March 31, 2017 Page 1 of 25

Clips

(March 31, 2017)

March 31, 2017 Page 2 of 25

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

Kenta Maeda and Dodgers are sharp early but Angels rally late to win Freeway Series

opener

Blake Parker hopes to spend this season in the Angels' bullpen

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 6)

Angels edge Dodgers, Freeway Series streak continues

Ricky Nolasco to start for Angels on opening day in Oakland

Angels Notes: Tyler Skaggs says he’s ready after minor league tuneup

Finally healthy, Andrew Bailey finds comfort zone with Angels

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 10)

Angels tab Nolasco as Opening Day starter

Cron, Halos rally for Freeway Series win

Scioscia waiting to name OD starter, closer

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 14)

Nolasco gets opening day nod for Angels

FROM ESPN.COM (Page 15)

How can Mike Trout top Mike Trout?

FROM CBS SPORTS (Page 20)

List of upcoming MLB milestones: Pujols, Beltre nearing major benchmarks in 2017

FROM NBC SPORTS (Page 24)

Mike Trout has no interest in being a superstar

March 31, 2017 Page 3 of 25

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES .

Kenta Maeda and Dodgers are sharp early but Angels rally late to win Freeway Series opener

By Mike DiGiovanna

Dave Roberts made no attempt to conceal his grand plan for the Dodgers this season.

“Our expectations among ourselves,” the second-year manager said Thursday, “are to get to the World

Series and win it.”

The Dodgers have an ace who is capable of leading them there in Clayton Kershaw and another

potentially dominant left-hander in Rich Hill. Whether they have a championship-caliber rotation will

hinge on the middle and back of their starting group, spots currently held by Kenta Maeda, Brandon

McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu.

If his abbreviated outing in Thursday night’s 3-2 exhibition loss in Angel Stadium is any indication,

Maeda, the Japanese right-hander in his second season with the Dodgers, could be a difference-maker

in 2017.

Maeda needed only 29 pitches, 23 of them strikes, to zip through three perfect innings in which he

struck out four, including reigning American League most valuable player Mike Trout on three pitches, a

fastball, changeup and slider. He struck out C.J. Cron with a nasty split-fingered pitch in the second.

“I think I’m better prepared now,” Maeda, who went 16-11 with a 3.48 earned-run average last season,

said through an interpreter. “So I think I can have a better season than last year.”

Maeda, Ross Stripling and Luis Avilan combined to no-hit the Angels through six innings, but the Angels

broke through off Brandon Morrow in the seventh when Yunel Escobar singled to center, Trout doubled

off the wall in right, Albert Pujols walked, Cron lined a two-run single to left, and Cameron Maybin hit an

RBI single to center.

Angels starter Yusmeiro Petit gave up two hits in two scoreless innings, and Blake Parker, Mike Morin

and Austin Adams threw hitless relief innings.

The Dodgers scored an unearned run in the third when Enrique Hernandez reached on Escobar’s two-

base throwing error and scored on Andrew Toles’ double to right-center.

Reserve catcher Austin Barnes trimmed the deficit to 3-2 with a solo homer to left off Angels left-hander

Cody Ege in the ninth.

The Dodgers then threatened to tie or go ahead. They put runners on second and third when Franklin

Gutierrez was hit by a pitch and DJ Peters doubled to left. But Angels reliever Justin Miller got Scott Van

Slyke to ground to shortstop, ending the game.

March 31, 2017 Page 4 of 25

The Angels announced in the second inning that Ricky Nolasco would start Monday night’s season

opener in Oakland, a bit of a surprise considering Matt Shoemaker was in line to pitch Monday

and Garrett Richards, who started the 2017 opener, is considered the team’s best pitcher.

“Coming into camp, there were a number of guys we looked at,” Manager Mike Scioscia said.

“Considering how well Ricky is throwing the ball, how well he finished last year for us … I think Ricky will

handle the opening day hoopla and go out there and give us a good chance to win.”

It will mark the fourth career opening day start for Nolasco, a 34-year-old right-hander from Corona who

drew season-opening assignments for Miami in 2009 and 2013 and Minnesota in 2014.

“It’s a great honor, it means a lot,” Nolasco said. “I’m going to do everything I can to try to come home

with a win.”

Shoemaker will start the second game, and Richards, who will face the Dodgers on Friday night, will start

the third game. Tyler Skaggs is expected to start the fourth game, and Jesse Chavez will start the fifth.

The Angels announced after the game that reliever Huston Street, out since early March because of a

muscle strain in his upper back, was examined by a doctor Thursday and cleared to resume throwing “in

a couple of days,” Scioscia said.

Blake Parker hopes to spend this season in the Angels' bullpen

By Mike DiGiovanna

Blake Parker appeared to have a whirlwind of an off-season, at least in the eyes of his friends who are

not familiar with baseball’s transaction wire.

The 31-year-old reliever was designated for assignment three times in 2 1/2 months. He was claimed by

the Angels from the New York Yankees on Oct. 5, by Milwaukee from the Angels on Nov. 23 and by the

Angels from the Brewers on Dec. 23.

“People ask me how it is going from team to team,” said Parker, who lives in Fayetteville, Ark. “I tell

them, I’ve been sitting on my couch the whole time, so it’s really not that big of a problem.”

Parker hopes to have a more permanent address and employer this season, preferably in Anaheim with

the Angels.

The right-hander put himself in a good position to do so with a dominant Cactus League performance in

which he gave up only one earned run in 10 games for an 0.87 ERA, striking out 18 — including the last

11 batters he faced in Arizona — and walking two in 10 1/3 innings.

It wasn’t just the numbers that impressed the Angels. It was the velocity of what Manager Mike Scioscia

called his “sneaky-fast” fastball, which sat in the 94-mph range, and the sharpness of his curve and split-

fingered fastball, pitches that can be difficult to snap off in the dry air of Arizona.

March 31, 2017 Page 5 of 25

“He’s developed some really solid out pitches to go with good fastball command,” Scioscia said. “And in

Arizona, if you see a split or a curve that is really sharp, you know a guy is throwing a quality pitch,

because it’s tougher to get your stuff to look crisp there.”

Parker, in his 11th professional season, has appeared in 91 major league games with the Chicago Cubs,

Seattle Mariners and Yankees, going 3-3 with a 3.87 ERA, 100 strikeouts and 33 walks in 90 2/3 innings.

He appeared in 16 games for the Yankees last season, with a 4.96 ERA in 16 1/3 innings.

Parker, signed to a minor league contract, entered the Freeway Series as one of six right-handers in the

running for three bullpen spots, a competition that includes Bud Norris, Mike Morin, Yusmeiro Petit,

Kirby Yates and Austin Adams.

