunky]

5 minutes ago, CaliAngel said:

Why would they want Trout? lol did this guy really say that

Can't stay healthy here, just like the rest of the 40 players on this roster...

Braves with Trout and Ohtani on top of what they have for the next 10 years is a dynasty...

First of all, Trout and Ohtani aren't the same, so let's separate them.

Secondly, the Braves are about to reach the postseason for the sixth year in a row, won the World Series in 2021, won 101 games last year and have the best record in baseball this year. What they're doing is working. 

Thirdly, they already have the player who is arguably the current best in the game in Acuna, locked up through his age 30 season for $17M a year. They have most of their young core locked up for the next five years, with a relatively flexible payroll.

So the question is, why would you want to bring in a 32-year old former superstar who can't stay healthy and is owed almost $40M for each of the next seven years?

Ohtani might be worth the risk for them, but the question of "why" is still valid when you consider their success. 

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[CaliAngel]

1 minute ago, tdawg87 said:

You didn't answer his question. 

GOAT

with a Unicorn. 

Everything is wrapped in a nice little packaaaageeeh...

Good enough for me to answer HIS question? 

 

[CaliAngel]

2 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It ain't broke, but solidify it for a decade. 

Just pipe dreams, probably not going to happen. But if I was the Braves, I'd spend half a billion to lock it up. 

Trout and Ohtani in Braves uniforms...retiring their numbers...winning multiple World Series'....swoooooon...

[jsnpritchett]

2 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

First of all, Trout and Ohtani aren't the same, so let's separate them.

Secondly, the Braves are about to reach the postseason for the sixth year in a row, won the World Series in 2021, won 101 games last year and have the best record in baseball this year. What they're doing is working. 

Thirdly, they already have the player who is arguably the current best in the game in Acuna, locked up through his age 30 season for $17M a year. They have most of their young core locked up for the next five years, with a relatively flexible payroll.

So the question is, why would you want to bring in a 32-year old former superstar who can't stay healthy and is owed almost $40M for each of the next seven years?

Ohtani might be worth the risk for them, but the question of "why" is still valid when you consider their success. 

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Also, the Braves average 6,000 more fans per game than the Angels (their average attendance is about 1,500 below the stadium's capacity) and their payroll this year is over $50M less than the Angels.  They're doing more than fine, and, as you note, they absolutely don't need to sign/trade for either Trout or Ohtani.

[gurn67]

If I could exchange all of the players in the A's organization with the players in the Angels' organization I would in a second. Beane will have the A's back in the post season before Arte does (if ever).

[UndertheHalo]

17 minutes ago, CaliAngel said:

Why would they want Trout? lol did this guy really say that

Can't stay healthy here, just like the rest of the 40 players on this roster...

Braves with Trout and Ohtani on top of what they have for the next 10 years is a dynasty...

Do you think the Braves or the Dodgers or any other club would have shaved off like even 25% of the time he’s spent on the IL over the last 5 years? 
 

Sir, respectfully I will posit that you are completely insane if you believe that.  

[Stradling]

3 minutes ago, CaliAngel said:

It ain't broke, but solidify it for a decade. 

Just pipe dreams, probably not going to happen. But if I was the Braves, I'd spend half a billion to lock it up. 

Trout and Ohtani in Braves uniforms...retiring their numbers...winning multiple World Series'....swoooooon...

Ok so you’d spent half a billion to lock it up.  So how do they pay Trout?  Also you are 100% ignoring the risk for the Braves. Ohtani may not be a good starting pitcher after a 2nd TJ surgery. So what position do you have him play?  They have two very good outfielders under contract for the next several years. They have a 1st baseman for 7 years. Are you paying a DH $500 million?  The Braves won’t. 

[T.G.]

1 hour ago, CaliAngel said:

You know they're talking.

 No you don't.

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

Do you think the Braves or the Dodgers or any other club would have shaved off like even 25% of the time he’s spent on the IL over the last 5 years? 
 

Sir, respectfully I will posit that you are completely insane if you believe that.  

Trout wouldn’t have a broken hand as a Dodger or whatever the degenerative condition in his back in Dodger Blue I guess. 

[UndertheHalo]

The Angels should hire the EMH from Star Trek Voyager imo. 

[CaliAngel]

2 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Ok so you’d spent half a billion to lock it up.  So how do they pay Trout?  Also you are 100% ignoring the risk for the Braves. Ohtani may not be a good starting pitcher after a 2nd TJ surgery. So what position do you have him play?  They have two very good outfielders under contract for the next several years. They have a 1st baseman for 7 years. Are you paying a DH $500 million?  The Braves won’t. 

You're thinking about it too much and complicating things that don't matter. 

The field logistics of the game will work itself out. From a marketing perspective, it's fantastic. 

Ohtani and Trout retiring as Braves, effing killer. Talking 10 to 20 years of unstoppable returns. 

[jsnpritchett]

2 minutes ago, CaliAngel said:

You're thinking about it too much and complicating things that don't matter. 

The field logistics of the game will work itself out. From a marketing perspective, it's fantastic. 

Ohtani and Trout retiring as Braves, effing killer. Talking 10 to 20 years of unstoppable returns. 

Again, they're pretty much selling out every game as-is.  They do very well in merchandising, too.  They're fine.

[totdprods]

I dunno, I could see Dombrowski and the Phils *almost* happily taking on Trout and at the very least a portion of his contract, and Trout being happy to be there. 

Take some cursory money back (Castellanos or Schwarber, which helps their logjam a bit at DH/OF), maybe someone like Rojas or Pache and a couple other fringy prospects and it wouldn't totally shock me. 

Edited September 2, 2023 by totdprods

[CaliAngel]

7 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

Again, they're pretty much selling out every game as-is.  They do very well in merchandising, too.  They're fine.

Even better reason to pile on while the going is good.

[Stradling]

11 minutes ago, CaliAngel said:

You're thinking about it too much and complicating things that don't matter. 

The field logistics of the game will work itself out. From a marketing perspective, it's fantastic. 

Ohtani and Trout retiring as Braves, effing killer. Talking 10 to 20 years of unstoppable returns. 

No, you literally aren’t thinking critically about this. It’s the equivalent of, “trust me bro” 

[CaliAngel]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

No, you literally aren’t thinking critically about this. It’s the equivalent of, “trust me bro” 

And you're the equivalent of "I take everything too seriously"

I'm not making official moves good sir, just saying they'd rake for 20 years if they did. 

[jsnpritchett]

11 minutes ago, CaliAngel said:

Even better reason to pile on while the going is good.

You don't seem to understand much about how to run a successful business.