OC Register: Mike Trout says he’s loyal to the Angels because he doesn’t want to ‘take the easy way out’

[AngelsWin.com]

TEMPE, Ariz. — The annual questions surrounding Mike Trout have only grown louder.

Trout has enjoyed a Hall of Fame career — albeit one recently stalled by injuries — while the Angels have struggled. The confluence has caused people from coast to coast to question why Trout simply doesn’t ask the Angels for a trade.

Trout, who signed a 12-year, $426-million contract five years ago, said it’s not in his nature to “take the easy way out.”

“When I signed that contract, I’m loyal,” Trout said before the Angels first full-squad workout of the spring on Monday. “I want to win a championship here. The overall picture of winning a championship or getting to the playoffs here is bigger satisfaction than bailing out and just taking the easy way out. So I think that’s been my mindset. Maybe down the road, if some things change, but that’s been my mindset ever since the trade speculation came up.”

When asked what could change, Trout said, “I can’t predict the future.” He then said he’s enjoyed his relationships with “everyone in the clubhouse and everyone in the organization” and that the change might come someday “if … people feel different.”

Those “people,” obviously start at the top.

Trout said he’s had regular dialogue with owner Arte Moreno, president John Carpino and general manager Perry Minasian, and he’s impressed upon them his desire to build a winning team.

“I’m in Perry’s ear,” Trout said. “I’m in the front office’s ear every day. We’ll see what happens.”

Trout said he’s been specifically “pushing” the Angels to add from the remaining free agents, a group that is led by pitchers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery and outfielder Cody Bellinger. Trout didn’t say which free agents he’s endorsed.

“There’s a few guys out there that I’ve talked to that want to be here for sure,” Trout said. “I’m competitive. The guys that are out there are great players and great people. It would be foolish to say I don’t want them to come here.”

Asked how receptive Moreno has been to adding to the payroll with players of that caliber, Trout said: “Yes and no. You know how Arte is.”

Last week Moreno said in an interview with the Southern California News Group that he had planned to “set the budget lower” and he was “not going to spend money just to show that we’re going to spend money unless it’s going to substantially change the team.”

One of the most significant ways that the Angels have saved money recently is by letting Shohei Ohtani go. He signed as a free agent with the Dodgers, taking a heavily deferred 10-year, $700-million deal.

Trout said he wasn’t surprised that Ohtani ended up with the Dodgers because “everyone said the Dodgers.” Asked if he knew before Ohtani became a free agent that he was leaving, Trout said “my gut feeling was he was leaving, but deep down there was a slight chance he was coming back. There wasn’t anything in particular where he was saying he was going to leave.”

The Angels never even had a winning season with Trout and Ohtani, in large part because the two stars were rarely healthy and productive at the same time.

Trout missed significant chunks of each of the past three seasons, while Ohtani was posting historic numbers. Trout suffered a strained calf that cost him five months of 2021 and a back injury that knocked him out for five weeks of 2022. Last season he fractured a bone in his hand, costing him half the season.

Trout acknowledged that his absences have hurt the Angels enough that he can’t simply feel the Angels have failed to support him with a good enough roster.

“If I’m on the field, that makes difference, sure,” Trout said. “It crushes me. I hate talking about it. I always want to be out there with the guys. Even if I’m 60%, I try to go out there and play. It kills me when I have to come in the clubhouse and not see my name in that lineup.”

Trout said last winter that he adopted a new health regimen designed to avoid the preventable soft tissue injuries, and he believed it worked.

“Before the hand injury is the best my body’s felt,” he said, adding that he plans to “keep the same routine.”

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It remains to be seen what that will look like when the season is over. Trout is a three-time MVP, but he’s now 32 and coming off a season in which his numbers were down even before he was hurt. He hit .263 with an .858 OPS, both career lows.

The metrics showed his performance in center field was improved, despite his age. Trout said he wants to continue playing center field “until I can’t.” He said if the team wants to have a discussion about him moving, “then we’ll have those discussions.”

Trout also figures to get more time at DH now that Ohtani is gone. Trout acknowledged it could help him get off his feet, but he said he “can’t really sit still.”

While the high-energy Trout is definitely antsy, for now he’s content to remain in the same uniform.

View the full article

[Jay]

17 minutes ago, AngelsWin.com said:

Trout said he’s been specifically “pushing” the Angels to add from the remaining free agents, a group that is led by pitchers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery and outfielder Cody Bellinger. Trout didn’t say which free agents he’s endorsed.

“There’s a few guys out there that I’ve talked to that want to be here for sure,” Trout said. “I’m competitive. The guys that are out there are great players and great people. It would be foolish to say I don’t want them to come here.”

 

[Angelsfan1984]

SHOts fired! 
 

[full circle]

Has Trout not noticed the track record this team has with free agents?