“That’s the goal every year,” Parker said, “to try to show you’ve been working hard in the off-season to

get to a place where you can make an impact early in the season.”

If he doesn’t make the team, Parker probably will pitch at triple-A Salt Lake. The decision is expected to

go down to the wire.

“There’s a number of guys in our bullpen who have certainly put their best foot forward, and Blake is

one of them; this guy has really pitched well,” Scioscia said. “As we get down to these final decisions,

that’s all a player can do is perform.”

Final tuneup

While the Angels returned to Southern California to play the Dodgers on Thursday, Tyler Skaggs, who

missed all of 2015 because of elbow surgery and much of 2016 because of a shoulder injury, remained in

Arizona to pitch in the controlled environment of a minor league game.

Skaggs threw 92 pitches over five-plus innings against San Francisco’s triple-A team, giving up five runs

and eight hits, including a two-run homer to Kyle Blanks, striking out four and walking two. His fastball

ranged from 87-93 mph.

Barring a setback over the weekend, Skaggs is expected to open the season in the fourth or fifth rotation

spot.

Short hop

Andrelton Simmons sat out his fourth straight game because of soreness on the left side of his lower

back, but the shortstop expects to play Friday night and be ready for Monday night’s season opener. “If

this was the regular season, I’d be playing, 100%,” Simmons said. “You wouldn’t even know about it.”

March 31, 2017 Page 6 of 25

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER .

Angels edge Dodgers, Freeway Series streak continues

By J.P. Hoornstra

ANAHEIM – Opening day for the Angels is Monday. The Rally Monkey is ready now.

Hitless through six innings at Angel Stadium, the Angels rallied for three runs in the seventh inning of a

3-2 victory over the Dodgers. The win extended the Angels’ Freeway Series winning streak at home to

14-0-2 dating to 2004.

Yunel Escobar’s single against Brandon Morrow to lead off the seventh inning was the Angels’ first hit

of the game. Mike Trout doubled with one out, sending Escobar to third, and Morrow walked Albert

Pujols to load the bases.

A double by C.J. Cron scored Trout and Escobar to give the Angels a 2-1 lead. Rey Navarro, pinch-

running for Pujols, scored on a Cameron Maybin single to make it 3-1.

That was the end of the line for Morrow, a veteran right-hander who was ticketed for Triple-A earlier

this week. He was charged with three runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda (three innings), Ross Stripling (two) and Luis Avilan (one) combined to

strike out five batters and walk one without allowing a hit.

Eight Angels pitchers limited the Dodgers to five hits and one earned run. Yusmeiro Petit started and

threw two scoreless innings. He is slotted for a swingman role, beginning the season in the bullpen but

capable of stepping into the rotation as needed.

“I can throw a couple innings; emergency starter,” said Petit, who allowed one run in 14 spring innings.

“That’s normal for me. Multiple innings in the bullpen, back to back days. I’m ready for that.”

Austin Barnes hit a solo home run against left-hander Cody Ege in the ninth inning, cutting the Dodgers’

deficit to 3-2. Ege then hit pinch-hitter Franklin Gutierrez with a pitch.

Justin Miller relieved Ege and allowed a double to D.J. Peters, a minor leaguer in his first spring

training. With runners at second and third, Miller got Scott Van Slyke to ground out to end the game.

The Dodgers opened the scoring tie in the third inning when Kiké Hernandez reached base on a wild

throw from Escobar, then scored on a double by Andrew Toles against Angels pitcher Kirby Yates.

Toles finished 2 for 4 with an RBI.

March 31, 2017 Page 7 of 25

Ricky Nolasco to start for Angels on opening day in Oakland

By J.P. Hoornstra

ANAHEIM – Opening day starts are old hat for Ricky Nolasco. When he gets the ball for the Angels’ first

game of the regular season on Monday night in Oakland, it will be the fourth time he’s done so in a

career that began in 2006.

“I think anybody, it would mean a lot to them,” Nolasco said Thursday, when the Angels finally

revealed the order of their rotation to begin the season.

The decision to go with Nolasco – not Garrett Richards or Matt Shoemaker – did not happen overnight.

But just as Nolasco nonchalantly referred to his first start as “one of 34,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia

easily rattled off the reasons behind his choice.

“Coming into camp, I think there’s a number of guys that we looked at,” Scioscia said. “As we got

through camp and considering how well Ricky’s throwing the ball, how well he finished last year for us,

where Shoe was and Garrett coming back from his (elbow) injury, I think Ricky will handle the opening

day hoopla. I think he’ll go out there and give us a chance to win.”

Nolasco, 34, went 1-1 in four spring training starts. The right-hander allowed six runs in 15-1/3 Cactus

League innings, good for a 3.52 ERA, walked three batters and struck out 10.

Nolasco is 108-103 in 297 career games (279 starts), including 11 starts for the Angels since he was

acquired from the Twins last August. He started opening day of the 2014 season for the Minnesota

Twins, and in 2009 and 2013 for the Miami Marlins.

Shoemaker and Richards will follow Nolasco against the A’s in games two and three, respectively. Jesse

Chavez will start the Angels’ home opener April 7, the first game of a three-game series against the

Seattle Mariners.

Tyler Skaggs is lined up to take the other slot and start April 6 in Oakland, but Angels manager Mike

Scioscia said he’ll wait “a day or two” to etch Skaggs’ name in stone. Skaggs missed a start earlier this

month because of shoulder fatigue. Thursday, he threw 90 pitches in a Triple-A game against the San

Francisco Giants.

“We’re going to follow Tyler very closely in the next couple days, but the workout he had today is

definitely indicative of a guy that should be able to fall into our rotation, but we’re not going to make

that determination for another day or two,” Scioscia said.

Richards started for the Angels on opening day of the 2016 season.

March 31, 2017 Page 8 of 25

Angels Notes: Tyler Skaggs says he’s ready after minor league tuneup

By Jeff Fletcher

TEMPE, Ariz. — Tyler Skaggs hopes he answered any questions the Angels had about his readiness for

the season.

After he threw 92 pitches in a minor league game on Thursday, Skaggs had little doubt: “I feel ready to

go … I felt great. My arm feels great. My body feels good.”

Facing the San Francisco Giants in a Triple-A game, Skaggs got over 90 pitches and faced three batters

in the sixth inning, meeting the benchmarks the Angels had set for him. His fastball was 90-93 mph, his

normal velocity.

He gave up five runs on eight hits, although two were infield hits and a third was a catchable fly ball .

Two runs scored on a homer by journeyman major leaguer Kyle Blanks.

