Reported by Mike DiGiovanna
January 12, 2013, 2:40 p.m.

Angels center fielder Mike Trout has informed tournament organizers that he will not play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in March, Trout’s agent, Craig Landis, said Saturday.

Good decison in my opinion.

Spring training with the Angels is where he belongs.

Trout declined MLB The Show. You might as well also be saying the WBC snubbed him. He said no to both.

Exactly. Good for him.

Wasn't that where Juan Rivera broke his leg years ago?

He was never the same player afterwards.

No, he broke it in winter ball in Venezuela or something, not the WBC.

Okay, my mistake. Thanks for the correctiom. My memory failing me once again.

Yeah, those 40 at bats he'd have gotten in the WBC, rather than in spring training, are a huge risk. Trout is a fragile little snowflake, after all.

Yes he is and he is an Angel, not one of yours.

A solid rebuttal if I've ever heard one. Can always count on you.

I believe Juan Rivera broke his leg during winter ball.

Again, just my faulty memory. I knew what happened at the time. I forgot.

Boy your self portrait is sure ugly. You look like you beat your wife.

I also used to play an OK center field.

Maybe you didn't rate a solid rebuttal. Your comments are not warm and fuzzy or even friendly.

Nice post. Can see why you're so well liked on this board.

I really don't blame him. The WBC really isn't important. They try to make it this country against country event, but it's a poor attempt. Teams quickly put together, no coordination, no real effort. Kind of like the pick up games we played as kids. Who ever is available we'll make a team out of them.

Judging from the last two WBCs, there also appears to be a wide range of ability levels not only between teams, but between players on the same teams as well. Seriously, we're really suppose to believe this is the best each country has to offer?

Better to begin spring training, put forth your best effort to get ready to play for your team during the regular season when it actually means something.

I'm really not with you on this one.

The USA is not prepared for this, other countries are. The WBC is meaningless. Unless you are a pitcher, the odds of getting hurt are not very significant, however, the ramifications of getting hurt are immense.

Who cares if Trout doesn't play?

I don't care if he doesn't play. I've never said the WBC is The Ultimate in Baseball whatever -- just trying to talk people off the ledge about their favorite players getting 40 at bats or 20 innings in a few exhibition games. It's not a big deal.