Los Angeles Angels: Mike Trout Is The Next Ken Griffey Jr, But Not In A Good Way
The Los Angeles Angels have one of the best talents to ever hit the baseball field and yet, they have nothing to show for it. Is there a better player in the game at the moment not named Mike Trout? Think back, how many players before him can we say were actually better? His talent is one of those rare finds that comes around once in a while but he’s not the first. The Seattle Mariners had such a force with Ken Griffey Jr and despite his power, speed, and marketability, he fell short of total greatness just as Trout is doing.
Griffey Jr entered the league looking to make a name for himself away from his father Ken Griffey Sr. Trout entered the league hoping to not be labeled as a bust. Both players produced but at a cost. The Mariners only made the playoffs twice in Griffey’s 13 seasons. While some may find that troubling, Trout has led the Angels to one appearance. As great as these players are, people were expecting more.
The thing with baseball is, it’s the ultimate team sport. There are times where Kobe Bryant can will the Los Angels Lakers to victory. The same can be said about Wayne Gretzky. But in baseball, it takes a total team effort. So why do we look at Ken Griffey Jr and Mike Trout and call them failures? Easy. When you wear that crown, you also take on that responsibility.
At the height of his career, Griffey was the ambassador of MLB. Look around today, the same can be said about Mike Trout.
Can The Los Angeles Angels Afford To Lose Mike Trout?
We know about the All-Star nods, the home runs, stolen bases and such but baseball is about winning. There was a time when no one thought Griffey would walk away from the Mariners. But like Barry Sanders and the Detroit Lions, the losing just became too much. How long will it be before Trout has enough with the constant losing in Los Angeles before he calls it quits?
After a great career in Seattle, Ken Griffey took his talents to Cincinnati and while he still possessed that awesome power and speed, the injury bug robbed him of a World Series. He could have chosen the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox but he wanted to come home. For that reason alone, the Angels should be worried. Trout becomes a free agent in 2021 but if the Los Angeles Angels realize they can get a cheaper and younger package, he may be moved before then.
If Trout were to play out his remaining years in Los Angeles, he will be 29 by the time he can make his own decision. In that case, the Yankees will be there as well as the other teams but it’s the Phillies who may have the best shot to land him. It’s no secret that Trout is a Philadelphia 76ers fan as well as the Philadelphia Eagles which forces one to wonder if he’s a fan of the Phillies as well, To be fair, he is a Jersey kid.
With that said, despite the huge numbers he’s putting up, there may come a time when he needs to move on and may choose home just as Griffey did over legacies.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
