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          Social media shows Mike Trout is everything that's right about baseball

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          Trout 'does as much as he can' to promote himself (0:30)

          Mike Trout responds to Rob Manfred's comments about promoting the Angels' star and discusses both him and Aaron Judge homering in the All-Star Game. (0:30)

          • Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff WriterJul 21, 2018, 02:20 PM ET
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              ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.
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          ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The strange back-and-forth between Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Angels over Mike Trout's popularity, or lack thereof, spawned something unexpected:

          Appreciation.

          In the days leading up to the Angels' first second-half game on Friday afternoon, Twitter lit up with fans sharing personal photos, videos and anecdotes relaying their unique interactions with Trout, the 26-year-old center fielder who is already considered one of the greatest players in baseball history.

          MLB commissioner Rob Manfred enraged some in the Angels' front office by suggesting -- innocuously, it seemed -- that Trout lacks fame because he is not "actively engaged" in his own marketability. The Angels followed with a strongly worded statement in which they praised Trout's "humility" and charitable endeavors, adding that "his brand is built upon generously spending his time engaging with fans."

          Then social media provided a multitude of examples.

          Eddie Matz, a senior writer for ESPN, shared a story of Trout plucking a random child out of the stands from Oriole Park at Camden Yards and hanging out with him throughout batting practice.

          Others resurfaced popular videos, like this one of Trout surprising a fan in the Angels' dugout.

          Or this one of Trout playing catch with another.

          AngelsWin, a popular blog run by Angels fans, started the hashtag "#MikeTroutMoments" for fans to share their own personal experiences and received an assortment of responses. One showed Trout delivering a surprise birthday message.

          Another showed him snapping selfies with sailors.

          Another showed him holding a crying baby.

          Trout, who released his own statement hoping to "just move forward," saw the posts.

          "It's cool," Trout said. "Obviously not a lot of people see it, but I take time every day. I make sure I do that. As a kid growing up, I could see myself being in the same shoes as that kid wanting an autograph or wanting to meet their favorite player. I think it's cool to put a smile on people's faces."

          Trout doesn't play for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs or Los Angeles Dodgers and has been to the playoffs only once, in 2014, when the Angels were swept out of the first round. His popularity doesn't come close to matching his outsize talent, but the fault doesn't really lie with anything outside of the Angels' level of success.

          Baseball in the modern age doesn't lend itself toward creating transcendent stars the way professional basketball and professional football do. Trout, as authentically straightforward as they come, doesn't really care for that anyway. But his constant interaction with kids -- most of it off camera -- should help baseball bridge the gap with a younger generation that eludes it, more so than any Q score would.

          Angels manager Mike Scioscia witnesses these interactions "every day."

          "Every day," Scioscia repeated. "He understands, I think, things that are important to fans that goes with a guy of his ability, and he's incredible at it. He's able to do things like that and still focus on playing the game. I think that's what it's all about."

          For proof, there's this video of Trout bonding with kids after a spring training game.

          And this picture taken before a regular-season contest.

          And this one, from a random afternoon.

          "I've always been doing it," Trout said. "It's for the fans. They come to the ballpark to see you, they spend a lot of money to see their team and their players, and I think it's pretty cool when you go out there and make a kid's day."