Rock Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Does Mike Trout ever stop? It sure doesn’t look that way.
The 21-year-old center fielder just keeps on truckin’ for the Los Angeles Angels, bringing the full weight of his considerable talents to bear at the plate and in center, where he made a remarkable, inning-ending catch in the sixth to rob the Houston Astros of a run.
After premature prognostications of Trout’s sophomore slump were all the rage in April and May, the young star has silenced his doubters and is on pace to hit 26 home runs, 105 RBIs, 49 doubles, and 12 triples in addition to stealing 40 bases on a .316 hitting average with .546 slugging percentage.
Wow.
Those numbers would constitute a career season for lesser players, though this season for Trout is overshadowed only by his rookie campaign. Still, the Angels are more than happy with what he has given them at the plate. Beyond the numbers, he always seems to be the one coming through with timely hits when the rest of the Angel offense is stalled.
It doesn’t stop there, however; whether starting in left field or moving over to center for the injured Peter Bourjos, Trout’s uncanny speed and outstanding athleticism have saved more than a few runs for Halos pitchers, as he did on Friday.
As long as Miguel Cabrera remains in the American League and continues his historic run of success at the plate, it is highly unlikely that Trout will win an MVP award any time soon. Still, the Angels will need all the star power they can muster if they are to climb back over .500 and into a playoff spot.
Tony Baker is a Los Angeles Angels blogger for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter at @tonloc_baker.
