Pham Calls Trout “the Worst Commissioner in Fantasy Sports” originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Sounds like Mike Trout is losing control of his fantasy football league.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Tommy Pham returned Tuesday following a three-game suspension he received for slapping San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson during batting practice over a fantasy football dispute in a high-stakes league where the Los Angeles Angels star serves as the commissioner.
“Trout did a terrible job, man,” Pham said with a laugh, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Trout is the worst commissioner in fantasy sports because he allowed a lot of [stuff] to go on, and he could’ve solved it all.”
Pederson was accused of cheating in what the Enquirer said was a $10,000 league after he placed a player listed as out in the injured reserved spot to pick up an additional player. The controversial move led to Pham dropping out of the league.
“We had rules to the IR,” Pham said Tuesday. “I know the ESPN app rules. We had our own individual rules.”
Pederson also confirmed that he sent a GIF in the league’s group chat making fun of the San Diego Padres, whom Pham played for last season, for missing the playoffs.
“[Pham] didn’t not like that and responded, ‘Joc, I don’t know you well enough to make any jokes like this,’” Pederson said. “So, then I wrote back, ‘Was meant to be all fun and games. No hard feelings, sorry if you took it that way.’ About two weeks later, after like Week 4 of 5, he ended up leaving the league. There’s been no communication since.”
That is until now, with the two continue to share their sides of the story through the media.
“Joc gave out half the story too, man,” Pham said. “I don’t like that… He’s sent a few. It’s more than one and I’ve got screenshots to prove it. He sent more than a few jokes aimed at me or the Padres. That was only one. There was about four or five.”
Pham was eligible to play Tuesday after the suspension but remained out of the lineup as a precaution due to left calf discomfort.
“Hand is good,” Pham joked, referencing what has become arguably the second-most famous slap of the year behind Will Smith and Chris Rock.
Nothing was done to stop it by Commissioner Trout, who might want to stick to running bases instead of running leagues.
Said Pham: “I don’t want to be the (bleeping) commissioner; I’ve got other (stuff) to do. (Trout) didn’t want to do it. We put it on him, so it’s kind of our fault too because we made him commissioner.”
