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Press Clips

(July 19, 2018)

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CLIPS CONTENT

FROM THE OC REGISTER (PAGE 3)

Hoornstra: Major League Baseball’s under-the-radar storylines revisited

Mike Trout and Angels offer statements in response to marketing comments from Commissioner Rob Manfred

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (PAGE 7)

David Fletcher is a quiet asset for the Angels

FROM ANGELS.COM (PAGE 9)

Angels look to retool after injury-plagued 1st half

FROM THE ATHLETIC (PAGE 10)

Scout’s faith in Jaime Barria pays off for Angels

Can’t wait for the curtain to go up on the second half of the major-league season? Here’s what to look for

It’s not sexy, but defensive upgrades at the deadline could be a huge boost for these contenders

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (PAGE 21)

Angels praise Mike Trout for ‘prioritizing personal values’

FROM ESPN.COM (PAGE 22)

Mike Trout wants to 'move forward' from Rob Manfred comments

Winning isn't the only thing: Realistic second-half goals for all 30 teams*

FROM NBC SPORTS (PAGE 24)

Angels fire back at Rob Manfred’s comments about Mike Trout

FROM BLEACHER REPORT (PAGE 25)

Mike Trout Doesn't Owe MLB, Rob Manfred a Damn Thing

FROM MLB TRADE RUMORS (PAGE 28)

Trade Rumblings: Hand, Dodgers, Dozier, Heaney, Skaggs

FROM THE COMEBACK (PAGE 29)

If Rob Manfred wants more marketable players he should let them express themselves

FROM USA TODAY (PAGE 30)

Mike Trout, Angels respond to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred's comments on star

FROM CBS SPORTS (PAGE 31)

Angels' Mike Trout responds to Rob Manfred's criticism about marketing; says 'everything is cool'

FROM THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN (PAGE 32)

Baseball stadium, pro team for Pueblo up in air

July 19, 2018 Page 3 of 33

FROM THE OC REGISTER

Hoornstra: Major League Baseball’s under-the-radar storylines revisited

By J.P. Hoornstra

On opening day, I identified the most important baseball storylines that were in danger of falling under the radar this season. With the first half and the All-Star Game in the rear-view mirror, I’m using this space to revisit them.

Some fizzled quietly, some played out better than expected, and some produced unexpected twists.

Mound visits

Limited to six visits per nine-inning game, with a few exceptions, players and managers have reduced their use of in-game chats on the pitcher’s mound. After reaching a record 3 hours, 5 minutes last season, the average time of a nine-inning game has fallen to 2:59. According to Major League Baseball’s internal metrics, the pace of games has quickened too.

It’s hard to measure empirically, but some major league coaches have observed more pitcher-catcher cross-ups this season. That could be a result of catchers’ reticence to meet with their pitcher to review or change their signals. But this seems to be affecting teams in roughly equal measure, and managers have uttered few complaints about the mound-visit rule.

“I think it’s possibly helped speed (the game) up,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We probably haven’t used (mound visits) as much as we could potentially could. I don’t think it’s impeded in a bad way at all.”

The Triple-A pitch clock

More than any new rule, the rule limiting Double-A and Triple-A pitchers to 15 seconds between pitches with a runner on base had me worried.

The only affiliated league to experiment with a 15-second clock before, the Class-A Florida State League, saw a rise in pitcher disabled list stints when the clocks started ticking in 2016. There’s reason to believe that isn’t a coincidence.

Partial-season DL data for any minor league is too small and unreliable to report. At least anecdotally, players and front offices have not voiced disdain for this rule. Is it possible that older pitchers are simply better equipped to navigate a pitch clock than their Class-A counterparts?

At least one pitcher thinks so.

Pitchers in Class-A “just don’t have the control over their bodies that guys do at this level yet,” said Dodgers left-hander Caleb Ferguson, who’s spent time at the Double-A, Triple-A and major-league levels this season. “They’re still trying to figure themselves out and know what pace to work at. Guys here

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know exactly what pace they work at. … Guys down there, there’s no thought about why they’re throwing the pitch.”

Sensitivity training

After the ugly Yuli Gurriel incident, the words “sensitivity training” disappeared from the baseball lexicon for the first half of the season.

Almost.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Josh Hader had a series of inflammatory social media posts publicized while he pitched in the All-Star Game on Wednesday. Hader apologized to his All-Star teammates and the public after the game. Thursday, he was ordered by MLB to undergo sensitivity training, and to participate in the league’s “diversity and inclusion initiatives.”

Hader told reporters that his tweets – which included words used to offend women, African Americans and gay people – were immature and inexcusable. He offered no explanation for a specific tweet from just two years ago implying Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager who was shot and killed in 2012, was guilty of something. Nonetheless, teammates including Lorenzo Cain and Jesus Aguilar quickly came to Hader’s defense.

Unsigned free agents

I name-dropped 15 unsigned veteran free agents back in March. Jayson Werth was not among them, but the former Blue Jay, Dodger, Phillie and National signed a minor-league deal before he formally announced his retirement in June.

Of those I did mention, Greg Holland (Cardinals), Mark Reynolds (Nationals), Melky Cabrera (Indians) and Jose Bautista (Braves, then Mets) found major league jobs. Along with Werth, they were the lucky ones in an unfathomably tough market for veteran free agents.

The baseballs

In May, MLB issued its findings from a commissioned study into the physics of baseballs. The study intended to answer the question of whether the composition of the balls themselves were responsible for the ball traveling farther in recent seasons, culminating in a record number of home runs in the 2017 season.

The study was conclusive – to a point. A 10-member committee concluded that the coefficient of drag on the baseballs was directly responsible for a rise in home run rates, but it could not identify which property of the baseball was accountable for the reduced drag.

A subsequent study by Dr. Meredith Wills might have identified the culprit: thicker laces, a change that had already been observed anecdotally by pitchers including the Dodgers’ Rich Hill.

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In the meantime, the Arizona Diamondbacks installed a humidor in Chase Field and isolated power is down league-wide in 2018. Some have postulated that the latest batch of baseballs might be relatively “dead.” The only constant is change.

Concussions

Braves catcher Tyler Flowers and Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal made headlines last season when they invested in Force3, a catcher’s mask that has gained adherentswith its shock-absorption technology. The Dodgers’ Kyle Farmer is among several other professional catchers now wearing the mask.

Correlation does equate to causation, so take these numbers with a grain of salt: From the beginning of the 2017 season through July 18, MLB teams had placed a player on the 7-day concussion disabled list 20 times. Since the beginning of the 2018 season, only eight 7-day concussion DL stints were used.

Catchers aren’t the only players getting concussions, of course, but if 7-day DL usage this season is evidence of anything, it is evidence of progress.

Ticketless technology

Holding your Apple Watch or iPhone near a ticket-scanning machine is so 2017. The newest form of ticketless tech? Clear (you might have seen their airport security line kiosks) is partnering with MLB and Tickets.com to bring their fingerprint-recognition technology to select ballparks this year.

Dodger Stadium is not among the ballparks partnering with Clear’s pilot program in 2018, but it is expected to be part of a wider rollout in 2019. By then, facial-recognition technology could be an entry option alongside fingerprints.

Fastballs continue to disappear

No surprise here: fastballs continued to decline as a percentage of all pitches thrown, continuing a decade-long trend. Perhaps more interesting at this point are the side effects.

As pitchers shy away from throwing their two- and four-seamers, sliders and cut fastballs are on the rise, according to FanGraphs. With more hard pitches darting all over the place, wild pitches are trending upward too.

The 3,000-hit milestone

Albert Pujols collected the 3,000th hit of his career on May 5. Now, welcoming the next member of the 3,000-hit club will have to wait even longer than anyone anticipated.

Miguel Cabrera, whose 2,676 hits are next behind Pujols among active players, ruptured a biceps tendon and had season-ending surgery in June. Cabrera should have an opportunity to resume his quest. The 35-year-old slugger is under contract to the Detroit Tigers until 2023.

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Next on the career list is Robinson Cano, who was suspended 80 games in May for using a performance-enhancing drug. Cano, who turns 36 in October, is sitting on 2,417 hits. He also has another five years remaining on his contract with the Seattle Mariners.

Mike Trout and Angels offer statements in response to marketing comments from Commissioner Rob Manfred

By Jeff Fletcher

The Angels and Mike Trout each issued statements on Wednesday trying to quell the uproar over Commissioner Rob Manfred’s comments a day earlier regarding the marketing of the Angels’ star.

Responding to a question about whether Major League Baseball could or should do more to increase Trout’s marketing and visibility despite his reluctance, Manfred said that baseball can’t market a player without his participation.