Skaggs struck out four and walked two.

“I’m not reading too much into the runs or hits because not many balls were hit hard,” he said.

The Angels announced four-fifths of their starting rotation on Thursday night. Skaggs was not

announced to start the April 6 game in Oakland, but presuming Manager Mike Scioscia and the

coaching staff like what they see in the following days, it seems likely he will make that start. Skaggs

missed a start earlier in the month because of shoulder fatigue.

Skaggs insisted all along that there was nothing wrong, but he nonetheless did not get the same

workload as the other starters, who each reached the 90-pitch mark in Arizona.

Skaggs had been expecting to pitch Thursday night against the Dodgers at Angel Stadium, but the

minor league outing instead provided the opportunity for the Angels to control the workload and

ensure he would get to around 90 pitches and six innings.

The Giants’ Triple-A team worked him much harder than the Class-A players he faced in a 50-pitch,

four-inning minor league game earlier in the month. Skaggs needed 24 pitches to get through the first,

even though he allowed just one infield hit and faced just four batters.

In the second, they ended the inning with two outs because Skaggs had already thrown 18 pitches to

four hitters, with a walk and an infield hit.

He began the sixth with 85 pitches and gave up a double on a catchable fly ball, then the Banks homer,

then another double.

ALSO

After meeting with a doctor on Thursday, Huston Street will start throwing "in a couple days," Angels

manager Mike Scioscia said. Street, who began spring training in a battle for the closer's job, hadn't

March 31, 2017 Page 9 of 25

thrown since straining a lat muscle in a Cactus League game on March 3. He will begin the season on

the 10-day disabled list. ... Andrelton Simmons was held out of the Angels’ lineup with back tightness.

Scioscia said the shortstop is a candidate to play Friday.

Staff writer J.P. Hoornstra contributed to this notebook.

Finally healthy, Andrew Bailey finds comfort zone with Angels

By Jeff Fletcher

TEMPE, Ariz. – Andrew Bailey finally enjoyed a nice boring spring training.

He wasn’t fighting the pain in his shoulder or the doubts about his career.

Asked when he last entered a spring feeling so comfortable, Bailey said: “It’s been a long time.

Probably 2013, in Boston.”

Four years, two teams and one major shoulder surgery later, Bailey has a guaranteed major league deal

with the Angels and was one of the few relievers in camp who knew he had a spot on the opening day

roster.

“It’s been a nice change,” he said. “Once I had surgery, you don’t really know where your career is

going to go. It is going to be over? Especially with the surgery I had.”

Bailey, a former Rookie of the Year and All-Star with the Oakland A’s, was traded to Boston prior to the

2012 season. He tore a ligament in his thumb in 2012, and in 2013 he blew out his shoulder. While

modern sports medicine has taught us that elbow surgeries – even the complex procedure known as

Tommy John surgery – have a high rate of success, the shoulder remains much trickier.

Shoulder surgeries for pitchers are rarely routine, and Bailey’s shoulder required an anterior capsule

repair with a cleanup of his labrum and rotator cuff. He was told the rehab would be 18 months to two

years, with no guarantee of ever pitching again in the majors.

Bailey rehabbed with the Red Sox and then the New York Yankees, barely returning to the big leagues

for 8-2/3 innings in 2015. He said it wasn’t until last year, with the Philadelphia Phillies, that he finally

felt right again.

“Last year, going into he spring, I was still grinding a little bit, but I felt great,” he said. “Throughout

that season, it just got better and better.”

Unfortunately, when his shoulder was feeling good, he injured his hamstring covering first. The Phillies

released him in August.

Angels general manager Billy Eppler, who was in New York when the Yankees signed Bailey, gave him a

call and a shot at Triple-A. That’s where Bailey said he really started turning things around.

March 31, 2017 Page 10 of 25

“Throwing the ball the way I was, it was probably the happiest I’d been in a while, even though I was in

Triple-A,” he said.

Simply pitching without thinking about his shoulder with every throw made a huge difference, he said.

“Just the relief of not saying to yourself ‘How did that feel? How did that feel?” he said. “There’s a lot

to be said about that.”

In September, Bailey got the call to the majors, and he quickly became the closer, with both Huston

Street and Cam Bedrosian on the disabled list. Bailey posted a 2.38 ERA in 12 games, with six saves.

“It meant a lot,” he said. “Just going through the struggles I went through for parts of three years, it

grinds on you. To have things click and have success and sustain it over that time ... having that success

just reassured me I can compete.”

Bailey then re-signed with the Angels – a one-year, $1 million deal – and he was again in a competition.

Because of Street’s difficult season last year, and Bedrosian’s inexperience at closing, the Angels

opened spring with a three-way battle among those two and Bailey for the closer job. Street is going to

start the season on the disabled list because of a strained lat, and Bedrosian hasn’t allowed a run yet

this spring, which leads to the assumption that Bedrosian will be the closer.

Still, Bailey performed well. He allowed four runs in one game early in the spring, and then nothing in

his final six innings in Arizona. He still wants to close again, sometime.

“If you ask anybody, they want to be the closer,” he said. “I have done it in the past. If I was to say no, I

wouldn’t have the passion to pitch any more.”

FROM ANGELS.COM .

Angels tab Nolasco as Opening Day starter

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels' Opening Day starter mystery finally ended Thursday when the club announced

that veteran right-hander Ricky Nolasco will start against the A's in Monday's regular-series opener in

Oakland.

Nolasco, who was acquired along with Alex Meyer from the Twins in the Hector Santiago trade last

season, pitched well after landing in Anaheim, posting a 3.21 ERA over 11 starts for the Angels. The 34-

year-old right-hander continued to build off that success this spring, recording a solid 3.52 ERA over four

Cactus League starts.

Nolasco will be making his fourth career Opening Day start. He previously had the distinction for the

Marlins and the Twins.

March 31, 2017 Page 11 of 25

"Obviously, it's a great honor," Nolasco said following the Angels' 3-2 win over the Dodgers at Angel

Stadium. "Now I get to go out there and try to do everything I can to come home with a win."

Nolasco isn't the conventional choice to get the Opening Day nod, which is traditionally awarded to a

club's best pitcher. But Garrett Richards is coming off stem-cell therapy to treat a damaged ulnar

collateral ligament and will face workload restrictions in his first season back from injury. Matt

Shoemaker, the Angels' steadiest pitcher in 2016, also saw his season end prematurely after being hit on

the head by a line drive in September and recorded a 5.29 ERA in five Cactus League starts this spring.

"Coming into camp, I think there's a number of guys that we looked at," manager Mike Scioscia said.

