Angels star outfielder Mike Trout will reportedly be out 1-2 months with torn ligament in left thumb. The injury came on a headfirst slide by Trout attempting to steal second in a 9-2 loss to the Marlins. Surgery is a possibility and could be out for as many as eight weeks if that is the case. Trout was having a career year in almost every statistical category to this point. He was having career highs in batting average (.337), OBP.(.461), slugging percentage (.742) home runs (16), runs (36), and RBI’s (36).
Now for the record, I, like everyone, love Mike Trout and his absence will be missed greatly. Not only a two-time MVP and offensive superstar but one of the best defensive centerfielders this game has seen in a while. But I stand by it, Mike Trout getting injured will be great NOT only for baseball BUT for Mike Trout as well.
Short term its obviously not good for either, but what I’m talking about is the big picture. As of now, the Angels are in second place in the AL West 10.5 games behind the Houston Astros. However, they’re only 2.0 games out of the second wildcard spot so they’re actually still in it. It is beyond clear that the Angels are going to struggle BIG TIME without Mike Trout, other than Albert Pujols their lineup is as porous as it gets. The next best player is probably Kole Calhoun. Excuse me?
I expect the Angels to opt for surgery with Trout and him to miss those near 8 weeks. Therefore I think this will completely shatter their hopes of making the postseason. By the time he comes back late July it will already be the dog days of Summer and they should be way out of contention for even a Wild Cards spot. The team just simply doesn’t have talent. Even in the farm system, they are ranked one of the worst in baseball, the LA Angels are metaphorically fucked for the future.
They’ll be even more fucked when Mike Trout says enough is enough and decides from another losing season that he’s had enough of the Angels. I know he wants to make them relevant but they are just so bad and it’s not the market for him. Even though it’s Los Angeles, that’s Dodgers town, I almost feel like they’re still in Anaheim. Mike Trout deserves better and this injury will finally let him see the light.
I hope the Angels lose miserably, by a million runs each night if possible. So this guy see’s how this team is without him and even with him, they are a .500 team AT BEST. I hope he gets fed the fuck up and opts out of his contract. So he can leave the Angels, the West Coast, and come to a real contender. So we can see Mike Trout in the fucking playoffs.
I hope the Angels see this too and almost feel forced to trade him. Cuz ya know what? It’s not getting any better Albert Pujols is by far the second best player and he’s 37. By the time Trou’s contract is expired in 2020 Pujols will be retired and the team will be in shambles. That’s why they need to trade Trout and get back as much young talent as possible and rebuild cuz they certainly can’t win with this team.
Technically under Section 2855 of California Law, a player can opt out and become a free agent if they have been in contract with an organization or team after the seventh year. This means that Mike Trout could legally opt out through this clause and become a free agent after this year as this is his seventh year with the Angels organization. This is of course highly unlikely for him to leave them high and dry. But he very well has every right to ask for a trade, and why wouldn’t he? He’s human he wants to win there more than anyone but he will realize through his team’s struggle’s that this is not possible here.
I hear Mike Trout every year in spring training positive and enthusiastically talking about attempting to win the World Series. Well, Mike, this isn’t a playoff team, in fact, this is easily a bottom five if not bottom three team without you. If he asks for a trade, the Angels out of respect will have to trade him. Both sides aren’t dumb they know this team doesn’t have the talent or even young talent for the future for that matter.
Trout deserves a big market with a winning team whether it’s the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, or even cross-town “rival” Dodgers. He needs to go to an organization with a proven pedigree of winning and with future young talent. I shouldn’t feel like the Angels are still in Anaheim but I do because they’re so overshadowed by the Dodgers. This team is trending downward not upward, do the right thing Los Angeles; make baseball great again by trading him to a contender.