Many interpreted that to be a criticism of Trout, but on Wednesday evening Trout issued a statement, through the Angels, indicating he had no issue with Manfred.

“I have received lots of questions about Commissioner Manfred‘s recent statement,” Trout’s statement said. “I am not a petty guy and would really encourage everyone to just move forward. Everything is cool between the Commissioner and myself. End of story. I am ready to just play some baseball!”

Earlier in the day, the Angels had apparently taken issue with the characterization that Trout wasn’t doing enough to promote himself. The Angels defended him in a statement, attributed to no specific member of the organization.

“Mike Trout is an exceptional ambassador for the game,” the statement read. “Combined with his talent, his solid character creates a perfect role model for young people everywhere. Each year, Mike devotes a tremendous amount of his time and effort contributing to our Organization, and marketing Major League Baseball. He continually chooses to participate in the community, visiting hospitals, schools, and countless other charities.

“One of Mike’s traits that people admire most is his humility. His brand is built upon generously spending his time engaging with fans, both at home and on the road, while remaining a remarkable baseball player and teammate.

“In addition, Mike spends quality time as a husband, son, brother, uncle, and friend. We applaud him for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion. That is rare in today’s society and stands out as much as his extraordinary talent.”

Manfred had made his comments at his annual All-Star Game news conference with baseball writers on Tuesday in Washington. Asked about baseball’s efforts to market Trout, Manfred said a player must be willing to be involved.

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“Player marketing requires one thing, for sure: the player,” Manfred said.

Trout, who is in the midst of a $145 million contract, has made it clear that he’s not interested in maximizing his exposure or endorsement income. He has also turned down opportunities such as the Home Run Derby or World Baseball Classic.

“Mike is a great, great player, and a really nice person, but he’s made certain decisions with what he wants to do and what he doesn’t want to do, and how he wants to spend his free time and how he doesn’t want to spend his free time,” Manfred said. “That’s up to him. If he wants to engage and be more active in that area, I think we could help him make his brand really really big, but he has to make a decision that he’s prepared to engage in that area. It takes time and effort.”

FROM LOS ANGELES TIMES

David Fletcher is a quiet asset for the Angels

By Jeff Miller

His first hit was a triple that drove in two runs, highlighting a debut that continued with two more hits before being punctuated with an alert defensive play that saved the Angels a run.

The opening statement was a raucous and rambling one for David Fletcher, who, before that day in June, probably never had been accused of being raucous or cited for rambling on about anything.

“He is a kid of few words,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “You can ask him a 30-second question with three different ways to go, and he’ll say, ‘Yes,’ as his answer.”

With 2018 teetering on becoming another lost season for the ailing Angels, what hasn’t been lost is the opportunity the injuries have afforded players like Fletcher, one of nine Angels to make his big-league debut this season.

The anticipated unveiling of rookie Shohei Ohtani was a story told through updates that arrived daily — and often more frequently — from the first sore hamstring of spring training.

But in February, almost no one was talking about what Jaime Barria, Justin Anderson or Jose Briceno might bring the Angels.

Jose Fernandez and Michael Hermosillo were mostly unknown faces wandering through the Tempe Diablo Stadium clubhouse.

Luke Bard and Jake Jewell were considered shots so long that they went nearly undetected.

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While each rookie has succeeded or failed to varying degrees, the Angels and their 25 disabled list moves have emerged as baseball’s leaders in turning pages, not to mention cheeks.

“Every time someone goes down, it’s a chance for someone else,” veteran second baseman Ian Kinsler said. “That’s the way baseball works. It’s up to those guys to take advantage of it.”

Fletcher mostly has, his performance, baseball smarts and versatility stating his case in a way he never would.

It’s not as if he’s simply shy. Teammates explain that Fletcher willingly talks to them all the time.

And he isn’t intimidated by the big league environment, much less the media hyping it — Fletcher has looked like he belongs from the moment he pulled on a cap bearing a halo.

It’s just that, when he’s asked a question, Fletcher always seems to seek the shortest possible route to his answer. Going from home to first in conversation, he prefers to travel 90 feet and not an inch longer.

“Believe me,” Fletcher said, “you’re not even close to the first person to tell me that.”

Through 27 games, he has batted .250, provided more than capable defense at four positions, including one — right field — he never had played before and hit at the very top and absolute bottom of the lineup.

Almost instantly, Fletcher became an Angels fan favorite, all 5-foot-10, 175 pounds of him, his stature that of an underdog, even if his skills suggest otherwise.

“He’s just a baseball player,” said reliever Taylor Cole, who also played with Fletcher this season at triple-A Salt Lake. “He is so loose and so in his element when he’s on a ballfield.”

Fletcher displayed the width of his game last week when his leadoff homer against Seattle tied the score, and then three days later, when his sacrifice bunt against the Dodgers helped the Angels load the bases.

Following the game in which he homered, Fletcher was the postgame on-field interview for FOX Sports West.

Perhaps aware of Fletcher’s aversion to sound bites, producers asked Mike Trout — another player not exactly famous for his effusiveness — to join his teammate on camera.

“David’s extremely intelligent,” Scioscia said. “He’s got a great baseball IQ. He knows the game. But you can’t get him to talk about himself at all. He’s not going to elaborate on anything.”

During the 2016 Arizona Fall League, Anderson lived with Fletcher, the two of them spending every Sunday at a nearby Buffalo Wild Wings watching NFL games. Sundays are off days in the AFL.

Anderson said they’d discuss everything from what was happening in the real games to how their fantasy teams were faring. Other than those afternoons, it was mostly baseball between them.

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“That’s David Fletcher,” Anderson said. “That’s just his nature.”

Cole said he recently noticed that Fletcher was wearing new cleats, the latest Trout model. He kidded his quiet teammate about accumulating more noisy swag now as a big leaguer.

He said he also continues to needle Fletcher about how his conservative wardrobe will look completely different after another five years in the majors, even though Cole knows the notion is ridiculous.

“I think he’s just one of those people who doesn’t change no matter what,” Cole said. “That’s who he is. That’s what people love about him. He’s not trying to be any different.”

And that’s David Fletcher, a kid of few words but, through 27 games, some notable deeds.

FROM ANGELS.COM

Angels look to retool after injury-plagued 1st half

Los Angeles could move some pieces with eyes on contending in 2019

By Maria Guardado

The Angels spent the offseason revamping their roster in the hopes of returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2014. After re-signing Justin Upton, landing Shohei Ohtani and adding Zack Cozartand Ian Kinsler, many thought they had assembled enough talent around Mike Trout to contend in 2018.

But things have not panned out as expected. A cavalcade of injuries, an inconsistent offense, a stretched and occasionally spotty bullpen and a decimated rotation have all played a role in stunting the club's early season promise. After a franchise-record 13-3 start, the Angels went 36-45 to finish the first half one game over .500 at 49-48.

Not only do the Halos trail the first-place Astros by 14 games in the American League West, but they are also nine games behind the Mariners and six games behind the A's for the second Wild Card spot. That's an arduous climb for any team, even with 65 games remaining on the schedule. Here's a look at where things stand for the Angels with two weeks to go until the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.

Current status: Seller The Angels' playoff odds stand at 2.5 percent, according to FanGraphs, so they could be compelled to part with some of their assets at the Trade Deadline if they receive good returns from other teams. A major sell-off is unlikely, as the Halos don't have a ton of trade chips and will be looking to contend again in 2019.

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The Angels also choose to simply keep their roster intact and give themselves a shot to get back in the race in the second half, especially since they still have three more games against the Mariners in Anaheim next week. Their rotation could also receive a boost after the All-Star break, as Nick Tropeano, Matt Shoemaker and Ohtani could return to pitch before the end of the season.

What they are seeking If they sell, the Halos will likely want to add more talent to their improving farm system, particularly on the pitching end.

What they have to offer The Angels lost their most valuable trade chip after Garrett Richards opted to undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, leaving Martin Maldonadoand Kinsler as their only healthy impending free agents. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic also reported that Los Angeles has also drawn interest on some of its controllable relievers, such as Blake Parker, Jose Alvarez, Cam Bedrosian and rookie Justin Anderson.

Possible scenario The Angels could move Alvarez, who has a 2.66 ERA over 40 2/3 innings, to a team in search of bullpen help, such as the Indians. The lone move at last year's Trade Deadline also involved a reliever, as the Halos traded David Hernandez to the D-backs in exchange for pitching prospect Luis Madero.

