ANAHEIM, CA – JULY 27: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim goes to bat agaisnt the Baltimore Orioles at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 27, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
We have further evidence that Mike Trout isn’t a robot
It takes a ton of nerve to ring up the arguable GOAT, three-time MVP and eight-time All-Star on a high strike call. Yet, Joakim Soria got the call from umpire Adam Hamari, clinching the A’s AL West win and cementing a staff shutout in the process.
Trout, normally stoic in every sense of the word, took a break from his baseball-mashing robotic ways to voice his discontent with the situation. The 28-year-old was visibly upset with Hamari, and it’s tough to blame him given the pitch-framing wasn’t even all that enticing.
Mike Trout displayed emotion after a high strike call to end the Angels rally
The pressure is on Trout and the Angels in 2020, having brought in Joe Maddon as to not waste his prime years. The American League postseason picture is rather wide open this season, especially with added playoff spots available and a shortened season to boot.
Trout is a rarity in modern sport, in that he’s undoubtedly the best player of his generation yet many general fans couldn’t pick him out of a lineup. That, hopefully, will change with MLB’s added marketing prowess and the Angels’ increased focus on winning while Trout is still in his prime seasons.