Trout leaving an impression on Angels
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The Angels were still talking Wednesday about Mike Trout’s two-home run game from the night before.
‘I don’t believe he’s only 20,’ said pitcher Jerome Williams. ‘How the [heck] did he do that? He hit a pitch that was on the ground.’
Two of them actually, with Trout reaching out to lift two low breaking pitches from Anthony Vasquez well over the left-field wall. At 20 years and 23 days, he is the youngest player in franchise history to have a multi-homer game.
Trout, the youngest player in the majors, was back in the lineup again Wednesday against reigning Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez.
‘He’s got an idea in the batter’s box,’ Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said.
More than an idea, apparently, with the Angels winning 14 of 17 games Trout has started.
‘He’s definitely contributed,’ Scioscia said.
Meanwhile the Texas Rangers, the team the Angels are chasing in the American League West race, made a couple of moves just hours before the deadline to set playoff rosters, acquiring left-handed reliever Mike Gonzalez from the Baltimore Orioles for a player to be named later and picking up catcher Matt Treanor from the Kansas City Royals for cash considerations.
In the last month the Rangers have added three premium relievers while the Angels, whose biggest question now is the bullpen according to Scioscia, have stood pat.
‘We can’t have our time consumed with thinking about what clubs are doing,’ Scioscia said. ‘Our team right here still has the opportunity to reach our goals. And that’s what we’re going to focus on. That’s the long and short of it. Right now we’re the best team we’ve been all year. And we’ll see where we end when we get through this pennant race.’
The lineups:
Angels SS -- Erick Aybar
2B -- Howie Kendrick
DH -- Bobby Abreu
RF -- Torii Hunter
1B -- Mark Trumbo
3B -- Alberto Callaspo
CF -- Peter Bourjos
LF -- Mike Trout
C -- Jeff Mathis
P -- Dan Haren
Seattle Mariners
DH -- Ichiro Suzuki
CF -- Franklin Gutierrez
2B -- Dustin Ackley
1B -- Mike Carp
C -- Miguel Olivo
3B -- Kyle Seager
RF -- Casper Wells
SS -- Brendan Ryan
LF -- Trayvon Robinson
P -- Felix Hernandez
MORE:
Mike Trout helps power Angels past Rangers, 13-6
Center fielder Peter Bourjos has sights set on winter ball
Left fielder Vernon Wells has been catalyst for Angels’ turnaround
-- Kevin Baxter reporting from Seattle