CINCINNATI, OH – AUGUST 06: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels jogs to first base after drawing a walk during a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 6, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds won 8-4. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Mike Trout was asked about the Houston Astros sign-stealing, and proceeded to rip the Angels’ AL West rivals.
No players from other teams are happy to know the Houston Astros went to the lengths they did to steal signs, and the criticism has extended to players not being punished for their roles in the scheme. If Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout knew what pitch was coming, we can shudder to think about the kind of numbers he’d put up.
Trout reported to spring training with other Angels’ position players on Monday, and naturally he was asked about the Astros’ sign-stealing. He started with MLB’s lack of punishment for the players involved, and acknowledged a loss of respect from some of them.
“They cheated … I don’t agree with the punishment … I lost respect for some of those guys.”
“Going up to the plate knowing what’s coming … that would be a lot of fun.”
Trout is the best player in baseball by most measures. But he’s also fairly reserved, and subdued to a level where he has drawn criticism for not drawing attention to himself and becoming the marketable star baseball needs.
So even if the criticism of the Astros is obvious and expected from across baseball, it’s nice to see Trout be out front and speak candidly on the issue and the impact of the rampant cheating. He also said some Astros’ players have reached out to him to explain and/or apologize.
Speaking more specifically on the assertion Astros second baseman Jose Altuve didn’t want his jersey ripped off after an ALCS-clinching home run last fall, due to his wife’s concerns or a bad, unfinished tattoo, Trout placed himself in that situation with no such modesty to be found.
The Angels and Astros open the 2020 season against each other in Houston on March 26.