FROM THE ATHLETIC

Scout’s faith in Jaime Barria pays off for Angels

By Fabian Ardaya

Armed with a poise beyond his years, it’s easy to forget just how young Jaime Barria is.

But then there are glimmers of youthful innocence that just take you aback. As he stands in the cramped visitor’s clubhouse at Fenway Park, he confidently downplays his outing — 5 1/3 innings, two runs allowed and four strikeouts against the league-leading Red Sox, offering a hint of how he managed to work through another successful start.

He credited his mother, his mami, for giving him the boost heading into his first-ever trip to Fenway. Barria, who turned 22 on Wednesday, calls her regularly, talking about baseball or, otherwise, relying on her words of wisdom as she watches her son from their native Panama. Her message this time is a reminder of the faith she holds in him and his focus.

“Just try to do my job the same way I’ve always done,” Barria said in Spanish. “It’s never mattered what team it’s been for or against or where, I just want to win.”

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That belief has always held true for Barria, and it is part of the reason the Angels are so high on him. He’s hardly, if ever, shaken, even in moments a 21-year-old would normally unravel.

Take his second career start, for example. Facing Brandon Belt, the second batter of the game, Barria pounded the zone but was unable to get the putaway pitch as the Giants first basemam fouled pitch after pitch to keep himself alive. The at-bat, which lasted 21 pitches, was the longest in big-league history. It took Barria 49 pitches to get through the first inning, with his day ending after just two innings. But he limited damage.

A month later, he found himself at Yankee Stadium, allowing three homers — including two on his first six pitches — but still limiting the overall damage to just four runs without completely falling apart.

“He has a good heartbeat,” Angels pitching coach Charles Nagy said. “The situation doesn’t get to him. He understands what he needs to do, and what he can do. He doesn’t try to do too much, while other guys might overthrow or do something to go out of the box a little bit. He stays with his strengths, and he’s had success doing that.”

A year ago, Barria found himself pitching in Class-A Inland Empire. He knew he had potential to make the leap – he was selected as the Angels’ representative for the Futures Game in Miami – but entered spring training the last of nine potential starters on the depth chart. He’s the only one of the nine to avoid a stint on the disabled list this season.

“He just knows how to pitch,” Angels catcher José Briceño said in Spanish. “He has a mature mind, and knows what he has to do out there. He’s gotten the results he’s gotten because he just knows how to handle each situation already.”

“He’s mature,” fellow catcher Rene Rivera said. “He knows the situations, knows when to throw a certain pitch, and he trusts it. That’s where I’m most impressed.”

Through his first 13 career starts, he has a 3.55 ERA — the quiet force keeping the Angels’ rotation from absolute chaos.

But he almost wasn’t an Angel at all.

The rain pattered against the roof of the indoor batting cage as Carlos Gomez looked to fashion a makeshift bullpen. It wasn’t ideal, but it would have to make do.

Gomez, then an international scout with the Arizona Diamondbacks, was more eager than usual to see this particular prospect, a 16-year-old Panamanian right-hander he’d invited to the club’s international complex in the Dominican Republic. He’d tracked the kid since he was 14, and if all had gone well, Jaime Barria was going to be a D-Back.

It rained the entire week. So, just to be able to even see him pitch, he had him throw a makeshift bullpen. The baseballs were still slick, so Gomez didn’t know fully what to expect. Then the 16-year-old surprised him.

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First pitch? Strike. Then another. And another. All the markers he’d noticed — the easy delivery, smooth arm action and, above all the ability to pump in strikes — all checked out.

At the end of the session, Gomez excitedly approached Barria. He wanted to see him in game action. Once he got that, all bets were off that he’d be able to ink him. All he would need to just to stay in the Dominican past that Sunday.

“So could you stay an extra couple days?” Gomez asked him.

What Barria said next left Gomez with his jaw on the floor.

“No, I have a test on Monday,” Barria told Gomez.

“Holy shit, I can’t believe a 16-year-old kid just told me that,” Gomez thought to himself.

“Not to be that guy, but hardly ever do you get a kid who wants to play who — screw hardly ever, no kid has ever told me that before.”

Gomez kept Barria filed away. He figured he’d see him again, and a couple months later, when he joined ex-Arizona executive then-general manager Jerry Dipoto in Anaheim with the Angels, Barria was at the top of his list of prospects he sought to get.

Now the Angels’ international scouting director, Gomez was ready to finally lure in the strike-throwing right-hander. He sent Roman Ocumarez, his top area scout in Panama, to look at a pair of pitchers, not telling Ocumarez his love affair with Barria.

Ocumarez thought the same of Barria as Gomez did. He saw the delivery, smoothly bringing his arm over his head before displaying easy arm action on the follow-through. His velocity at the time maxed out between 83 and 84 mph, but he saw the signs. Gomez said to sign the pitcher he liked best, and Ocumarez brought back Barria. The right-hander officially signed with the Angels on April 11, 2013.

“He was the kid I wanted, anyway,” Gomez joked. “Barria was the better one of them by a landslide.”

Signing Barria is a point of pride for Gomez, in part just because of the rarity of the circumstances that led to his discovery in the first place.

Growing up in Panama, the concept of a potential future seemed far-fetched. Barria grew up idolizing Mariano Rivera, mimicking the former Yankee closer’s iconic delivery — though he wasn’t able to pick up his signature cutter. Unlike other Latin countries such as the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, with established baseball cultures and scouting networks, Barria often found himself going to extraordinary measures just to get on pro clubs’ radars. He’d often travel to the Dominican, at times for months at a time, just to try to draw attention.

For Barria, who still talks to his family back home every day, it was a grind.

“It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done,” Barria said.

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Gomez’s scouting career began as a pro scout with the Diamondbacks, poring through opposing minor league systems. Many of the international prospects were from the typical places, scouted from the time they were youths and well-known among the baseball community. But he noticed something different about the Braves’ system.

“Holy shit, they have so many guys from Panama and Colombia,” Gomez said. “Places we didn’t scout as much … The pricing was good, and the players were good, especially the pitching, which was really good. They play a lot of baseball there.”

Gomez urged the D-Backs to begin advancing more and more scouting efforts in Panama. Much of baseball has followed suit. But just five players, including Barria, have appeared in big league games this season. Among Barria’s closest countrymen currently in the big leagues? Johan Camargo, who came up in the Braves’ system and was among the players who’d caught Gomez’s eye.

“There aren’t many of us,” Barria said. “It’s a point of pride for the country.”

Gomez received a text from his father in May, a rare question asking him about a prospect. His dad, a lifelong Yankees fan, was watching the FOX national television broadcast of the Yankees facing the Angels, with a particular 21-year-old right-hander on the mound.

He asked about Barria, and what to expect. Gomez quickly searched his phone, and pulled up the first video footage he had of Barria. He was 14 then but, in many ways, was the same pitcher.

“Clean delivery, clean arm action, and throws a lot of strikes,” Gomez thought then.

Gomez’s father responded, “That looks very similar.”

Yeah, right? Gomez thought.

But Gomez looked again, and marveled at the growth. He saw a pitcher who, when he first met him, topped out at 84 mph. Now, he sits at an average of 91.5 mph, according to Baseball Savant. He sees 40 more pounds of muscle, and the progressive development from a guy who was a “maybe” to a bona fide big league starter.

“There’s no way I could stand here and be like, ‘Yeah, I knew it all along,’” Gomez said. “That’s bullshit. It was a whole team effort.”

Barria didn’t find himself on a big-league radar until a year ago when, at age 20, his body finally caught up with his mind. Always a strike-thrower, he began getting a kick in velocity. He began development on an out pitch, using the increased heat to play off his secondary pitches. His changeup developed exponentially, and he began throwing his breaking ball harder, removing the hump from it and instead spinning the ball into the dirt and away from bats. His strikeout rate grew and with it, his ERA dropped.

A single at-bat represents Barria’s development in a nutshell. Facing Texas’ Jurickson Profar on June 1, he battled a mild jam. He opened up with a 92.1 mph fastball just off the outside corner, then used it to induce a whiff on a changeup low in the zone. He spotted another, this time on the inner half. Then, he

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spun a wipeout slider that started at Profar’s belt and wound up at the dirt, leaving Profar to just swing-and-miss.

“It might not look that way from the side, but when you see it from the back or you talk to some of the hitters or the catchers, his stuff is legit,” Nagy said. “It moves.”

That slider, just a minor element of his arsenal, is now one of his most vital go-to pitches. He uses the pitch 34.8 percent of the time, even more than his four-seam fastball (33.6 percent) or sinker (12.9). It makes sense, too given how each pitch is valued according to Fangraphs’ Pitch Values metric (wFA -5.7, wSI -3.5, wCH 0.8, wSL 10.1). Barria’s slider ranks eighth among big-league starters with 60 or more innings pitched this season.

