Los Angeles Angels: Commissioner Rob Manfred Calls Out Mike Trout

Although the 2018 All-Star break has provided mostly positive moments, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred decided to stir up some controversy.  To make things worse, the controversy he created is centered around the face of MLB, Mike Trout.

According to Gabe Lacques of USA Today, Commissioner Rob Manfred deflected the blame regarding the MLB’s marketing effort of All-Star outfielder, Mike Trout.

"“Mike has made decisions on what he wants to do, doesn’t want to do, how he wants to spend his free time or not spend his free time,” Manfred said in the hours before MLB’s All-Star Game at Nationals Park. “I think we could help him make his brand very big. But he has to make a decision to engage. It takes time and effort.”"

This comment essentially placated Trout as the reason he is not a household name.  In a sport that discourages personality, Trout is not the reason for his lack of stardom.

ESPN put out a video recently of Alex Rodriguez interviewing Mike Trout in a batting cage.  In the video, A-Rod asked what Trout would do to make the game better and publicize it more if he was made the MLB Commissioner for one day.

Trout replied: “I think you should be able to go out there and be yourself, show your true colors. You don’t have to worry about … if I’m going to get fined tonight. You know, just be yourself.”

The lack of players being able to share their personality with the fans is more of the issue than Trout spending his free time working with advertisers.  The players weekend, where players are able to customize their cleats and wear nicknames on their jerseys, helped the fans connect to players.

Adding more of those player weekend elements throughout the season would be a great step forward for the MLB allowing players to have a personality. As we learned through the “mic’d up” segments during the All-Star game, the players have a lot of personality to show off.

The Angels recently issued a statement on the Commissioner Manfred’s comments:

It was great to see the Angels defend their franchise player.  Trout participating in community events, visiting hospitals, schools, and charities should be more important to Commissioner Manfred than Trout’s participation in commercials.

Mike Trout then responded to the Commissioner’s comments in a way that further proves he is the face of baseball:

The 2018 All-Star Game was enjoyable due to the amount of personality we were able to see from the players.  As interviews while the players are on the field would not happen in a non-exhibition game, the MLB should listen to Mike Trout.  His idea of allowing players to customize their gear without the worry of getting fined would greatly help the players connect to the fans.

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So what do you think? Was the commissioner out of line? Was Mike Trout? Comment below!!