By Sam Bush
Philly area hero Mike Trout hails from Millville in south Jersey, and he’s a regular at the Linc for the Eagles games.
He players for the Los Angeles Angels, and he’s one of the best players in baseball.
Yesterday, he said he was not certain that he would play this summer, in part because he and his wife are expecting a child in August.
“Honestly, I still don’t feel that comfortable,” Trout told reporters about playing in the pandemic.
These have been for the most part wealthy, established players, and in each instance a question could be posed: Could another player with the same level of concern for his well-being, the same level of fear of the coronavirus and its multifarious consequences, but with less money and less job security, come to the same decision?
The coming weeks could show who feels empowered, and who feels handcuffed, in making the decision to prioritize safety.
“If you’re a player who’s made $30 million a year for the last three years, your ability to say ‘I’m not playing’ is different from the guy who’s been struggling for the last three years, is ready to play now in the big show, has debt coming out of his ears, and who needs to show his talent and get rewarded,” said Gene Orza, the former general counsel and chief operating officer for baseball’s players union. “Those are two completely different human beings.”