"But as we got through camp and considering how well Ricky is throwing the ball, how well he finished

last year for us, where Shoe was and [with] Garrett coming back from his injury, I think Ricky will handle

the Opening Day hoopla and go out there and hopefully give us a good chance to win."

Nolasco will face the A's on five days' rest, with everyone else in the rotation also receiving one extra

day of rest. He will be followed by Shoemaker on Tuesday and Richards on Wednesday. The Angels have

not named a starter for next Thursday's series finale -- it will likely be Tyler Skaggs, but the Halos are

waiting to see how he comes out of the Minor League start he made on Thursday against the Giants

before deciding.

Skaggs, who missed a start earlier this spring due to shoulder fatigue, threw 92 pitches over five-plus

innings Thursday in Tempe. If he's unable to pitch next week, JC Ramirez could slide into the rotation

and start in his place.

"I think we're going to follow Tyler very closely in the next couple of days," Scioscia said. "But I think the

workout he had today is definitely indicative of a guy that should be ready to go and hopefully will fold

into our rotation. We're not going to make that determination for a day or two yet. We'll keep that one

open for now."

Jesse Chavez is currently slated to pitch against the Mariners in the April 7 home opener at Angel

Stadium.

Cron, Halos rally for Freeway Series win

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- After being held hitless through six innings, the Angels rallied for three runs in the seventh

and beat the Dodgers, 3-2, in the opening game of the Freeway Series on Thursday night at Angel

Stadium.

Yunel Escobar sparked the comeback and broke up the Dodgers' no-hitter with a leadoff single

off Brandon Morrow in the seventh. Mike Trout and Albert Pujolsfollowed with a double and a walk,

respectively, to load the bases, setting up C.J. Cron's two-run, go-ahead double to left field. The Angels

pushed their lead to 3-1 onCameron Maybin's subsequent RBI single.

March 31, 2017 Page 12 of 25

Andrew Toles put the Dodgers on the board, 1-0, in the third inning by knocking in Enrique

Hernandez from third with an RBI double off Angels reliever Kirby Yates. Hernandez reached second on a

throwing error from Escobar and advanced to third on Logan Forsythe's flyout.

Angels right-hander Yusmeiro Petit tossed two scoreless innings, allowing two hits with one strikeout.

Petit earned a spot on the Opening Day roster earlier this week and is projected to work as a multi-

inning reliever out of the bullpen.

"I was happy because I know there are a lot of pitchers here," Petit said. "I'm thankful for the

opportunity from the team. I know that I can help in the bullpen, so I'm ready for that."

Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda was sharp in his final tuneup of the spring, firing three perfect innings.

Maeda, the club's No. 2 starter, recorded four strikeouts to go along with four groundouts.

"I wanted to have a strong finish to this Spring Training and make sure all my pitches were working

pretty well, making sure I have all the feel for all my pitches," Maeda said through a translator. "I was

able to do that."

In his second season with the Dodgers, Maeda ended the spring with a 3.00 ERA over five starts, with 15

strikeouts across 15 innings.

"I feel like I really settled down this year compared to last year," said Maeda, who finished third in

National League Rookie of the Year voting. "So I'm pretty happy."

Austin Barnes had a solo home run in the ninth inning for the Dodgers, cutting the lead to 3-2.

Barnes, named the Dodgers' backup catcher before the game, caught the final two innings and hit a solo

home run to left in the ninth. It was Barnes' third homer of the spring. He does not have a homer in 61

career at-bats in the Majors.

"To see him get in there late and spell [Yasmani Grandal] and put a good at-bat together and hit a

homer, I know that's really good for his confidence," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

Angels right-hander Blake Parker, who is fighting for a relief job, struck out the side in the fourth,

lowering his spring ERA to 0.79. Each of his last 14 outs has now come via strikeout.

"There's a number of guys in our bullpen who have certainly put their best foot forward, and Blake is

one of them," manager Mike Scioscia said before the game. "This guy has really pitched well. As we get

down to these final decisions, that's all a player can do is perform."

Ross Stripling followed Maeda with two hitless innings and Luis Avilan worked a 1-2-3 frame before the

Angels' offense came to life with Morrow on the mound. Closer Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless

eighth.

March 31, 2017 Page 13 of 25

Dodgers Up Next: Rich Hill gets the ball for the Dodgers on Friday night against the Angels in Game 2 of

the Freeway Series at Angel Stadium. The left-hander is lined up as the club's third starter. First pitch is

set for 7:07 p.m. PT in a game televised free on MLB.TV.

Angels Up Next: Right-hander Garrett Richards will take the mound for the Angels on Friday night in

Game 2 of the Freeway Series at Angel Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. PT in a game

televised free on MLB.TV.

Halos encouraged with Skaggs' Minors outing

By Maria Guardado / Special to MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Angels left-hander Tyler Skaggs passed his final test of the spring Thursday, pitching five-

plus innings in a Triple-A game against the Giants in Tempe, Ariz.

Skaggs allowed five runs on eight hits while striking out four and walking two in the 92-pitch outing.

"He threw the ball very well," manager Mike Scioscia said before the Angels faced the Dodgers in the

Freeway Series opener at Angel Stadium. "He got up to 90 pitches. If he comes out of it well, we'll have

some information moving forward."

Skaggs was lined up to start against the Dodgers, but the Angels decided to have him stay in Arizona and

throw in a Minor League game to elevate his pitch count in a more controlled setting.

The 25-year-old missed a start earlier this spring due to shoulder weakness, and continuing uncertainty

over his readiness for the start of the season was likely one of the reasons the Angels still have not

disclosed the order of their rotation for their opening series against the A's beginning Monday.

Scioscia said the Halos have settled on an Opening Day starter and will officially name him by Friday at

the latest. Right-handers Matt Shoemaker and Ricky Nolasco are the two most logical options and

appear lined up to pitch in the first two games in Oakland.

Nolasco could start the opener on five days' rest, with everyone else in the rotation also benefiting from

one extra day of rest. Shoemaker, the Angels' steadiest pitcher in 2016, could face the A's on normal

rest, though his selection would mean Nolasco would receive a full week between outings.

Worth noting

• Shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who has not played since March 25, remains sidelined with lower back

stiffness. Simmons had hoped to be back in the lineup Thursday, but he said the Angels are continuing to

play it safe. He is targeting a Friday return.

"He feels much better," Scioscia said. "He'll work out today [Thursday] and hopefully be ready to play

tomorrow."

March 31, 2017 Page 14 of 25

• Right-hander Huston Street was examined by team doctors Thursday and is expected to resume

throwing in a few days. Street has been out since March 3 with a right lat strain and might not be ready

to rejoin the Angels until late April.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nolasco gets opening day nod for Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Ricky Nolasco has pitched nearly 300 major league games, and he's had a good

spring. That resume earned the right-hander a prime spot in the Angels rotation.

Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia named Nolasco the Angels' opening day starter after a 3-2 win over

the Dodgers in the Freeway Series opener Thursday night.

''There are a number of guys we could have chosen,'' Scioscia said. ''But looking at how he finished last

year and how well he's been pitching for us, I think Ricky can handle the opening day hoopla and give us

a chance to win.''

The Angels lacked a defined ace, but Nolasco has already made three opening day starts in his 11-year

career.

Still, he's 108-103 with a 4.52 ERA. After coming to the Angels in a trade-deadline deal last season, he

went 4-6 in 11 starts but with a 3.21 ERA. He went 1-1 with a 3.52 ERA in four spring appearances to

earn the opening day honor.

''It would mean a lot to anyone,'' Nolasco said. ''But it's one start in 34. I'll be mentally focused.''

The Angels did not appear focused at the plate early against the Dodgers. Kenta Maeda, Ross Stripling

and Luis Avilan combined to hold the Angels hitless through six innings.

But they put together three runs on four hits and a walk in the seventh. Yunel Escobar led off with a

single against Brandon Morrow, and C.J. Cron later singled in a pair to make it 2-1. Cameron Maybin

added an RBI single.

The Dodgers opened the scoring with an unearned run in the third after third baseman Escobar threw

away Enrique Hernandez's grounder for a two-base error. Hernandez scored on Andrew Toles' double.

The Dodgers' Austin Barnes smacked a solo homer in the ninth inning.

Angels reliever Blake Parker, a 31-year-old journeyman, struck out the side in the fourth. His last 14 outs

have come via strikeout.

ROSTER UPDATE

March 31, 2017 Page 15 of 25

Dodgers: Completed their roster for opening day by optioning IF Chris Taylor, OF Trayce Thompson and

LHP Julio Urias, and reassigning C Bobby Wilson to the minors. That means Hernandez and OF Scott Van

Slyke are the final two players to make the club.

Angels: The rest of the rotation: RHP Matt Shoemaker, RHP Garrett Richards, RHP Jesse Chavez and one

yet to be announced. ... LHP Tyler Skaggs, who missed 2015 following elbow surgery and most of last

season with a shoulder injury, threw five innings in a Triple-A game against the Giants. He allowed five

runs and eight hits, striking out four and walking two. He is expected to be Los Angeles' fourth starter.

MAEDA SHARP

The right-hander threw three perfect innings for the Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts is confident the

former Japanese star can improve upon his 16-11 rookie season. Said Roberts: ''Last year was a learning

experience for all of us. But I think in his second year he can only get better.''

STREET EXAMINED

Huston Street, hoping to reclaim is closer role this spring, instead strained a back muscle (right

latissimus dorsi) in his first game and was shut down. He was re-examined Thursday after the Angels

returned to Anaheim. Said Scioscia: ''We expect he can pick up a baseball and start throwing in a couple

of days.''

UP NEXT

Dodgers: LHP Rich Hill will try to finish strong following a poor spring in the second game of the Freeway

Series on Friday in Anaheim. Hill, who said he never has a good spring, is 0-2 with an 8.03 ERA in five

previous games.

Angels: Richards continues his unusual return from an elbow injury. Richards (0-1, 6.48) injured his ulnar

collateral ligament, but instead of opting for the traditional Tommy John surgery, had the elbow

regenerated using his own stem cells.

FROM ESPN.COM

How can Mike Trout top Mike Trout?

By David Schoenfield / ESPN Senior Writer

Another Mike Trout article? Didn't Jeff Sullivan just recently ask if anyone can have a better season than

Mike Trout? Yes. But did writers stop writing about Willie Mays in 1958? No, they did not.

With help from Dan Szymborski's ZiPS system, we projected the odds of the Los Angeles Angels' center

fielder breaking his previous career highs in various categories. Will he set career marks in all these

March 31, 2017 Page 16 of 25

categories? Probably not, but never put anything past Trout. Let's take a look and break down the game

of the 25-year-old super-duperstar.

Batting average: .326 in 2012 (7.3 percent)

Remember the career crisis Trout went through a few seasons ago? After hitting .326 and .323 his first

two seasons, Trout suddenly started striking out at alarming rates in 2014 and hit just .257 in the second

half to finish at .287. He still won MVP honors. Not bad for a career crisis.

Trout has reduced his strikeouts the past two seasons, down from 184 and a 26 percent strikeout rate in

2014 to 137 and a 20 percent K rate in 2016. More balls in play leads to more hits, and Trout was back

up to .315 in 2016. But the average also went up thanks to eliminating his Kryptonite.

In 2014, Trout couldn't hit the high fastball. Like, he had trouble even making contact. Check his results

against plate appearances ending in pitches in the upper third of the strike zone (or above), which are

mostly fastballs:

YEAR PA AVG OBP SLG K% BB% HR SWING RATE MISS CHASE

2014 141 .076 .397 .152 44.0 28.4 2 26.8% 37.5% 8.2%

2015 148 .170 .473 .372 32.4 30.4 6 23.0% 30.3% 7.3%

2016 123 .234 .602 .438 30.1 39.8 4 23.6% 30.6% 6.4%

Not only is he improving against the high fastball, but what makes pitching Trout up in the zone so tough

is his eye at the plate. He rarely swings at pitches up and even more rarely swings at one out of the

strike zone. Sure, you can try to throw your best heat past him, but you more likely will walk him.

Beating his season-best batting average may be difficult, however, in part because Trout may have lost a

step out of the batter's box. He had 22 infield hits in 2012 and 31 in 2013, but just 18 in 2016.

Hits: 190 in 2013 (4.1 percent)

Hey, it's hard to get hits if they're not going to pitch to you. Trout posted a career-high walk rate in 2016,

drawing 116 free passes. Trout arrived to the majors with his doctorate in plate discipline already in

hand and hasn't changed much in his approach through the years. What has changed is pitchers are

simply throwing him fewer pitches in the meaty areas of the strike zone:

YEAR SWING RATE CHASE RATE IN ZONE COMPETITIVE

2012 39.9% 24.9% 51.1% 71.8%

March 31, 2017 Page 17 of 25

YEAR SWING RATE CHASE RATE IN ZONE COMPETITIVE

2013 37.0% 20.8% 48.3% 68.9%

2014 37.8% 22.8% 48.8% 70.7%

2015 37.4% 22.4% 48.3% 68.7%

2016 38.3% 21.5% 46.4% 66.7%

"Competitive" refers to pitches within 18 inches of the center of the strike zone. A 4 percentage point

decrease from two seasons ago may not seem significant, but Trout saw 3,014 pitches last season, so

that translates to 120 fewer hittable pitches -- close to one per game.

