“We’re just witnessing him reach another level that we really didn’t know was there,” Angels GM Billy Eppler, who inherited Trout when the Angels hired him in October 2015, told me Tuesday, adding, “His experience and his maturity are helping him reach new levels of overall offensive contribution.” That sounds like a far-fetched claim to make about a player who already had a whole level to himself, but in Trout’s case, it’s true.Ī few hours after I talked to Eppler, Trout launched his major-league-leading 10th homer (and also walked twice) in the Angels’ one-run win over the division-rival Astros. But Trout has been the best for six seasons running, and now, not for the first time, he’s gotten better. That hype is healthy: We can make room in our hearts and minds for more than one major leaguer. Our eyes and ears are sensitive to change, and the sport always supplies someone new to demand our attention. Yes, Ohtani is exciting, and the Braves have called up top prospect Ronald Acuña, and Padres rookie Christian Villanueva has been the best hitter in baseball. Which is why we have to guard ourselves against the temptation to focus on other faces for too long without also returning to Trout’s. Trout has been churning out multi-hit games with such great regularity since 2012 that it sometimes seems as if there’s not much more to say about his personal performance. But Curry shouldn’t be blamed for focusing on the big day by Ohtani, the two-way, 23-year-old phenom, at the expense of the one-way, 26-year-old Trout. In fact, he helped the Angels as much as any player not named Ohtani, going 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk, and a stolen base, driving in two runs and scoring two more, and catching a couple of balls in the outfield. Lastly, Curry cited the Angels’ 7-3 record in their first 10 games and inquired, “How fun has it been to see what this team is able to do?” Trout confirmed that winning was, in fact, fun, speaking at only slightly greater length than he does for his latest endorsement deal.Ī fan tuning in for the conference in foul territory would not have known that Trout had contributed to the victory, too. “What has your relationship been like with Ohtani, helping him adjust to the big leagues?” Trout spouted several more clichés. “This morning Mike Scioscia compared Shohei to a young Mike Trout coming into the league,” Curry continued. Trout fired off a few forgettable platitudes. “What’s it been like as a teammate to watch him dominate and exceed all expectations?” she asked. The Angels had just beaten the A’s 6-1 behind a brilliant start by Shohei Ohtani, and two of Curry’s three questions for the team’s star center fielder revolved around the rookie. Seconds after the last out of an afternoon game on April 8, Fox Sports West reporter Alex Curry corralled Mike Trout in front of the home dugout at Angel Stadium and held a microphone up to his face.
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