Barria began torching opposing hitters with Class-A Inland Empire, quickly getting called up as high as Triple-A Salt Lake by the season’s end. He represented the organization in the Futures Game, making the possibility of being a big leaguer somewhat a reality.

But to make the big leagues this year, just a year removed from high-A ball? Not even a thought.

“I never thought I could be in the big leagues this quickly,” Barria said. “I mean, not too long ago I was just in California pitching for Inland Empire, thinking that the moment was possible but never that it could happen so quickly. It’s something incredible, something that I’m really enjoying at the moment thanks to God.”

His development as a pitcher and natural propensity to remain around the strike zone got him to the big leagues. It’s Barria’s demeanor, that heartbeat, that’s made him an integral part of keeping the Angels’ rotation afloat.

Garrett Richards is out for the season, needing Tommy John surgery. JC Ramirez, too. John Lamb’s suffered the same fate. Alex Meyer’s season is just about over due to shoulder troubles from last season. Matt Shoemaker’s been limited to just one start this season, and is currently recovering from forearm surgery. Nick Tropeano, Tyler Skaggs and Andrew Heaney have all missed time at various points this season. Through it all, the Angels have relied on Barria.

It’s been a smooth transition, better than about anyone could’ve expected.

“He’s got great makeup,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “I think that’s where it starts. He’s evolving into a pitcher who understands his stuff more, and he’s thrown the ball well for us for a youngster making his first go-around up in the major leagues.

“He’s not afraid to use any pitch in any count, which helps him. He’s got a great amount of confidence in his ability. Even when he’s on the verge, or when it seems like guys are getting good looks at him, he’s made adjustments and done well.”

Barria’s still got a touch of that childish innocence. He’ll still ask his way around at visiting parks for the first time, still call his mami before starts and still speaks quietly. But that silence masks his confidence, not insecurity.

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He’s studious, dedicating himself to scouting reports and remaining prepared.

“I’ve always been characterized as a quiet guy, always just super calm,” Barria said. “I’ve always been able to control myself and my emotions, and I’ve been able to get results.”

“There’s certain guys that have it, and certain guys that develop it as the years go,” Nagy said. “He’s out there, he looks the part, acts the part and does the part.”

Gomez will always see Barria as the quiet kid who shunned him because he had to take a test. Even once he signed — scouts, or busceros, always seek to please potential prospects and help them fulfill their needs. He’s used to trying to help suit other players, but never heard a peep from Barria.

He never asked for help of any kind, Gomez said.

“Kids are always on your ass, asking for this, asking for that. He never asked me for anything,” Gomez said. “Even his agent said that. It’s just a calmness, a coolness, just doing his job. Never got in trouble, ever. Just did his thing.

“He was always very calm, nothing really rattled him too much. He had that ‘starter’s demeanor,’ and on top of that, a lot of the kids that we sign, they come at paws up, like, ‘Hey, I need this, I need this, I need this,’ after we sign them. Barria never asked me for anything, nothing. He just did his job, he threw strikes, took his time and went about it very even-keel. He did what he had to do, but never needed to think on anything, ever.”

Each time Barria makes a start, regardless of the level, Gomez knows about it. He has a notification set up through his Baseball Cube account, and regularly reads up on the latest accounts.

“He’s been on that list for years,” Gomez said.

The Angels’ much-maligned farm system, once considered “the worst in baseball” by pundits, is in relatively good health. Gomez, working together with second-year scouting director Matt Swanson and current general manager Billy Eppler, have restocked the system with potential future big leaguers.

Of the 50 players to play in a big-league game for the Angels — the most in baseball — just 11 (not including Shohei Ohtani) have spent their entire pro baseball career groomed and developed in the Angels system. Other than Ohtani, few rookies have had the same impact as Barria.

He’s Gomez’s gem — a point of pride.

“The hairs on my arms are standing up right now just thinking of how much I appreciate that kid,” Gomez said. “I’m just so proud of him for taking the opportunity and running with it. The sense of pride for us, obviously recognizing that this kid had a chance to be something in the big leagues, at least all of us involved to make that decision, it’s a point of pride.

“We recognized that the way he moved looked like a major league starter, but to tweak him the right way, make him get along the right way, development helped get him the right away. And then the kid itself, I’m so freaking proud of him. He just always stuck to what he did, and man, just took care of

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business. Every time. I’m so proud of him. My voice is going to break right now, I’m so proud of that kid.”

Can’t wait for the curtain to go up on the second half of the major-league season? Here’s what to look for

By Cliff Corcoran

The All-Star break isn’t the mathematical halfway point of Major League Baseball’s regular season; that came in late June.

It is more accurately an intermission, a pause in the action that gives literal suspense to the drama while the performers regroup. The story on the field has taken shape. The stakes have been established, the conflicts set in motion. Each fan base has cast its own heroes and villains. Much like the dramatic pause between pitches in a crucial, late-inning at-bat, the All-Star break gives us just enough time to wonder what will happen next.

With that in mind, here are the things that have us buzzing in the bathroom line and anxious for play to resume so that the season can deliver its dénouement.

Trades! Trades! Trades!

When I wrote these words, Manny Machado was still technically an Oriole. Now that you’re reading them, he’s a Dodger. With that blockbuster deal, the trading season has taken center stage. Teams have until 4 p.m. eastern time on July 31 to make trades without having to pass the players involved through waivers, and there is no contending team that wouldn’t benefit from an upgrade somewhere on its roster.

What is particularly exciting about this year’s trading period is that it is not just the usual suspects in the mix for top talent. The Phillies and Brewers went hard after Machado. The A’s are expected to be buyers for the first time since 2014, when they made the regrettable Addison Russell trade with the Cubs and sent Yoenis Céspedes to the Red Sox for Jon Lester. The Braves are one of the many teams hoping to find a gem in the thin starting pitching market. Seattle Swapper Jerry Dipoto should be good for at least one more significant trade, if not several smaller ones, as well.

Then, of course, there are the big boys. The Yankees, Red Sox, Astros, Cubs, Indians, and Diamondbacks will hear it from their fans if they don’t upgrade. The Rockies, Giants, and Cardinals are still in the mix, and the Dodgers might very well make other significant moves.

That’s half the majors, and I didn’t even mention the Nationals or Angels. The Angels are an extreme longshot for this year’s playoffs, but they have very little to lose given their thin farm, the majors’ oldest starting lineup, the likelihood of losing Shohei Ohtani to Tommy John surgery after the season, and the fact that Mike Trout is only under contract for two more years. As for the Nationals, the question remains as to whether they should bank on healthy second halves from Stephen Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman and Matt Wieters and go all-in during their final months before Bryce Harper’s free agency,

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or if they should cash in their considerable crop of pending free agents—including Harper, Wieters, Daniel Murphy, Gio Gonzalez, Jeremy Hellickson, Mark Reynolds, Matt Adams, Ryan Madson, Shawn Kelley, and, yes, the newly acquired Kelvin Herrera, and look to the future.

The clock is ticking. Decisions need to be made, and plot twists and double-crosses are guaranteed.

The Hall of Fame inductions

Two days before the trading deadline, the Hall of Fame will induct six new members, the first time since 1955 that six living men will be inducted for their playing careers. The inductions don’t impact the drama of the season directly, but they do increase the stakes, serving as a reminder that, beyond single-season individual and team accomplishments, baseball provides an opportunity for a type of immortality.

Consider the moment that Obi-Wan Kenobi is struck down by Darth Vader in the first “Star Wars” film. It comes well before the climax, but completes the story arc for that character and makes him, in Kenobi’s words, “more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” The new Hall of Famers will linger as force ghosts over this and every successive season, be it Jim Thome’s three-true-outcome dominance, Chipper Jones’ switch-hitting brilliance and central role in the Braves’ record string of division championships, Vlad Guerrero’s bad-ball wizardry and rifle arm, Trevor Hoffman’s end-game consistency, Alan Trammell’s underrated brilliance and 1984 World Series MVP performance, or Jack Morris’s game-for-the-ages, one of the great dénouements in major-league history.

The Redbird Reset

Nothing spikes a drama like a second-act cliffhanger, and the Cardinals pulled off a doozy just before the curtain dropped, firing manager Mike Matheny before the final game of the first half, leaving fans and observers with a host of questions about the direction the team will take coming out of the break. Bench coach Mike Shildt served as interim manager Sunday, and could very well remain in that role going forward, but it’s also possible the Cardinals will bring in a new manager in short order (former Cardinals catcher Joe Girardi, currently employed by the MLB Network, has been the subject of much speculation in that regard).

