It’s tough being a Los Angeles Angels beat reporter nowadays, evident by the conundrum facing MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez immediately after Mike Trout launched a walk-off home run against Koji Uehara on Friday night to lift the Halos to a 1-0 win over the Boston Red Sox.
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Gonzalez and others eventually found words, of course, though one certainly understands the struggle. After all, how many different ways can you really say, “he’s good.”
Trout is hands down the best player in Major League Baseball. He’s the face of the sport, even more so after winning his second consecutive All-Star Game MVP award this week. He’s the league’s most untouchable asset — FanGraphs’ Dave Cameron did an excellent job of breaking down Trout’s incredible trade value in relation to his peers. And he’s well on his way to becoming an all-time great.
Trout’s first four-plus seasons have been unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Yet, somehow, the reigning American League MVP continues to find new ways to amaze everyone, including his teammates.
“The simplest thing to say is he deserves all the credit that he gets,” Angels closer Huston Street told Gonzalez on Friday. “He’s one of those special players that comes around once in a lifetime.”
Kole Calhoun, who broke up Wade Miley’s no-hit bid Friday with a seventh-inning double, was almost rendered speechless by Trout’s clutch heroics in the Angels’ series-opening win. It’s almost laughable how far ahead of everyone else Trout is at just 23 years old.
“The kid is a joke, dude,” Calhoun told Gonzalez while shaking his head and smiling. “We needed a win. He did it. Period.”
Trout, as you’d expect, was all smiles while conducting a postgame interview on the field at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The four-time All-Star suggested he’s “just having fun” amid his success. His teammates seem to be enjoying themselves, too.
“If I was not a Major League Baseball player, I’d just try as hard as I could to trade for him in fantasy leagues,” Angels starter C.J. Wilson, who threw eight shutout innings, told reporters after the game. “He’s just really, really good.”
Miley tipped his cap after the game by referring to Trout as “the best in the game.” Twitter exploded with praise the second Trout made contact with Uehara’s 0-1 offering. Angels fans showered Trout with “MVP” chants as he rounded the bases and celebrated with his teammates.
It’s been a whirlwind week for Trout because of the All-Star festivities in Cincinnati. But naturally, he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
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“I don’t think you can find more accolades to talk about Mike Trout,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia told reporters. “He does so many things in so many different forms, whether it’s with his legs or his bat or anything.”
It’s becoming harder and harder to put Trout’s greatness into words, but Angels reporters and every other baseball follower will try to do so with each passing highlight. Just remember to enjoy the ride, even if Trout victimizes your team every now and then.
Thumbnail photo via Richard Mackson/USA TODAY Sports Images
