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Angels laud Trout's brand of personal values after Manfred's marketing comments

Mike Lawrie / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Los Angeles Angels like Mike Trout just the way he is.

On Wednesday, one day after Rob Manfred's remarks regarding Trout's reluctance to participate in MLB marketing, the Angels released a statement lauding the 26-year-old's personal "brand" of "humility" and community work that appeared to be aimed squarely at the commissioner.

Manfred made waves on Tuesday when he stated that Trout - who has often shunned the spotlight and the chance for endorsement deals, perhaps due to his quiet nature as a person - needed to "make a decision to engage" the league in building his personal brand.

Related - Manfred: Trout 'has to make a decision to engage' in building his brand

"(Mike's) brand is built upon generously spending his time engaging with fans, both at home and on the road, while remaining a remarkable baseball player and teammate," the Angels wrote in part.

"... We applaud him for prioritizing his personal values over commercial self-promotion. That is rare in today's society and stands out as much as his extraordinary talent."

Trout himself chimed in later Wednesday with a short statement that indicated he didn't take issue with Manfred's comments.

MLB has received criticism in some circles for not properly marketing Trout, who has often drawn comparisons to the likes of Mickey Mantle since debuting in 2012. Trout himself has often chosen to leave the endorsements to other stars such as Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge.

Another factor hurting Trout's visibility with casual fans outside of Southern California might be the Angels' lack of on-field success. Since he arrived on the scene, the Angels have made the playoffs just once, and even then they were swept away by the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 division series.

"If Trout gets to the playoffs consistently, even if he doesn't win a World Series, people will know who he really is," former Angels outfielder Torii Hunter told Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times this week.

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