The Cardinals have a mere 13.5 percent chance of making the playoffs, per Baseball Prospectus’ Playoff Odds Report. Since its pending free agents aren’t of much value, it wouldn’t make much sense for St. Louis to suddenly become a seller. Instead, it’ll look to join the 2003 Marlins and 1978 Yankees as teams that surged to championships after midseason managerial changes. That’s a long shot to be sure, but the Cardinals are a talented team, and, in just one game, Shildt has already shown signs of departing significantly from old-school Matheny’s old-school approach, signaling a progressive, intellectual, and analytical managerial style that could bring the Cardinals fully into the 21st century in terms of strategy and player management.

The Yankees’ pursuit of the single-season home-run record

When the Yankees added Giancarlo Stanton, coming off a 59-homer season, to a lineup that already included Aaron Judge, coming off a 52-homer season, the mind raced. One place mine raced to was the single-season team record for home runs, held by the 1997 Seattle Mariners. Those Mariners — led by

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Ken Griffey Jr. and Jay Buhner, who combined for 96 homers that season — hit 264 home runs. This year’s Yankees entered the All-Star break with 161, 20 percent more than any other team in the majors.

Having played 95 games, the Yankees are on pace to hit 274 home runs, breaking the Mariners’ record easily. That pace doesn’t take into account the fact that Stanton, who has 23 so far, was heating up before the break and hit 33 after the break last year. Nor the fact that first baseman Greg Bird, who has averaged 33 homers per 162 games in his young career, is finally healthy and also heating up at the plate. Nor the fact that catcher Gary Sanchez, who has hit 45 homers per 162 games in his career, had a poor first half and played in just 63 of those first 95 games but is due to return from the disabled list very soon after play resumes (if not on Friday). They might not get there exactly the way I expected, but, as things stand, it would be shocking to see the Yankees fall short of the record.

Some of the best awards races in recent memory

I have been following the races for the Baseball Writers’ Association of America awards in print since 2010, and, as things stand at the break, this is shaping up to be one of the best awards-race seasons of the decade. The only award that has an obvious favorite right now is the American League’s Rookie of the Year award, where Ohtani’s elbow injury has allowed Gleyber Torres, the only rookie to make either league’s All-Star team, to open up a lead. The NL rookie race remains wide open and stocked with exciting young talent such as Washington’s Juan Soto and Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña.

The NL MVP race is once again a scrum of the league’s top performers, a situation that could see the award go to a pitcher for the second time in five years. The AL Cy Young race is increasingly crowded thanks to early leader Justin Verlander cooling off in June and stumbling against his old team just before the break. The NL Cy Young race is a dogfight between Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom with Aaron Nola gaining ground on both.

Then there’s the AL MVP, which features two players having seasons that could prove to be of historic significance in Trout (on pace for 11.4 bWAR despite a recent slump) and Mookie Betts (leading the majors with a 200 OPS+), and a third, José Ramírez, who has somehow managed to hang with both in terms of overall value.

Better pennant races than we expected

This wasn’t supposed to be a terribly suspenseful season. Coming into the year, seven of last year’s playoff teams looked like sure things to return to the postseason. Six of those teams are in playoff positions at the break, yet the pennant races are far more compelling than expected.

The Dodgers and Cubs are each tied in the wins column with the team in second place in their division, L.A. up by just a half game on the Diamondbacks, Chicago up by 2 1/2 on the Brewers, who lost six in a row going into the break. Meanwhile, the heavily favored Nationals are third in the NL East, opening up that division to the upstart Phillies and Braves, who are tied in the loss column with Philadelphia up just a half-game on Atlanta atop the division. As those close divisional races suggest, the NL wild-card race is a scrum, with the Brewers on top by a game and five teams within five games of the second-place Braves (the Diamondbacks, Rockies, Cardinals, Giants and Nationals).

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Meanwhile, instead of the lukewarm race to the middle that was last year’s competition for the second wild-card spot in the American League, this year’s race is led by a Mariners team that is on a 97-win pace. However, the M’s are overachieving relative to their -1 run differential. Just three games behind them lurk the A’s, on a 92-win pace themselves and ready to pounce in 10 head-to-head games against Seattle in the second half.

Then there’s the AL East, which promises a monumental battle between the age-old rivals in Boston and New York. Tied on July 1, the Red Sox have since opened a 4 1/2 game lead, but New York is getting Sanchez and Torres back from the disabled list in short order and has a much softer schedule than Boston during the second half. While the Red Sox have 17 games remaining against the Phillies, Braves, Indians and Astros, the Yankees have just six remaining out-of-division games against teams currently over .500, all part of a West Coast swing to face the A’s and Mariners in early September. Don’t be surprised if the division comes down to the final weekend of the season, when the two teams face off for a three-game set at Fenway Park. Also facing off that final weekend: the Braves and Phillies, Giants and Dodgers, A’s and Angels, and Cardinals and Cubs.

Ah, they just flicked the lights.

Places, everyone!

It’s not sexy, but defensive upgrades at the deadline could be a huge boost for these contenders

By Mark Simon and Spencer Harrison, Sports Info Solutions

We’ve reached that time of year when you’re going to be hearing trade rumors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Most of what you’re going to hear is about how teams can shore up holes in their lineup or on the mound. You’re probably not going to hear many that talk of a team making an acquisition for defensive purposes.

But there are some teams that would considerably benefit from such a move, whether it’s adding a starter or someone they could bring off the bench, the way the Dodgers have replacements for Matt Kemp so that he’s not playing the outfield when the team is protecting a late one-run lead.

Here are a few holes that teams have on the defensive side along with potential solutions.

Red Sox: Second Base

The Red Sox have significant issues in their middle infield with their second basemen and shortstops combining to cost the team 35 runs defensively. Xander Bogaerts’ bat is too valuable to take off shortstop. So with Dustin Pedroia out, the area to key on is second base, as neither Eduardo Núñez nor Brock Holt makes you comfortable defensively.

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Position DRS AL Rank

Red Sox 2B -16 Last

Red Sox SS -19 T-Last

Red Sox 3B -10 14th

There’s a solution if the Red Sox are willing – Angels second baseman Ian Kinsler would fit as either a starter (though he hasn’t hit much) or late-game replacement. Kinsler entered the All-Star break second in the majors with nine Defensive Runs Saved at second base. He’s been solid on balls hit in the first base–second base hole and, for most of his career (including this season), he’s been as good as it gets at turning double plays. And before you say “What about Brian Dozier?” note that Kinsler is the better defender by a lot, and the two have basically identical WARs (Kinsler 1.6, Dozier 1.5).

Kinsler will cost less than half the $11 million remaining on his contract, but it doesn’t sound like money’s a worry to management in its pursuit of another title.

Mariners: Center Field

Center field has been a trouble spot for the Mariners. They can say what they wish about Dee Gordon (pre-Robinson Canó suspension) and Guillermo Heredia, but the numbers tell a different story. Center fielders have cost the Mariners 26 runs with their defense this season, the worst total for any position in the majors.

Whether the Mariners return Gordon to center or keep him at second, they’re still in need of someone who can patrol the middle of the field. Given GM Jerry Dipoto’s penchant for trading, it’s surprising he hasn’t made a move to address it.

Perhaps it’s because creative solutions are minimal. Billy Hamilton or the reacquisition of Leonys Martin would solve the problem, but each is under control next season, meaning the Mariners would have to incentivize the Reds or Tigers to make a deal.

The boring solution (not what Dipoto usually goes for) would be to pluck 31-year-old Cameron Maybin from the Marlins. He’s saved four runs defensively in 600 innings in center field the last two seasons (though his prior history isn’t great) and would be an adequate defensive upgrade.

Philadelphia Phillies: Shortstop & Third Base

The Phillies’ defensive struggles this season, particularly with the shift, are well documented. They rank last in the NL with minus-74 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). While Rhys Hoskins has been the team’s worst defender by DRS (minus-16), it is unlikely they make any kind of change in left field because of his bat. Shortstop and third base, on the other hand, are problem areas defensively in which the Phillies could make a change without losing much offensively.

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One solution that might solve both problems is Miguel Rojas of the Miami Marlins. Rojas has split time between short, where he has six DRS, and third, where he has four. The Phillies have cost themselves 11 runs at short and eight at third this season. Rojas would represent a major defensive upgrade over their current options. Scott Kingery, J.P. Crawford, and Pedro Florimón have each cost them four runs defensively at short, and Maikel Franco has cost them six runs at third.

