Mike Trout is enjoying baseball again with Team USA, and the Los Angeles Angels should be worried

Mike Trout is having a blast playing baseball. But not for the Angels.

He’s the captain and center fielder for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.  And Team USA is very good.       Unlike his decade-long employer, the Angels, they win.

See Trout jump from the dugout for joy, salute his teammates, bounce around the bases.  The man is having the time of his baseball life.

“You know, this is the most fun I’ve had on a baseball field in a while,” he said. “This is — and you can ask anybody in there (the USA locker room) — it’s so fun. It’s awesome. This is awesome.”

He’s a little boy full of boundless joy.

He has toiled in Anaheim for these many years on clubs that rarely even see .500.  His teammates are either hurt or underperforming or both.

With the exception of Shohei Ohtani, the seventh wonder of the world, he is surrounded by mediocrity.

Now his teammates include Nolan Arenado, Mookie Betts, National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt and red-hot Trea Turner, formerly of the Dodgers.

Why wouldn’t Mr. Trout be loving it?

This is all great for fans of Mr. Trout — and there are legions of us — but the Angels might be shuddering.  How happy will their superstar be when he returns to a team that is long on promise and short on results?

The Angels have suffered seven consecutive losing seasons and in 2022 finished 33 games behind Houston in the American League West.

How you gonna keep him down on the farm?

Once you’ve flown first class, it’s hard to go back to coach!

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Numbers to keep in mind for 2023:

3: Wins needed by Clayton Kershaw to reach 200 for his career.  He has not pitched more than 130 innings the last two full seasons.

6: Wins by Justin Verlander to reach 250 for his career.

9: Saves for Kenley Jansen to reach 400 career saves.

12: Home runs by Giancarlo Stanton to reach 400.

97: Hits by Freddie Freeman to reach 2,000 for his career.

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Two-time All-Star pitcher Pete Richert and long-time manager and coach Tom Gamboa are the speakers at the next Hot Stove Luncheon on March 29 at Palm Valley Country Club. Cost is $30 for a buffet lunch.  The event starts at 11:45 a.m.

RSVP to Pete Donovan at pwdonovan22@yahoo.com.

Pete Donovan is a Palm Desert resident and former Los Angeles Times sports reporter. He can be reached at pwdonovan22@yahoo.com

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Mike Trout is enjoying baseball with Team USA, and Los Angeles Angels should be worried