Joe Maddon is a Maniac for Not Knowing Where Mike Trout Will Bat Opening Day
By Jerry Trotta
Managing in the MLB is a tremendously laborious job, and yet, skippers are often quick to be met with venom from analysts and fans after the most trivial of missteps.
Some players, however, are so unbelievably great at what they do that they mitigate the aforementioned burden. That is exactly what makes Joe Maddon's recent claims on Mike Trout so impossible to comprehend.
Joe Maddon also said he hasn’t nailed down any spot in his lineup yet, including where Mike Trout will hit.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 13, 2020
Could Trout even bat leadoff? “It’s in the playbook,” Maddon said.
The fact that that isn't a misprint is really concerning.
Trout has held down the No. 2 spot in the Angels lineup for as long as we can remember, and the signing of Anthony Rendon in free agency shouldn't, in any way, shape, or form, change that.
The 28-year-old superstar is fresh off winning his third AL MVP award thanks to registering a 1.083 OPS, 45 home runs, 104 RBI, 110 runs scored, an 8.3 WAR, a .291/.438/.645 slash line, and 185 OPS+.
Statements from Joe Maddon and hitting coach Jeremy Reed on Mike Trout’s third AL MVP. pic.twitter.com/fOl30n7qHE
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) November 14, 2019
If Maddon is actually contemplating batting Trout leadoff, then the Angels' brass has every reason to speculate if the 66-year-old is cut out for the job.
It's as simple as that.