Trout's passion, production energizes Angels in AL West race

By Robyn Norwood, Special for USA TODAY

6-4-2012

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The kid will go to the wall for the Los Angeles Angels. With exuberant rookie Mike Trout batting leadoff and running into fences to catch fly balls, the Angels are suddenly revitalized and closing in on the Texas Rangers in the American League West.

At 20, the gum-chewing outfielder with a buzz cut and straight-toothed grin is the majors' second-youngest player, behind Bryce Harper, the Washington Nationals' 19-year-old phenom.

And he has affected his club in a way Harper has not.

• MORE: Trout continuing to come through

In 33 games since being called up from Class AAA Salt Lake (Salt Lake City) on April 28, Trout is batting .318 with five home runs, 20 RBI, nine stolen bases and 23 runs.

Equally impressive: The Angels — who started 6-14 despite the signings of slugger Albert Pujols and pitcher C.J. Wilson — have gone 22-13 since Trout joined the team, winning 10 of their last 12 and pulling to 4½ games behind the Rangers after beating them twice in a weekend series. Trout had six hits in 13 at-bats, keying go-ahead rallies in wins Friday and Saturday.

Pujols, without a home run before Trout's arrival, ripped eight long balls in May. Mark Trumbo leads the team with a .331 average, and reliever Ernesto Frieri didn't
give up a hit in his first 14 appearances as an Angel.

But speedy Trout is setting the tone.

"I mean, he's been the difference, the way this team's turned around. There's a lot more energy," outfielderPeter Bourjos said. "He's like a kid out there playing. That's really the way it looks."

There's something about Trout — the grin, hand-clap celebrations and Pete Rosehustle combined with the athleticism to turn a double into a triple or make a face-first catch against the wall as he did last week against the New York Yankees' Nick Swisher.

"He made that catch, man, I was like, 'Trout, you all right?' " Bourjos said. "He didn't say anything, and then was like, 'Hell yeah, I'm all right.' It was like he'd made a catch diving into the pool or something."

Trout, 6-1 and 210 pounds, came up grinning.

"I always say if you're not having fun, something's messed up. So I'm always smiling, having a good time," he said.

Comparisons to Harper and mentions of Mickey Mantle— is it the game or the haircut? — give some pause, but manager Mike Scioscia said he wasn't paying attention.

"I think the real flattering thing would be, 25 years from now, people comparing youngsters who are very talented to Mike Trout," Scioscia said. "And I think he has the ability to be that kind of player."

With baseball's draft set to begin today, it raises a question: How did a talent like Trout last until the the 25th pick of the 2009 draft that was topped by No. 1 Stephen Strasburg?

Path to the majors

Some organizations prefer college players to high school kids, and in any case, Millville, N.J., isn't a regular stop on the baseball scouts' tour. It's also harder to see a player in a short Northeastern season.

"Mike's team probably played 18 games, and two or three got snowed out," said Eddie Bane, the Angels' scouting director at the time and now a scout with the Detroit Tigers.

The speed, though, was obvious. Bane saw Trout hit a high pop-up that was caught for an out; Trout standing on third base by the time the ball hit leather.

"I don't think people thought he would have the type of power he has," Bane said. "But you couldn't miss his makeup. You spend time with Jeff and Debbie, and you know he was brought up right."

Jeff Trout, who reached Class AA with the Minnesota Twins, is a teacher and assistant football coach at Millville Senior High. He let his son know the road could be long.

"I did caution him," Jeff said. "But he has a lot more talent. I was a 5-9, 185-pound grinder and didn't run that fast. I told him it is a marathon and not a sprint, not only in the microcosm of a season but a career."

Trout hit .220 in 40 games when he came up with the Angels last season and didn't make the team out of spring training this year.

He isn't the same type of player as Harper, the No. 1 pick in the draft a year after Trout was No. 25.

Harper, a 6-3 power hitter, had a book written about him and was on the cover of Sports Illustrated before making his big-league debut.

Harper intimidates with power. Trout intimidates with speed that makes fielders rush throws and pitchers mindful when he's on base.

When Harper and Trout played on the same Arizona Fall League team last year, Bane said he watched to see who the alpha dog would be. Trout and Harper became friends.

"We were supposed to be like the best team out there, but we struggled. We didn't win too many games," Trout said. "But we had fun. We bonded a little bit."

Friendly rivals, perhaps?

"Aw, nah. We're friends," Trout said. "I text him every once in a while, mess around with him. He's doing great. He's living the dream just like I am."

Impacting on many levels

Trout's play stirs the crowd in Anaheim.

Last month against the Toronto Blue Jays, a teenage girl held up a sign asking the rookie to go to the prom. Trout promptly homered.

More important, he is a catalyst. Since his arrival, on-base percentage for the leadoff spot has gone from .250 to .374. Pujols had no homers and four RBI in 20 games without Trout, eight and 25 with him.

"I've still got to take care of my job," said Pujols, who flied out with the bases loaded after a Trout seventh-inning RBI single in Sunday's 7-3 loss. "But obviously, when the guy gets on base a lot, he's giving you an opportunity to drive him in.

"He's playing the game the right way. That's who he is … a big laugh, nothing bothers him. It's impressive to see that in a 20-year-old. If he can stay healthy, he's going to be an incredible player."

Outfielder Torii Hunter shakes his head. Twenty isn't what it used to be.

"He can't rent a car, have a beer with his teammates. But man, this guy, he's very mature ," Hunter said.

"He does ask a lot of questions. Like, when you're in the car with your kid in the back seat, 'Are we there yet?'

"That's Trout to me. I'm happy to give an answer, because that's something I ought to do."

"Maybe he'll do the same for somebody 15 years from now."