Angels made a home opener decision that could backfire in a big way

Most members of the Los Angeles Angels’ leadership, other than general manager Perry Minasian, don't make many public appearances. And with good reason.

Between the Angels' ineptitude for over a decade, along with unpopular roster moves and payroll choices, fans don't exactly like the powers that be at the moment. So volunteering to get heckled mercilessly doesn't seem like a wise approach. That's why the Angels' decision to allow team president John Carpino to throw out the first pitcher for the home opener seems extremely odd.

Angels could have a PR disaster on their hands for the home opener

Every team's home opener is supposed to be a celebration. Fans finally get to see their hometown team after a long winter, and it's still early enough in the season to have optimism about their club's chances. In short, it is a good time for all and a bright spot during the season. But sending Carpino out to the mound seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

Owner Arte Moreno is very close with Carpino having worked together for two-plus decades, and it's possible that the president has always wanted to throw out the first pitch of a game — especially the home opener. Allowing a long-time employee have the honor right before retirement is a nice gesture.

But sending Carpino out in front of thousands of Angels fans is likely to result in a host of boos and...less than nice words being hurled his way.

This is the same team president who banned a reporter from a team-affiliated radio show because of negative coverage, vociferously defended the team's indefensible conduct surrounding Tyler Skaggs' death and support of Eric Kay, and is at the center of the Angels' backroom stadium deals with the city that are under investigation even today.

Angels fans may not remember all of those transgressions, but they will recall some of them, and they surely know how poorly the Angels' roster was supported even when they had both Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Carpino always seemed to try to limit bad optics, albeit in a ham-fisted sort of way. But it's going to be hard to hide fans' disdain and ridicule when 30,000-plus are on live TV letting him hear it.

Or they could just not announce who is throwing out the first pitch at the game itself. It isn't like fans are likely to recognize his face anyways.