By the way, Bill James estimates Trout's chances of getting 3,000 career hits at 14 percent. Can he get to

3,000 without any 200-hit seasons? Sure. Carl Yastrzemski had 3,419 hits and never had 200 (although

he also played until he was 43). Eddie Murray, Dave Winfield and Rickey Henderson also got there

without a 200-hit season.

Doubles: 39 in 2013 and 2014 (14.8 percent)

I wouldn't describe Trout as a doubles machine. He hit 32 in 2016, well off the leaderboard (the top 10

in doubles went from David Ortiz's 48 down to 41). Guys who hit a lot of doubles tend to be hitters who

spray the ball all over the field and in the gaps -- or slap fly balls off the Green Monster. Trout is more of

a fly ball hitter and pull hitter. As you can see from the hit chart below, many of his doubles were liners

or hard grounders down either baseline as opposed to liners in the gap:

For his career, Trout has 175 doubles and 168 home runs. Is that a typical ratio for a power hitter? Here

are the doubles-to-home runs ratios for the 10 players with the most home runs in the majors since

2012, Trout's first full season:

1. Chris Davis (197 home runs): 0.66

2. Edwin Encarnacion (193): 0.75

3. Nelson Cruz (178): 0.81

4. Miguel Cabrera (169): 1.05

5. David Ortiz (163): 1.08

>> 6. Trout (168): 1.04

7. Jose Bautista (152): 0.78

March 31, 2017 Page 18 of 25

8. Giancarlo Stanton (152): 0.78

9. Adam Jones (150): 0.99

10. Mark Trumbo (149): 0.77

Trout actually fares well here, trailing only Ortiz and Cabrera. That's a sign he's more of a well-rounded

hitter than a pure slugger like Bautista or Stanton. Indeed, of those 10 guys, only Cabrera has also hit

over .300 over those five seasons.

Triples: Nine in 2013 and 2014 (16.5 percent)

Trout hit five three-baggers in 2016, but get this: Using that same five-year time frame, Trout leads the

majors in triples with 37 -- three more than Adam Eaton and Michael Bourn. So he's relatively great at

something you didn't even realize he was great at!

Home runs: 41 in 2015 (24.3 percent)

Trout slammed 36 home runs in 2014 and 41 in 2015 before falling to a mere 29 last year. It was a little

odd only in that the overall rate of home runs skyrocketed across the majors, from 1.01 per game per

team to 1.16 (and that was up from 0.86 in 2014). So what happened? Some of that is probably related

to the above issue about not getting pitches to hit. Back in 2014, as pitchers attacked that weakness up

in the zone, he saw more fastballs. But that percentage dropped from 61.4 percent in 2014 to 56.2

percent in 2016.

While there was probably some simple bad luck on fly balls that just missed clearing the fence, Tony

Blengino wrote at FanGraphs in his hitter contact report that "Trout's contact authority is good, but not

great; in fact, it was down a bit this past year from 2015." Indeed, ESPN Stats & Information data shows

Trout's average fly ball distance was down 5 feet from 2015 (although both figures were much higher

than 2014).

Szymborski's system still gives Trout pretty good odds of surpassing his previous career high in home

runs. That's based on a model that most hitters hit their peak power seasons starting in their mid-20s.

As we know with Trout, however, he's been pretty consistent five years running. While a 40-homer

season isn't out of the question, I wouldn't predict one.

Keep in mind that home runs can fluctuate even for great hitters. Willie Mays hit 29 home runs in 1960,

the Giants' first year at Candlestick Park. He averaged 45 the next five seasons. Like Mays, maybe Trout

hits a power peak in his early 30s. How many home runs will Trout end up with in his career? He's

seventh on the list in career home runs through his age-24 season, and the six above him all cleared 500.

The "Bill James Handbook" gives Trout a 13 percent chance at 600 career home runs -- and a 2 percent

chance of breaking Barry Bonds' all-time record.

March 31, 2017 Page 19 of 25

Stolen bases: 49 in 2012 (0.6 percent)

As you might expect, this is the personal best Trout is least likely to beat, although after stealing just 27

bases in 2014 and 2015 combined, he swiped 30 in 2016. "That's one of things I'm going to work on this

spring," Trout said a year ago in reference to stealing more bases. "It's definitely one of the personal

goals I want to get back to."

So he said he would run more and he did. This year he has even loftier aims: "I want to maybe try to get

40," Trout said at the start of spring training. "It's just goals you can set. You work in spring. You set your

goals high and see if you can reach them."

There's a practical reason for running more as well. Albert Pujols follows him in the batting order --

presumably, anyway -- and Pujols grounds into a lot of double plays (24 a season ago). So if Trout

remains in the No. 3 hole and Pujols in the cleanup spot, maybe Trout steals 30-plus bags again.

Practically speaking, speed is the first tool players lose. Stealing bases, however, can be as much about

brains and desire as anything. New Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell, hardly a speedster, twice stole 30 bases,

at ages 29 and 31. Paul Goldschmidt, who turned 29 in September, swiped 32 bases last year. Trout just

has to decide whether to put his body through the extra punishment.

WAR: 10.8 in 2012 (14 percent)

This is pretty astonishing to me: ZiPS gives Trout a better than 1-in-10 chance of having an historic, all-

time great season. Maybe that doesn't sound astonishing; after all, we already know Trout is pretty

awesome. This is just something else telling us he's awesome. But projection systems, by their nature,

are conservative. More often than not, a player follows a great season with a not-as great season.

See Bryce Harper. Projections thus usually assume some regression from greatness.

Trout, coming off a 10.6 WAR in 2016 via Baseball-Reference.com, has decent odds, however, of being

that rare player who cracks 11.0 WAR. (Although we shouldn't get too caught up in the difference

between 11.0 WAR or 10.9 WAR and so on.)

There have been just 20 player-seasons of 11.0 WAR by position players. Babe Ruth did it six times.

Barry Bonds, when he broke baseball, did it twice. Here's the list:

Babe Ruth: Six times (1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1927)

Barry Bonds: Two times (2001, 2002)

Mickey Mantle: Two times (1956, 1957)

Willie Mays: Two times (1964, 1965)

One time: Carl Yastrzemski (1967), Rogers Hornsby (1924), Lou Gehrig (1927), Cal Ripken (1991), Honus

Wagner (1908), Ty Cobb (1917), Stan Musial (1948), Joe Morgan (1948).

