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Mike Trout’s Electric Rookie Season Has Angels Fans Smiling Ear to Ear

Mike Trout has proven to be quite a catch for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Angels have had success with fishy players in the past, as Tim Salmon spent his entire 15-year career in Anaheim, hitting 299 home runs and winning a World Series in 2002.

But Trout could accomplish a lot more than that, especially if his rookie season is any indication. Trout is a lock to win American League Rookie of the Year — just as Salmon did 19 years ago — but he'll also be favored to win the AL MVP award as well. Trout, who recently celebrated his 21st birthday, leads the AL with a .340 batting average and 38 steals, and his .404 on-base percentage and .595 slugging percentage also rank in the league's top three.

The biggest question that remains is whether Trout will get his first taste of October baseball. The Angels are 1 1/2 games out of the AL's second wild card spot and have some work to do over the season's last month and a half if Trout is to play in the playoffs.