Oakland Athletics: Right Field

The A’s might be a surprise inclusion, but they currently sit just a few games out of a wild-card spot and Billy Beane has said they’re preparing to be buyers this deadline. The Athletics have hardly been a poor defensive team this season, accumulating 15 Defensive Runs Saved to this point. But if they have one problem area, it is their outfield.

The A’s have had defensive issues in both right field and center, costing themselves 20 runs between the two. The more problematic position has been right field, where Stephen Piscotty ranks last in MLB in Defensive Runs Saved.

One solution that could be in their price range, should the Rays decide to sell, is Carlos Gómez. Where Piscotty has been one of the worst fielders in MLB, Gómez has been one of the best with six Defensive Runs Saved in right field, tied for sixth among all right fielders.

One of Piscotty’s biggest weaknesses, fielding balls hit to the shallowest part of the outfield, has been one of Gómez’s greatest strengths. It is a big reason why Gómez has saved 12 more runs than Piscotty via range and positioning this season.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Angels praise Mike Trout for ‘prioritizing personal values’

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels publicly praised Mike Trout “for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion” a day after baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said the All-Star outfielder would be an even bigger star if he would spend more time marketing himself.

The team released a statement Wednesday congratulating Trout on his performance in the All-Star Game in Washington, then extolled the time he spends visiting hospitals, schools and charities and the quality time he spends with family.

“We applaud him for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion,” the statement said. “That is rare in today’s society and stands out as much as his extraordinary talent.”

A day earlier, Manfred said MLB was interested in having players more engaged and in helping players develop their individual brands.

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Manfred said Trout chooses not to spend his down time marketing.

“Mike’s a great, great player and a really nice person, but he’s made certain decisions about what he wants to do and what he doesn’t want to do, and how he wants to spend his free time and how he doesn’t want to spend his free time,” Manfred said. “That’s up to him. If he wants to engage and be more active in that area, I think we could help him make his brand really, really big. But he has to make a decision that he’s prepared to engage in that area. It takes time and effort.”

Trout said Wednesday night that he has received “lots of questions” about Manfred’s comments.

“I am not a petty guy and would really encourage everyone to just move forward,” he said in a statement issued by the team. “Everything is cool between the Commissioner and myself. End of story. I am ready to just play some baseball!”

At 26, Trout is a two-time AL MVP and a seven-time All-Star. He homered off Mets ace Jacob deGrom on Tuesday night in an 8-6 win in 10 innings.

Asked after the game about Manfred’s comments, Trout said: “I keep telling you guys, I do as much as I can. But it’s a long baseball season. I got to pick and choose when I want to do things and go from there.”

Manfred’s remarks struck a sour note with fans, some of whom took to social media to say Trout was a great role model who should be left to live his life as he pleases.

The Angels apparently concur. “His brand is built upon generously spending his time engaging with fans, both at home and on the road, while remaining a remarkable baseball player and teammate,” the team said.

FROM ESPN.COM

Mike Trout wants to 'move forward' from Rob Manfred comments

The Los Angeles Angels commended Mike Trout for "prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion" on Wednesday, a day after MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said that the outfielder would be an even bigger star if he would spend more time marketing himself.

Trout responded to Manfred's comments after exiting Tuesday night's All-Star Game in which he hit a home run in the American League's 8-6 victory, saying, "I do as much as I can. But it's a long baseball season. I got to pick and choose when I want to do things and go from there."

He followed up with a statement Wednesday night.

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"I have received lots of questions about Commissioner Manfred's recent statement," Trout said. "I am not a petty guy and would really encourage everyone to just move forward. Everything is cool between the Commissioner and myself. End of story. I am ready to just play some baseball!"

On Wednesday, the Angels called Trout "an exceptional ambassador for the game" in their statement.

"Combined with his talent, his solid character creates a perfect role model for young people everywhere. Each year, Mike devotes a tremendous amount of his time and effort contributing to our Organization and marketing Major League Baseball. He continually chooses to participate in the community, visiting hospitals, schools and countless other charities.

"One of Mike's traits that people admire most is his humility. His brand is built upon generously spending his time engaging with fans, both at home and on the road, while remaining a remarkable baseball player and teammate. In addition, Mike spends quality time as a husband, son, brother, uncle and friend. We applaud him for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion. That is rare in today's society and stands out as much as his extraordinary talent."

On Tuesday, before the All-Star Game, Manfred said that "player marketing requires one thing for sure -- the player."

"You cannot market a player passively. You can't market anything passively. You need people to engage with those to whom you are trying to market in order to have effective marketing. We are very interested in having our players more engaged and having higher-profile players and helping our players develop their individual brand. But that involves the player being actively engaged," he said.

Trout, 26, is a two-time American League MVP and a seven-time All-Star.

Winning isn't the only thing: Realistic second-half goals for all 30 teams*

By Sam Miller

Before the season, we wanted to define what success would look like for every major league team this year. We believe in a broad definition of success, and we tried to appreciate that a single great memory or an unexpected breakout can make a 76-win season worthwhile.

Although, of course, 96-win seasons are usually more worthwhile.

We're more than halfway through the season, and this is an early assessment: How have things gone by the standards each team might have set for itself, and what, if any, resetting of goals is appropriate for the second half?

Two notes about what's in the parentheses after team names: "Projected wins" is how many games the team is likely to win, according to Baseball Prospectus' rest-of-season simulations. It is not what a team is on pace for but a combination of actual record and projected second half. Playoff odds are the chances each team has of making the division series -- either winning their division or winning the wild

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card and the wild-card game. We're ranking by a metric we devised called SUCCESS, which is actually just the word success but in all capital letters.

10. Los Angeles Angels (81 projected wins, 0.8 playoff odds)

The Good Stuff: Most of what happens in this major league baseball season will not be remembered beyond a decade or two. But everybody will remember the year that Shohei Ohtani debuted, when he outhit everybody's expectations and threw the second-fastest average fastball of all starting pitchers. Most fans will remember, too, Mike Trout, who by some WAR models is having his best season as he continues to be the greatest player through his current age ever. Albert Pujols has passed some milestones and is back on the right side of replacement level. For a .500 team that has almost no shot at the playoffs, this has been a pretty memorable season.

Meanwhile, the perception of the Angels' farm system has improved as much over the past three months as any team's, with 19-year-old Jo Adell in particular jumping from the top 50 to the top five prospects in the game. The Bad Stuff is going to say it's another wasted season of the era's greatest player in his prime, but the Angels seem closer to putting something together before Trout's deal ends in 2020 than they have in a long time.

The Bad Stuff: Another wasted season of the era's greatest player in his prime. Another depressing injury for Garrett Richards. An early arm injury that casts some doubt on whether we'll get many more seasons of Ohtani playing both ways.

Success Reset: Ohtani recovers without surgery and continues to hit like Kris Bryant in the meantime.

*Article cut to only include Angels-related content.

FROM NBC SPORTS

Angels fire back at Rob Manfred’s comments about Mike Trout

By Bill Baer

Angels outfielder Mike Trout‘s marketability has been a topic of conversation in recent days as the best players in baseball converged upon Washington, D.C. for the All-Star Game. We learned that, according to one firm that measures consumer appeal of personalities, Trout is as recognizable to the average American as Brooklyn Nets reserve forward Kenneth Faried, despite being far and away the best player in baseball and one of the greatest players ever to play the game.

Commissioner Rob Manfred also addressed Trout’s marketability, Gabe Lacques of USA TODAY Sports reported. Manfred said, “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. I think we could help him make his brand very bug. But he has to make a decision to engage. It takes time and effort.”

The Angels fired back on Wednesday, releasing a statement that said:

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On behalf of the Angels Organization and baseball fans everywhere, congratulations to Mike Trout on another outstanding All-Star Game performance.

Mike Trout is an exceptional ambassador for the game. Combined with his talent, his solid character creates a perfect role model for young people everywhere. Each year, Mike devotes a tremendous amount of his time and effort contributing to our Organization, and marketing Major League Baseball. He continually chooses to participate in the community, visiting hospitals, schools, and countless other charities. One of Mike’s traits that people admire most is his humility. His brand is built upon generously spending his time engaging with fans, both at home and on the road, while remaining a remarkable baseball player and teammate.

In addition, Mike spends quality time as a husband, son, brother, uncle, and friend. We applaud him for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion. That is rare in today’s society and stands out as much as his extraordinary talent.