March 31, 2017 Page 20 of 25

How does Trout get there?

In his best WAR season, Baseball-Reference credits him with his best defensive season at plus-21

defensive runs saved. After below-average figures in 2013 and 2014, he's been better the past two

seasons, including plus-6 DRS in 2016. So he'll need to play good defense.

He'll need to keep his OBP in the mid-.400 range again. The main reason his WAR climbed higher in 2016

was the .441 OBP. He was good at avoiding outs. Compare to 2014, when his OBP was "only" .377.

Steal 30 bases with a high success rate. That adds value.

Hit more home runs. He slugged .590 in 2015. Another seven home runs in 2016 would have gotten him

from .550 to .600.

Stay healthy. This reminds me: When Trout hit 41 home runs in 2015, he injured his wrist in late July,

played through it in August and hit just one home run that month. His exit velocity dropped, indicating

the injury affected him. So if he can hit 41 home runs in essentially five months, maybe a 45-homer

season over six healthy months isn't out of the equation.

And that's how the best player in the game delivers one of the best 10 seasons of all time.

FROM CBS SPORTS .

List of upcoming MLB milestones: Pujols, Beltre nearing major benchmarks in 2017

By Mike Axisa

In just a few short days, the 2017 MLB regular season will finally begin. Spring training was extra long

this season because of the World Baseball Classic, and I think we’re all excited to see some meaningful

baseball again. I know I am.

As is the case every season, several players are poised to reach major milestones this summer. Both

personal milestones and historic milestones that will place them among baseball’s all-time greats. Here

are the most notable upcoming milestones for the 2017 season.

Adrian Beltre: 3,000 hits and 600 doubles

Barring injury, baseball will see a player join the 3,000-hit club for the third consecutive season in

2017. Alex Rodriguez joined the club in 2015, then Ichiro Suzuki did it in 2016. Beltre, who will turn 38

shortly after Opening Day, is only 58 hits away from 3,000, so it’s a question of “when” he’ll get his

3,000th hit, not “if.”

I should note Beltre is currently dealing with a nagging calf injury, and there’s been some talk he may

have to start the season with a brief disabled list stint. (Remember, it’s a 10-day DL now, not a 15-day

DL.) As long as the calf injury doesn’t linger, I’d start looking for Rangers tickets in late May and early

March 31, 2017 Page 21 of 25

June. That’s when Beltre figures to get hit No. 3,000. He’ll be the 31st player in history to reach the

milestone.

Furthermore, Beltre is only nine doubles away from 600 for his career. He’d be only the 17th player in

history to reach 600 career doubles. It’s not out of the question he could jump into the top 10 all-time in

doubles this season too. He needs 42 two-baggers to pass David Ortiz for 10th place all-time.

A few years ago, the big debate was whether Beltre is a Hall of Famer, though that’s a slam dunk now.

He’s going in, likely on the first ballot. The better question now is whether Beltre is the best third

baseman in history. Here is the all-time WAR leaderboard among third baseman:

1. Mike Schmidt -- 106.5

2. Eddie Mathews -- 96.4

3. Wade Boggs -- 91.1

4. Adrian Beltre -- 90.2

5. George Brett -- 88.4

6. Chipper Jones -- 85.0

Beltre hasn’t had a sub-5.5 WAR season since 2009, and while he’s at the age where you’d expect his

performance to slip, he had a very good chance to reach 100 WAR when it’s all said and done. Beltre is

third all-time among third basemen in hits, second in doubles, and fourth in home runs (445). I’m not

saying he’s the best third baseman of all-time. I’m just saying he has to be in the conversation at this

point. What an incredible player.

Albert Pujols: 600 home runs

While Beltre continues to play at a high level on both sides of the ball. Pujols is no longer the hitter he

was in his prime, mostly because foot and ankle injuries continue to hamper him. Pujols, now 37, set

new career lows in OPS (.780) and OPS+ (114) in 2016. The Angels hope he rebounds in 2017.

That said, Pujols is a no-doubt first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the greatest right-handed hitters in

baseball history. He’ll enter the 2017 season only nine home runs short of 600, and this is a guy who has

only once failed to hit at least 28 home runs in his 16 big league seasons. (He hit 17 during his injury

shortened 2013 season.)

Here is the all-time home run leaderboard:

1. Barry Bonds -- 762

2. Hank Aaron -- 755

3. Babe Ruth -- 714

March 31, 2017 Page 22 of 25

4. Alex Rodriguez -- 696

5. Willie Mays -- 660

6. Ken Griffey Jr. -- 630

7. Jim Thome -- 612

8. Sammy Sosa -- 609

9. Albert Pujols -- 591

10. Frank Robinson -- 583

Pujols has averaged 33 home runs per season over the last three years, so it’s very possible he’ll jump

Sosa and Thome to move into seventh place on the all-time list in 2017. It’s not completely out of the

question he’ll jump Griffey too. Pujols did sock 40 home runs as recently as 2015.

It’s also worth noting Pujols is sitting on 2,825 career hits, so 3,000 is within reach. He has not recorded

175-plus hits in a season since way back in 2010, however, so he’ll have to stay healthy and turn back

the clock to get there in 2017. Possible? Yes. Unlikely? Also yes. Early 2018 is more realistic for his

3,000th career hit.

And finally, Pujols is also 183 RBI short of joining Aaron, Ruth, and A-Rod as the only members of the

2,000-RBI club. That milestone will come in the middle of 2018 at the earliest.

Robinson Cano: 500 doubles and 300 home runs

Cano really doesn’t get enough credit for being one of the most durable players of his generation,

especially considering his position. Second basemen take a beating because they have to make the

double play pivot blind. Cano has played no fewer than 156 games in a season since 2006. He’s played

1,594 of 1,620 possible games over the last 10 years, or 98.4 percent. That is truly remarkable.

Given his durability and greatness, and should be no surprise then Cano is closing in on 500 career

doubles and 300 career home runs. He’s only 21 doubles away from 500. The last time Cano had fewer

than 21 doubles in a single-season? 2001, when he had 14 doubles in 59 games as an 18-year-old in

rookie ball. Yeah. Cano will get to 500 doubles this season, and when he does, he’ll be only the seventh

second baseman to reach the milestone.

Here is all-time doubles list among second basemen:

1. Craig Biggio -- 668

2. Charlie Gehringer -- 574

3. Jeff Kent -- 560

4. Rogers Hornsby -- 541

March 31, 2017 Page 23 of 25

5. Nap Lajoie -- 510

6. Roberto Alomar -- 504

7. Billy Herman -- 486

8. Robinson Cano -- 479

Cano is also 22 home runs shy of 300 for his career, and when he gets there, he’ll join Kent (377) and

Hornsby (301) as the only second basemen in the 300-homer club. He set a career high with 39 home

runs in 2016. Hitting the 22 he needs to get to 300 in 2017 is a good bet.

