When MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred took Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout to task for not marketing himself to the public, the Angels issued a statement defending Trout and rebuking Manfred.
I wonder if Manfred's criticism will light a fire under the team in the second half. The Angels have arguably been one of MLB's most disappointing teams this season. Although they have a winning record, with the trifecta of Trout, Albert Pujols and Shohei Ohtani they were expected to be a far bigger factor in the AL West. They got off to a 21-13 start. But since May 6th, the Angels are 28-35 and are in fourth place 14 games back of the defending World Series champion Houston Astros. With the Seattle Mariners currently in the second AL Wild Card berth and the Oakland A's only three games back of them, the Angels had become an afterthought.
But I wonder if this will galvanize the Angels' clubhouse as much as it has the Angels' front office. The Commissioner of Major League Baseball in his official capacity has attacked one of their own. Will they rally around the best player baseball has to offer? If this doesn't give the Angels something to fight for then nothing will.
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