It’s not on Trout to build a brand that appeals to MLB’s marketing department, so the Angels are right to back Trout’s decision to stay out of the limelight. The Angels’ motivation likely isn’t entirely selfless, however, as supporting him in this situation may make it more enticing for him to sign a contract extension before his current contract expires after the 2020 season.

FROM BLEACHER REPORT

Mike Trout Doesn't Owe MLB, Rob Manfred a Damn Thing

By Jacob Shafer

Apparently, Mike Trout is the problem with Major League Baseball.

Let's say that again, because your brain may need a moment: Mike Trout is the problem with baseball.

This is the man who leads MLB with 60.7 WAR since 2012, per FanGraphs.

This is the man who racked up an American League Rookie of the Year Award, seven All-Star nods and two AL MVP awards by age 25.

Who said Trout is a part of the problem? No less an authority than MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Before we get to Manfred's remarks, let's review the real problem.

MLB is dealing with a pronounced attendance decline. In spring, it was plausible to ascribe the phenomenon to bad weather. Even then, it called into question the length of the season and length of each game and the possibility fans had merely lost interest.

Lucrative television contracts and revenue sharing have kept baseball profitable. Players' salaries rise. Bottom lines rise accordingly. Everyone's happy.

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In the end, though, this sport isn't about balance sheets or opt-out clauses or the obscene dollars that change hands every winter.

It's about the product on the field. It's about the best baseball players showcasing their skills.

As we outlined above, Mike Trout is (ahem, arguably) the best baseball player on the planet.

So what did Commissioner Manfred have to say about Trout, the brightest star in his firmament? Here are some of Manfred's remarks, per Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina:

"Mike's a great, great player and a really nice person, but he's made certain decisions about what he wants to do and what he doesn't want to do, and how he wants to spend his free time and how he doesn't want to spend his free time. That's up to him. If he wants to engage and be more active in that area, I think we could help him make his brand really, really big. But he has to make a decision that he's prepared to engage in that area. It takes time and effort."

First off, Commissioner, we didn't need you to inform us that Trout is a great player. The stats and eyeball test confirm as much.

Second off, what exactly are you implying? Should he grow out his sideburns and become "Hollywood Mike Trout"? Should he start flipping his bat and getting into it with opposing pitchers?

Or is it merely that he's passing on marketing opportunities that would line the pockets of MLB?

Trout wore a mic on the field during the 2018 All-Star Game. He engaged a young fan in super-cool fashion at the All-Star Game in D.C., per Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.

He makes himself available. As USA Today's Ted Berg put it, "This is Mike Trout: Extraordinarily talented, friendly and patient with fans and media, and unlikely to generate any hotly contested sound bytes."

Then again, maybe Trout finally is.

OK, sure, we're referring to a statement issued by the Angels on behalf of Trout in the wake of Manfred's comments. Still, it features some pointed, if implied, barbs:

"Mike Trout is an exceptional ambassador for the game. Combined with his talent, his solid character creates a perfect role model for young people everywhere. Each year, Mike devotes a tremendous amount of his time and effort contributing to our Organization, and marketing Major League Baseball. He continually chooses to participate in the community, visiting hospitals, schools, and countless other charities."

The statement goes on to mention Trout's "humility" and to note that the Angels "applaud him for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion."

Added Halos communications director Eric Kay:

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Bottom line, Mike Trout doesn't self promote and he gets criticized for it. Everyone else thinks they know what is best for Mike. No one takes more time to engage with fans than Trout. THE GAME IS ABOUT THE FANS. He represents the #Angels better than anyone has. EVER.

Clearly, Manfred's words reached the ears of the best player in the game and the franchise that employs him. Trout isn't about to take the heat for baseball's wavering popularity or Manfred's possible insecurity over a dearth of marketable stars.

Trout isn't the Washington Nationals' Bryce Harper, for example, with his brash antics and "Make Baseball Fun Again" schtick.

In an interview with Fox Sports' Alex Rodriguez, Trout did say players should be able to express themselves. He's not a killjoy. Just an unassuming guy with a generational gift.

Maybe Manfred wishes Harper was the face of the sport. Unfortunately, despite winning the Home Run Derby and clubbing 23 first-half dingers, Harper owns a .214 average and has had an up-and-down season in D.C.

Trout, meanwhile, keeps chugging along. He produces at historic levels. He doesn't foment discord or spout off in ways that damage the game. He hits, he runs, he catches, he smiles. He does good work on and off the field.

Isn't that enough?

Maybe not for the future of MLB, as it competes for clicks and attention and eyeballs in a crowded sports marketplace.

That problem is on Manfred, however, and the rest of his braintrust.

Trout, by all accounts, is a decent, accessible dude who also happens to be really, really good at baseball.

"In general, baseball does not do as good a job as other major sports in the U.S. as far as promoting their stars nationwide, especially compared to NFL and NBA," Henry Schafer of Q Scores, a firm that measures the appeal and recognition of sports figures, said, per Kilgore.

According to Q Scores, reserve NBA forward Kenneth Faried has a similar Q Score to Trout. Faried averaged 14.4 minutes and 5.9 points per game last season.

For that to be possible, Manfred should be asking himself, "What's wrong with baseball?" That's the right question.

Here's another question: Does Michael Nelson Trout owe MLB a damn thing? Here's the answer: Nope.

July 19, 2018 Page 28 of 33

FROM MLB TRADE RUMORS

Trade Rumblings: Hand, Dodgers, Dozier, Heaney, Skaggs

By Kyle Downing

Though the Phillies lost out to the Dodgers in the Manny Machado sweepstakes, they’re far from done looking for upgrades to their ballclub. Dennis Lin of The Athletic tweets that the club is interested in Padres reliever Brad Hand. As Lin notes, there are certainly many other clubs in competition for the lefty’s services; he’s easily one of the most talented bullpen arms in the game. As one might expect, however, San Diego’s asking price for Hand remains very high, as he can be controlled through the 2021 season at a very reasonable cost. The Yankees, Indians and Cubs are among the other teams who’ve been connected to Hand, who owns a 3.03 ERA and 13.20 K/9 on the season.

More rumors and rumblings from around the league…

The Dodgers aren’t done yet, either, Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reports, as they’ll now pursue a reliever to help closer Kenley Jansen at the back end of their bullpen. It’s worth noting that Los Angeles will sit just a few million dollars below the luxury tax threshold following the acquisition of Machado, so any bullpen additions will likely come cheap, or send a player (such as Logan Forsythe) back to a trade partner in order to offset some of financial burden involved. In addition to Hand, Jeurys Familia, Zach Britton, Kirby Yates, Craig Stammen and Raisel Iglesias are just a few names who could be available.

Also in the aftermath of the Machado sweepstakes, the Brewers are left looking to acquire an infield upgrade. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that they’re expected to explore trading for Twins second baseman Brian Dozier. With Minnesota all but out of the the AL Central race already and Dozier set to become a free agent at season’s end, he makes plenty of sense as a potential trade target for the Brewers, despite a down season so far. The Brewers are also expected to explore pitching upgrades, Rosenthal adds.

Also from Rosenthal, the Angels aren’t likely to trade young starters Andrew Heaney and Tyler Skaggs, despite previous reports that the club might consider doing so. The Angels see the two young southpaws as key components during a 2019 season in which they hope to contend. Rather, Rosenthal notes, the club is more interested in trading some of their relievers (he lists Jose Alvarez, Blake Parker, Cam Bedrosian and Justin Anderson), though they’d want a good enough return to justify giving up controllable players.

July 19, 2018 Page 29 of 33

FROM THE COMEBACK

If Rob Manfred wants more marketable players he should let them express themselves

By Jay Rigdon

Before the Josh Hader Twitter timeline became the big-name controversy of the All-Star Game, we had a mini-flareup between Rob Manfred, the Angels, and Mike Trout. The subject: Trout’s marketability specifically, and how to market MLB players in general.

Manfred’s initial comments were somewhat tone-deaf, which ironically is kind of on brand for him:

“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.

This predictably didn’t go over well, because traditionally a player’s responsibility is to play well and excel on the field or the court, while the league’s market penetration and fans take care of the rest. Mike Trout has certainly held up his end of the bargain, as he’s 26 and by WAR already has a Hall of Fame career. Trout does do commercials, and he does plenty of other awesome things too.

Among many other things. What else does Manfred want Trout to do, aside from play on a good team, which is also not Trout’s fault? Trout doesn’t set the national broadcast schedule. Manfred deflecting is a bad look on multiple levels, and the Angels definitely weren’t happy about it:

On behalf of the Angels Organization and baseball fans everywhere, congratulations to Mike Trout on another outstanding All-Star Game performance.

