(Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
By now, it’s evident that the Los Angeles Angels are not exactly preachers of accountability.
They often dodge the difficult questions by reporters; those that may be uncomfortable to answer but that any organization that promotes freedom of speech and press should respond to.
This is usually something that starts at the top, from the ownership, and every sign points to this being the case with the Angels and Arte Moreno.
Even if a reporter wants to do something as simple as talking about a player struggling to play to the top of his abilities, the team is exercising censorship tactics.
“Here’s something Angels reporters are dealing with this season. Requests to speak with Angels coaches (aside from Nevin) are being pre-screened for potentially ‘negative’ lines of questioning. Requests are denied if possible questions are deemed too negative,” The Athletic’s Sam Blum tweeted.
Here’s something Angels reporters are dealing with this season.
Requests to speak with Angels coaches (aside from Nevin) are being pre-screened for potentially “negative” lines of questioning.
Requests are denied if possible questions are deemed too negative. pic.twitter.com/w6lljKcUgm
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) May 3, 2023
Blum explained that he wanted to talk to hitting coach Marcus Thames about Anthony Rendon, but was denied permission.
It’s puzzling, to say the least, but not completely unexpected.
Blum is seen as one of the most uncomfortable reporters by the Angels, because they don’t like to admit they have done some things wrong when it comes to player development, roster construction, coaches, and other things.
He is simply doing his job and is suffering the consequences for it.
He had been banned from the team-run “beat reporter roundtable” because he was no longer welcomed there.
This has to do with his reporting, exclusively, and that shouldn’t happen at the MLB level.
The league should definitely do something to intervene and guarantee that the press have access to every coach or manager they need to talk to.
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