Ron Washington Has BANNED The Angels From Using Their Cell Phones In The Locker Room And This For Sure Won't Backfire At All!
If you're buddies with someone on the Los Angeles Angels you better wrap up your text convos with them wayyy before their game starts because once they enter the clubhouse you won't be able to contact them. Manager Ron Washington has banned Angels players from using their cell phones while at their locker and in the clubhouse. Washington wants the guys to interact with each other more and bond a little better. If I know one thing, it's that an old school manager trying to micromanage his players in the lord's year of 2025 will not end well. A 72 year old tying to tell his 25 year old players that they can't use their phones while in the clubhouse just won't work, the players have said it's worked well so far but this will get old very quick. Reminds me of former Maryland football head coach Randy Edsall telling his players they couldn't wear earrings or hats inside the facility, that is the first step to getting a team to hate you.
There will even be fines for players who are seen on their phone in the clubhouse, Washington mentioned that he is included in that as well. If he's seen on his phone he'll get rung up with a fine. I think if you have to implement this kind of rule you've already lost the locker room. Nothing good will come from this and it for sure will just piss off the guys. Mike Trout can't sit at his locker and FaceTime his kids? Imagine you walk into your office and your boss has you handing over your cellphone as you enter, no shot the vibes would be good in there. Same goes for the clubhouse, this would just create a weird, forced environment in the clubhouse. What's next, going to make the guys do 2 truths and a lie as ice breakers to get to know each other? I just have a hard time thinking that telling superstars making MILLIONS of dollars that they can't be on their phone because you want guys to get to know their teammates a little more. These are grownups making more than their boss does, not kids in a classroom.
The Angels clubhouse resembling a middle school classroom is not a storyline I expected before Opening Day but here we are. I just imagine Tim Anderson hanging out in the bathroom listening to music and scrolling IG since he can't get fined in there. I get wanting to improve the culture of a team that has had awful vibes for years, but forcing grown ups to shut their phones off just won't work longterm. Imagine being a free agent and hearing about this, can't talk on the phone or text your family before the game? Yeah, I'm out. I'm sure this will be the move that puts them over the top and finally gets Mike Trout and company back to the playoffs!