Trout is getting even better
An improved throwing arm has made the center fielder, the AL MVP last season, even better.
Angels center fielder has improved his throwing arm and it’s paid off in big way.
Angels center fielder Mike Trout was not available to discuss his defensive heroics in Wednesday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies.
By the time the clubhouse opened to the media after a 2-1, 11inning victory, Trout was gone, off to Los Angeles International Airport for a red-eye flight to the East Coast so he could spend Thursday’s off day in his hometown of Millville, N.J. The Angels open a three-game series in Baltimore on Friday.
“He got out of here quick,” Angels reserve outfielder Collin Cowgill said about 20 minutes after the game. “Knowing him, he’s probably on the plane by now. Or he’s flying himself, sprouting some wings.” Cowgill was joking … we think. In his third year as a teammate of Trout, the 2014 American League most valuable player and 2012 and 2013 MVP runner-up, Cowgill has learned that Trout has very few limitations and at times seems otherworldly.
“That dude continues to wow us,” Cowgill said after Trout robbed Troy Tulowitzki of a home run with a leaping catch above the wall in the top of the 10th inning and threw out Carlos Gonzalez at the plate to end the top of the 11th. The Angels won on Albert Pujols’ sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 11th.
“Big moments? He slows them down,” Cowgill continued. “When the ball gets around that guy, good things happen, whether he’s at the plate or on defense. Those plays don’t get his heart pumping. He just slows things down and makes them when the game is on the line.”
As impressive as Trout’s catch of Tulowitzki’s shot toward the gap was, his play on Gonzalez was even better, with a higher degree of difficulty.
With the score tied, 1-1, one out and Gonzalez on third, Daniel Descalso took a full swing but hit a jamshot into shallow center field. The speedy Trout raced in, made a running catch near his shins, took a few steps to gather himself and threw home on the fly to nail Gonzalez, who had tagged up.
Gonzalez was initially ruled safe by home-plate umpire Phil Cuzzi, but the call was overturned after an instant-replay review that showed catcher Carlos Perez had applied the tag before Gonzalez’s foot hit the plate.
“To field it low, set your feet and throw an absolute strike on the fly to home … there are not many guys who can do that,” said Cowgill, who was in left field at the time. “It’s one of the tougher plays.
“With a full swing, it’s tough to read, and it’s loud, so it’s tough to hear. Normally, those balls fall in. But to make that play in that situation, a double play to end the inning and that being the go-ahead run, makes it that much better.”
Trout’s footwork and coordination were keys to the play, but it wouldn’t have been possible without his improved throwing arm. The one knock on Trout was that he has an average throwing arm, but not anymore.
“His arm has improved a lot,” said Angels bench coach Dino Ebel, who oversees the outfielders. “He’s working at it, throwing long toss with Kole [Calhoun] every three or four days, and you can see it coming.
“He’s confident. He feels it. His arm is much stronger, and his accuracy is better. I said last year, when he comes to spring training and someone says he has a below-average or average arm, he’s going to prove you wrong.”
Trout, who is hitting .289 with nine homers, 19 runs batted in and 27 runs as the Angels embark on a three-city, two-country, 10-game trip, has made several spectacular home run-robbing catches in his career.
But he got to the wall so quickly and efficiently and timed his jump so perfectly on Tulowitzki’s drive Wednesday night that the play almost looked routine.
“That’s what Garrett was saying, that he makes it look so easy,” Cowgill said, referring to pitcher Garrett Richards. “I feel like it’s easy for him. He gets back to the wall so fast and knows where the ball is going to be, and he has an incredible knack for knowing when ball is going to land.
“Everyone has an internal clock in baseball, infielders and outfielders. His is just more accurate. People don’t get that many chances to rob home runs, and here we are in May, and he has, what, three? Some center fielders go entire seasons without robbing homers. It seems like he does it once a month.”
Up next
Right-hander Jered Weaver (1-4, 4.98 earned-run average) will oppose Baltimore left-hander WeiYin Chen (1-1, 2.52) at Camden Yards on Friday at 4 p.m. PDT. TV: FS West; Radio: 830.