Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout doesn't think a batter has to flip his bat to show his personality on the field.
Trout, 24, weighed in Wednesday after recent comments from Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper and Hall of Fame pitcher Goose Gossage regarding baseball's perceived lack of pizzazz.
"I just keep it the same," said Trout, according to the Los Angeles Times. "I don't try to show anybody up. Whatever somebody else does, that's what they do."
Harper, the reigning National League MVP, said in a recent interview with ESPN The Magazine that baseball is "a tired sport, because you can't express yourself. You can't do what people in other sports do. I'm not saying baseball is, you know, boring or anything like that, but it's the excitement of the young guys who are coming into the game now who have flair."
Harper said he has no problem with a pitcher showing emotion on the mound, and he wants that same latitude. Trout, a four-time All-Star and the 2014 American League MVP, doesn't see it that way.
Trout said he can often be found flipping the bat in "the batting cage and stuff," but that in a game situation, such behavior is out of bounds.
"During the game, I just hit the ball and go," Trout said.
Trout said bat flipping is "definitely" showing up the pitcher.
"As a pitcher, I'd be pretty upset," Trout said.
He's still got it
Barry Bonds hit 762 home runs during his 22-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. His career ended nine years ago, and Bonds, 51, was named the hitting coach for the Florida Marlins on Dec. 4.
Even at his age now, some might wonder whether Bonds can still hit. Judging from an impromptu batting practice challenge on the back fields of Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., on Wednesday, the answer was simple: yes.
"Barry Bonds just beat the Marlins players on a back field HR BP contest. Including Stanton," Craig Mish of SiriusXM's Fantasy Sports Radio tweeted.
Matt Monagan of MLB.com spoke with Mish, who confirmed Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich were part of the competition. Mish said Bonds hit at least four home runs and afterward, he told the rest of the group to "pick up the balls."
Joe Frisaro of MLB.com caught up with the group after the game, but was told it was more of a team runs contest -- Bonds, Stanton and Yelich vs. Miguel Rojas, Jeff Mathis and Chris Johnson.
"We keep it under wraps," Yelich told Frisaro. "We weren't having a home run derby. We were trying to make hard contact and get runs. It turned into who could score the most runs. If you hit a homer, it was a run."
Bonds hit the most, followed by Stanton and Yelich, leaving the others in awe.
"It was pretty impressive," Stanton said. "[Put] another 51-year-old out there, and he probably snaps his back in half. That was probably one of the coolest things we've done."
When Bonds was asked about his participation in the event, he simply responded, "No comment."
Sports quiz
Name the pitcher who gave up Barry Bonds' record-breaking 734th career home run.
Answer
Chris Capuano of the Milwaukee Brewers
Sports on 03/18/2016