Angels Implementing A No-Cell Phone Policy, And Anyone Who Doesn't Abide Has To Answer To Mike Trout
While the New York Yankees have entered the 21st century and have gotten rid of their long-time no-facial hair policy heading into the 2025 MLB season, the Los Angeles Angels have taken a step in the other direction.
Angels manager Ron Washington has implemented a no-cell phone policy in the clubhouse for the new campaign. By ‘in the clubhouse,’ that apparently includes the hallways entering the room.
"Now the rules have extended to the outside of the clubhouse," the 72-year-old Washington told The Athletic. "Right now, they are in the hallways in here (right outside of the team’s clubhouse). Now it’s going to be completely out of the godda-n clubhouse (building)."
"It is not punishment; I just want some focus."
Ron Washington doesn't want any cellphones in the Angels' clubhouse this season. Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The rule won't go away when the regular season begins, either, Washington is enforcing it for the entire campaign.
When it comes to actually enforcing it, well, Washington has called on veterans Mike Trout and Kyle Hendricks to be in charge of keeping cell phones out of the clubhouse.
"That clubhouse is for the veterans on this team to run it the way they want to run it," Washington explained. "We just dropped what we would like to have happen (with cellphones) and we want them to make certain it happens inside the clubhouse."
"I fit in it, too," Washington said. "If I’m outside (my office) in the clubhouse on the phone, I want them to ring my butt up, too."
Trout and Hendricks aren't just going to ask players who happen to whip out their phones in the clubhouse to put it away, either. It sounds like they may hit them where it hurts as Washington suggested that anyone who breaks the code could be fined $500.
While it may seem a little harsh to ask grown men to put their phones away, this is the Angels we're talking about, they have to try anything to get things rolling.
The Angels haven't played in a postseason game since the 2014 season and haven't won a playoff game since the 2009 campaign.