The Los Angeles Angels have gotten a resurgent season from Mike Trout, but a repeat isn't realistic.
The resurgent season of Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout was one of the best stories in baseball through the first three months of the season. It was heartwarming to see Trout make it back to the All-Star game, and it’s been fun to see him roaming his old haunts in center field.
His second half performance has raised some questions, though. Trout hasn’t slumped per se, but his performace has dropped off significantly, and that and his age means there will be legitimate questions about him going into next year.
They’re not serious performance questions, but they are about fit. Trout will be going into his age 36 season next year, and his power numbers are down slightly from when he was exclusively a DH. His contrct will be more of an albatross with each passing season, and the Angels will be looking to do a near-total rebuild among the position players.
Will the new GM want Trout full time in the outfield? He’s playing an excellent center field, but it would be unrealistic to think he’s going to have another completely healthy season. Would Trout be willing to accept a lesser role? That doesn’t seem likely given how pround he is, but he’s fighting time, and no one wins that battle. Players don’t win the battle against recurring injuries either, and that’s another battle Trout is going to lose.
His strengths are obvious. While his power is down slightly overall, his OBP is still excellent, and he remains dangerous. He’s also regained a lot of his lost speed, but for how long?
One thing we do know for sure is that Trout isn’t going anywhere, unless that happens voluntarily. He’s made the eminently clear, and if he was open to it this would have been the year to move him to a contender.
It’s a lot to figure out. Maybe the GM who gets to tackle it is interim GM John Mozeliak, or possibly his successor. There will be a new manager as well, and that’s yet another adjustment Trout will have to make.
In some ways this would be a good problem to have, but it’s complicated. The rebuild would be a lot cleaner if Trout was like most superstars if he simply wanted to finish his career with a contender, but that’s not the case. He’s Mike Trout, he’s unique, and he’s a blessing and a curse for the Angels with his solid play to go with a bad contract that pays him $36 million per season.