Unlike Beltre and Pujols, who would be voted into the Hall of Fame if they retired today, I think Cano still

has some work to do before punching his ticket to Cooperstown. He’s a few years away from 3,000 hits

(he has 2,210 at the moment) but he could very well get to 3,000 hits, 600 doubles, and 400 home runs

when it’s all said and done. Cano has to hang around a few more years to compile -- his contract with

the Mariners runs through 2023, so that won’t be a problem -- but otherwise he’s already built a strong

Hall of Fame foundation.

Mike Trout: 200 home runs

Playing in the big leagues long enough to hit 200 home runs is an incredible accomplishment and

something most players won’t get a chance to do. But, in the grand scheme of things, hitting 200 home

runs isn’t that big a deal. A total of 337 players have hit 200-plus homers, and this season Brandon

Phillips (197 HR), Adam Lind (186 HR), J.J. Hardy (184 HR), Mark Trumbo (178 HR), and Andrew

McCutchen (175 HR) could all join the 200-homer club.

So too could Angels wunderkind Mike Trout, who will enter the season with 168 career home runs. My

abacus tells me he is 32 dingers away from 200. What separates Trout from everyone else is his age.

He’ll be 25 years and 239 days old when the Angels play their first game of the regular season Monday.

Here are the youngest players to reach 200 home runs:

1. Mel Ott -- 25 years and 144 days

2. Eddie Mathews -- 25 years and 242 days

3. Albert Pujols -- 25 years and 257 days

4. Jimmie Foxx -- 25 years and 266 days

5. Mickey Mantle -- 25 years and 279 days

6. Alex Rodriguez -- 25 years and 289 days

7. Frank Thomas -- 25 years and 360 days

8. Andruw Jones -- 26 years and 61 days

March 31, 2017 Page 24 of 25

9. Miguel Cabrera -- 26 years and 127 days

10. Hank Aaron -- 26 years and 149 days

Trout will turn 26 on August 7th, the day the Angels play their 113th game of the season. Can Trout hit

32 homers within the first 112 games of the season to become only the eighth player in history to hit

200 home runs before his 26th birthday? It’ll be tough, but it’s definitely doable. Trout hit his 32nd

homer in the team’s 102nd game in 2015, after all.

This season Trout, who is sitting on 48.5 WAR for his career, will pass Chuck Finley for the all-time

franchise lead. Finley is at 52.2 WAR. Trout will also become only the third player in history to reach 50

WAR before his 26th birthday, joining Ty Cobb (55.8) and Mickey Mantle (52.2).

The 2017 season figures to be light on pitching milestones. Clayton Kershaw, James Shields, Max

Scherzer, and Jon Lester should all strike out their 2,000th batter at some point this summer, and

both Bartolo Colon (17 wins shy of 250) and Francisco Rodriguez (20 saves away from 450) could reach

some nice round number milestones. That’s about it. Baseball is a long way away from seeing another

300-game winner (Colon is the active wins leader) while the next 3,000-strikeout pitcher is at least one

season away (CC Sabathia is the active leader with 2,726).

On the team level, David Wright needs 11 home runs to pass Darryl Strawberry as the Mets’ all-time

home run king, though his health is a major question right now. He’s coming back from neck surgery and

is currently dealing with a shoulder issue. Also, Giancarlo Stanton will pass Mike Lowell as the Marlins’

all-time RBI leader when he drives in his 39th run of the season. He is already the franchise’s all-time

home run leader. And, as I mentioned earlier, Trout will soon take over as the all-time WAR leader for

the Angels.

FROM NBC SPORTS .

Mike Trout has no interest in being a superstar

By Bill Baer

At The Ringer, Michael Baumann published a terrific feature on Angels outfielder Mike Trout. Trout, 25,

is a two-time American League MVP Award-winner and the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year Award winner.

He’s already the greatest position player of his generation and is well on his way to becoming one of the

greatest baseball players of all time.

Recently, I ruffled a few feathers here by calling Trout boring. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick said as much last

year. And the simple truth is that, for reasons Baumann explains, he is boring by choice. Trout wants to

be a role model for kids. His agent Craig Landis said, “I have Little League and high school coaches come

up to me all the time and tell me that they tell their kids, ‘This is how you do it. Period. In all aspects.

March 31, 2017 Page 25 of 25

This is your role model.'” Trout is the only active big league client Landis has. If he wanted to, Trout

could have super-agent Scott Boras on bended knee begging for him to sign.

Trout is friendly to everyone and doesn’t come close to controversy when he speaks to the media. The

most controversial thing Trout has said, Baumann recalls, is that his go-to order at Wawa is chicken

noodle soup. For the uninitiated, Wawa is a popular gas station-slash-convenience store in Pennsylvania,

Delaware, and New Jersey as well as Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. Wawa is known for its coffee and

its hoagies, even starting “Hoagiefest” almost a decade ago offering discounts on hoagies to its patrons.

To go to Wawa just to get chicken noodle soup is akin to sacrilege — just ask any Wawa devotee. There

are lots of them.

Trout does not bark at other players for playing the game differently, more emotionally. He himself

doesn’t celebrate wildly when he does something great on the field, which happens to be quite often.

He has taken what is, for a player of his stature, the bare minimum in endorsement deals.

It is a shame for Major League Baseball, and for its fans, that Trout has no interest in becoming a

superstar. As you’ve no doubt read here, baseball has had trouble reaching younger audiences. The only

sports with a lower percentage of kids 17 years of age or younger watching are golf and NASCAR. 17

percent of those aged 18-34 watch baseball, a far cry from the NBA’s 32 percent and the NHL’s 28

percent. When I was a kid, Ken Griffey, Jr. was arguably the most popular athlete among my peers. We

imitated his batting stance when we played backyard baseball and stepped into the batter’s box in Little

League. MLB marketed him like no baseball player had ever been marketed before, bringing him into

our households on a regular basis. Griffey was in countless commercials, put his face on video games,

and was a pop culture personality. Today, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a kid who cares who Mike Trout

is — or even Bryce Harper or Clayton Kershaw, for that matter — because they’re watching basketball,

football, YouTube, Twitch and numerous other venues of entertainment. And MLB hasn’t made much of

an effort to capture their attention.

Major League Baseball should be beating down our doors attempting to show us Trout’s otherworldly

talent. Unfortunately, Trout has no interest in becoming the face of the sport the way Griffey did.