Mike Trout is an exception ambassador for the game. Combined with his talent, his solid character creates a perfect role model for youn people everywhere. Each year, Mike devotes a tremendous amount of his time marketing Major League Baseball. He continually chooses to participate in the community, visiting hospitals, schools, and countless otehr charities. One of Mike’s traits that people admire most is his humility. His brand is built uopon generously spending his time engaging with fans, both at home and on the road, while remaining a remarkable baseball player and teammate.

In addition, Mike spends quality time as a husband, son, brother, uncle, and friend. We applaud him for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion. That is rare in today’s society and stands out as much as his extraordinary talent.

Late last night Trout himself added his own statement, which is pretty clearly from Trout himself, and not an agent or PR firm, as you can tell by his trademark after-period double space:

I have received lots of questions about Commissionr Manfred’s recent statement. I am not a petty guy and would really encourage everyone to just move forward. Everything is cool betwen the Commissioner and myself. End of story. I am ready to just play some baseball!”

July 19, 2018 Page 30 of 33

That’s an incredibly Mike Trout statement. Perhaps the most Mike Trout statement, given the situation, although the line about him not being petty is a nice nod to the fact that Manfred screwed up.

And as to Manfred, that he would look at the problem of baseball players in 2018 not being as recognizable as players from other sports and immediately jump to “It’s the player’s fault!” is so telling. First of all, if you can’t make money off of Mike Trout, you should get out of the money-making business. But second, if Manfred wants players to market themselves, he should start by allowing them to do so on the field. One of the reasons the NBA has been so successful is the personality of various players comes through on the court.

In baseball, there’s an odd contingent of players, coaches, media, and apparently the league office that are so obsessed with “playing the right way” that some of the league’s biggest and brightest stars get suppressed. But it’s more than just celebrating hits or homers. Willson Contreras can’t wear a Venezuela sleeve. Players can’t be too expressive or joyful or mad without fear of retribution from incompetent umpires, or worse opposing managers and pitchers armed with 95 MPH fastballs, retribution that is essentially sanctioned by the league every time it goes lightly punished. Or they get policed by their own teammates, like Bud Norris this year or like Jonathan Papelbon choking out Bryce freaking Harper in the dugout less than three years ago.

All of these issues, combined with plenty of other factors at the league level (playoff game starting times, the impossible blackout rules, and more) are all much bigger factors than Mike Trout not doing a few extra commercial shoots per season.

It’d be nice if the people in charge of the sport were quicker to blame something other than the players, who are already responsible for every single revenue dollar baseball generates.

FROM USA TODAY

Mike Trout, Angels respond to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred's comments on star

By Gabe Lacques

In a startling rebuke of Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday issued a vigorous defense of All-Star outfielder Mike Trout, touting his commitment to promoting the game and his work in the community.

The Angels' statement, which calls Trout "an exceptional ambassador for the game," comes one day after Manfred told a gathering of the Baseball Writers' Assn. of America that Trout's lack of widespread popularity among casual sports fans was due in part to his hesitance to participate in activities that might promote him.

"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.

July 19, 2018 Page 31 of 33

"But he has to make a decision to engage. It takes time and effort."

The Angels fired back in kind on Wednesday, with a withering statement that did not mention Manfred by name but certainly made clear who they were referencing.

Trout issued his own statement a few hours later, saying he was ready to get back on the field.

Trout, an affable and fan-friendly character whose lack of flamboyance off the field belies his transcendent performance on it, has not connected with the public in a widespread fashion like stars from other sports, nurturing a long-running narrative about baseball's inability to promote its players.

Tuesday night, he produced another star turn in baseball's All-Star Game, hitting a home run, winning a stirring showdown with National League starter Max Scherzer and wearing a microphone on the Fox game broadcast as he patrolled center field.

FROM CBS SPORTS

Angels' Mike Trout responds to Rob Manfred's criticism about marketing; says 'everything is cool'

Trout, the Angels, and Manfred have all taken turns throwing in their two cents

By R.J. Anderson

Wednesday, the day after the All-Star Game, was an off day for Major League Baseball. That didn't stop Mike Trout from garnering headlines, however, thanks to an odd and short-lived feud between the Los Angeles Angels and commissioner Rob Manfred.

The whole thing began when Manfred responded to questions about marketing Trout by suggesting Trout himself isn't interested in such efforts. The Angels came to Trout's defense, releasing a statement in which they applauded Trout's priorities. Trout himself then got involved. Here's what he said, courtesy of the Angels:

"I have received lots of questions about Commissioner Manfred's recent statement," Trout said. "I am not a petty guy and would really encourage everyone to just move forward. Everything is cool between the Commissioner and myself. End of story. I am ready to just play some baseball!"

To recap: Trout is not a petty person, everything is cool, and he just wants to play baseball, exclamation point. Fair enough.

You would think MLB could still find a way to market Trout, even without his direct involvement. Perhaps focusing on his accomplishments, his highlights, and his attitude -- everyone loves a diamond rat, especially when they're arguably the most talented player of all-time, right?

July 19, 2018 Page 32 of 33

Anyway, the regular season resumes on Thursday, meaning we can all get back to more important matters than the one at hand.

FROM THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

Baseball stadium, pro team for Pueblo up in air

By Anthony A. Mestas and Ryan Severance

Several local officials have confirmed that the owner of the Orem Owlz Minor League Baseball team — an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels — will not bring his team to Pueblo.

And while they say the project is over, a news release from Pueblo County Wednesday evening said there still is a chance the project will be finalized.

If the deal is finalized, the project would include Pueblo County building a $25 million multi-purpose stadium. The owner would not have to pay for any of the stadium costs.

The controversial project has drawn criticism, support and spirited debate for the past several months.

In one development, The Pueblo Chieftain obtained an email written Wednesday afternoon by Jerry Pacheco, director of the Pueblo Urban Renewal Authority, saying that the owner, Jeff Katofsky, is walking away from the project.

“It is with disappointment that I have to report that I have received word that the owner of the Orem Owlz, Jeff Katofsky, has declined to move forward with his plans to develop three hotels and will not move his team to Pueblo (into a new to-be-built stadium),” Pacheco wrote to officials involved in the project.

“I have been contacted by local media (The Pueblo Chieftain) and had to confirm that I did receive an email this morning that hinted at that fact.”

Pacheco said that subsequently, he learned that Pueblo County had been officially notified through formal channels.

“It will be up to Pueblo County to comment on the formal status of the project moving forward,” Pacheco wrote.

Pueblo County Commissioner Sal Pace, the main proponent of the project, would not speak with reporters about Katofsky’s decision Wednesday afternoon.

After the initial Chieftain report was published online, Pace in a texted message to a reporter later in the day said, “This project can happen. It also can die. There are (unnamed) people trying hard to kill it. These people are very committed to having no change or growth in Pueblo.

July 19, 2018 Page 33 of 33

“Let’s be very clear, these people are very close to succeeding again in their objective to prevent anything new from coming to Pueblo. In the meantime I’m going to keep working to make Pueblo a better community.”

Conversely, in the evening news release, Pace cited Katofsky’s emailed statement that “Pueblo has killed the deal.”

Pace also mentions his impressions from Wednesday talks with Katofsky that he’s taken “no formal position” on whether to continue the project.

According to Pacheco, though, the no-go letter issued by Katofsky was received by the project team Wednesday morning.

In it, Pacheco said Katofsky discusses his frustration about the way the project was progressing.

City Manager Sam Azad saw a copy of Katofsky’s letter and said there was a reference to the YES project now being in the same breath as the Walmart distribution center and the Budweiser plant — two Pueblo-area business projects that flamed out.

Katofsky did not immediately return phone calls from The Chieftain.

Katofsky announced his plans to relocate his team here last month.

On Wednesday, officials said Katofsky was frustrated over a request-for-proposal process to construct three hotels that he would have had to go through via a bidding process. City officials said Wednesday that two other hotel developers had expressed an interest in developing the police annex building site — which was one of the areas at which Katofsky wanted to build a hotel.

Part of the project included the construction of three privately developed hotels near the proposed site of the stadium as well as one near the Runyon Field Sports Complex.

In a letter from Azad that was requested by The Chieftain in a Colorado Open Records Act request, the city manager said the city charter requires that city surplus property “shall be sold to the highest bidder” under a “sealed bids” process.

“As city manager, I am required by the City Charter to following that procedure,” Azad wrote.

Azad said that he will ask the city’s purchasing agent to request an RFP for sale of the former police annex building.