Mike Trout is the Masked Face of Baseball

Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels have returned to practice. Trout primarily practiced with a mask on, reminding everyone that it's not that hard to do things while wearing one. While he takes precautions in Summer Training, he's still on the fence about whether or not he'll play this season. Trout's wife is currently pregnant with their first child.

Via the Orange County Register:

"“It’s going to come down to how safe it’ll be,” he said. “If there’s an outbreak or something happens in the next few weeks, I’ll have to reconsider. There are a lot of questions. I love baseball, but I have to do what’s right for my family. It’s a tough decision if something happens down the road. A lot of guys have questions."

Trout is not alone in that thinking. Not in America and not in baseball.

"“It’s a tough and crazy situation right now in the country and in the world. Nobody really knows or has the answers. I talk to my wife every night about this. I know I’m risking myself and that I could get this virus but it’s the last thing I want to do. I’ve talked to a lot of guys around the league and they’re texting me a lot and they’re all thinking the same thing. Is this going to work? We just have to stay as safe as we can.”"

Trout has already made more than $120 million in his career. If he skips this shortened season entirely, he still stands to make $370 million on his current deal with the Angels. Trout's family is taken care of right now. His financial future is also reasonably solid.

For eight consecutive seasons Trout has showed and given the Angels an MVP performance. If he's worried about letting down his teammates, he shouldn't be. He needs to do what is best for himself and his family and his teammates, who have to make the same decisions, should support him.

Even if Trout stays home thorugh the birth of his child, he could still return for the end of the season. Depending on when the kid is born, he could have half or a third of the season remaining and could give the team a big boost. Or they could be out of the playoff race completely and he could just stay home. Baseball will go on if it can and it will have nothing to do with what Mike Trout is doing.