“It is not punishment; I just want some focus.” The Angels’ manager Ron Washington’s route to develop players’ focus has created quite a stir among the MLB community. Why? Because of their 72-year-old manager’s latest rule of restricting the players from using their cell phones in the clubhouse. While Washington deserves credit for trying to overcome the mayhem of distracting cell phones in the clubhouse, its effectiveness is debatable. Well, a few insiders like the former Marlins’ president, David Samson have countered the regulation. Why so? Are the players not on the same page in the Angels’ clubhouse?
Well, this new regulation, though controversial, has found considerable support from a few Angels’ top names. Rookie Zach Neto and the veteran Mike Trout, supported it and considered it a chance to strengthen team ties, both on and off the field. Thus, a rebellion in the clubhouse over this rule might be overselling it. So has the 72-year-old manager of the Angels made a solid move this time?
Well, the Marlins’ ex-president, David Samson doesn’t think so! “Ron Washington is trying something so absurd that it is guaranteed to have exactly zero impact,” he said on his podcast “Nothing Personal with David Samson”.
While it is still not clear about how the entire Angels’ roster will react to the decision, a risk is there. There might be a notion about how the manager is trying to treat the grown-up players as children. Might be a lack of trust that will make a play here. However, even Samson acknowledged the menace of using phones during playtime, admitting: “Let me go back to all the years I spent in a clubhouse and all the frustrating moments I had with players on cell phones.” So, could this strategy of Washington be successful for the team in the long run?
Washington is confident with his decision
“You can use your phone when you come in, take it and you can leave the clubhouse and you can use your phone as much as you want,” said Washington. That proves his goal of keeping the clubhouse free of any external noise. For reference, under him, the Rangers earned a wild-card berth in 2012 after winning the AL pennant in consecutive years starting in 2010. He had implemented the same no-phone policy at the Rangers also. This proves that Washington’s strategy of bringing the players together proved fruitful before his stint with the Angels.
However, the Angels are yet to see Washington’s magic as a manager. Why? 2025 is going to be the second year for him as their manager. For the first time since 1999, the Angels finished last in the AL West with a 63-99 record last year. But now, Washington is trying to overhaul the club culture; he has suggested a $500 fine for the players not following the ban, and will have it enforced by two the the team’s own players. So will it offer any further advantage to the team?
“The guys are interacting more. I think the biggest thing we’re working on this year, just building that family chemistry, getting everybody on board,” Mike Trout said. So yes, things are going fine for now. Time will tell if his strategy is too old school for the current time or effective enough to make a noise. While there is no official rule of the MLB regarding the use of phones in the clubhouse, Washington’s restriction might bring better camaraderie among the players this time. Hence, all hope for this season is if Washington can make a turnaround.
Do you think Washington is smart enough with his no-phone use move? Let us know in the comments below.
The post “Zero Impact” – Marlins Ex-Prez Slams Angels’ “Absurd” Cell Phone Restriction Policy in Blunt Take appeared first on EssentiallySports.
