The Los Angeles Angels were holding off as long as possible; they wanted 19-year-old Mike Trout to receive full seasoning at the minor league level before giving him a full-blown major league shot next year. But then in the July 7th game against the Seattle Mariners, center fielder Peter Bourjos suffered a strained right hamstring while rounding second on an eighth-inning double, and exited immediately afterward, so the Angels' hand has been forced. And so they've decided to find out what their blue-chip prospect can do at the major league level, since Angels owner Arte Moreno has told General Manager Tony Reagins not to spend any more of his money this year.
Trout broke in at the age of 17, and has hit at every minor league level; his career minor league batting average is .340. In 2010, he was named Minor League Player of the Year by Topps and was honored as the Midwest League MVP for his efforts with Class A Cedar Rapids. This season, he's hitting .330 with 9 home runs and 27 RBIs at their Class AA farm club in Arkansas. He entered the season ranked as the top prospect in all of baseball by ESPN.com, MLB.com and MLB Network, and was also ranked the No. 2 prospect by Baseball America behind Washington prospect Bryce Harper. He is considered to have the five potential tools necessary for stardom; run, throw, field, hit, and hit with power; the ESPN blog "The GM's Office" contains a mid-season scouting report .
"Mike Trout has a chance to be a special player," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said earlier this season. "He can really run, and he loves to compete. He has all the tools and the desire to make things happen." But Trout's visit could be short term, since Bourjos is expected to be back by July 15th. So Trout could be shipped back out at that point, most likely to the Angels' struggling Class AAA farm club in Salt Lake City.
The Angels have already received key contributions from three rookies this year; Mark Trumbo at first base, Jordan Walden as the closer, and Tyler Chatwood in the starting rotation. Walden has just been selected to the A.L. All-Star team to replace Mariano Rivera. Another rookie, Hank Conger, has also contributed in a platoon role behind the plate.
Friday, July 8, 2011
YouTube Video: Texas Rangers Fan Shannon Stone Dies After Falling From Stands At Rangers Ballpark In Arlington
A member of the Brownwood, Texas Fire Department fell over a railing at Arlington Stadium during a game between the Oakland A's and the Texas Rangers on July 7th, 2011 and eventually died of his injuries.
Shannon Stone, an 18-year veteran of the Brownwood Fire Department, was attending the game with his young son. During the second inning, after Oakland's Conor Jackson hit a foul ball that ricocheted into left field, Josh Hamilton retrieved the ball and tossed it into the stands. Stone reached for the ball, caught it, and then tumbled 20 feet down around 7:33 P.M. The video embedded below shows it at the 0:58 point:
The play-by-play announcers knew the man had fallen, but were unaware of the severity; they assumed there was protection in the area. You can even hear one of the announcers chuckling to himself during the subsequent commentary. But Stone didn't die right away; Oakland reliever Brad Ziegler said "They had him on a stretcher. He said, 'Please check on my son. My son was up there by himself.' The people who carried him out reassured him. 'Sir, we'll get your son, we'll make sure he's OK,'. "He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious. We assumed he was okay. But when you find out he's not, it's just tough." Safawna Dunn, who was sitting behind the victim, said Stone appeared to have injuries to both arms and was conscious when taken away on a stretcher. Another person said Stone's head was bleeding badly. Stone went into full cardiac arrest en route to John Peter Smith Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:26 P.M.
Former president George W. Bush was sitting in the front row with Rangers' team president Nolan Ryan when the accident happened. Ryan left moments later while Bush remained in the seats. Ryan said the former president, who used to be the team's managing general partner and is a frequent visitor to Rangers games, was aware of what was happening.
Shannon Stone, an 18-year veteran of the Brownwood Fire Department, was attending the game with his young son. During the second inning, after Oakland's Conor Jackson hit a foul ball that ricocheted into left field, Josh Hamilton retrieved the ball and tossed it into the stands. Stone reached for the ball, caught it, and then tumbled 20 feet down around 7:33 P.M. The video embedded below shows it at the 0:58 point:
The play-by-play announcers knew the man had fallen, but were unaware of the severity; they assumed there was protection in the area. You can even hear one of the announcers chuckling to himself during the subsequent commentary. But Stone didn't die right away; Oakland reliever Brad Ziegler said "They had him on a stretcher. He said, 'Please check on my son. My son was up there by himself.' The people who carried him out reassured him. 'Sir, we'll get your son, we'll make sure he's OK,'. "He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious. We assumed he was okay. But when you find out he's not, it's just tough." Safawna Dunn, who was sitting behind the victim, said Stone appeared to have injuries to both arms and was conscious when taken away on a stretcher. Another person said Stone's head was bleeding badly. Stone went into full cardiac arrest en route to John Peter Smith Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:26 P.M.
Former president George W. Bush was sitting in the front row with Rangers' team president Nolan Ryan when the accident happened. Ryan left moments later while Bush remained in the seats. Ryan said the former president, who used to be the team's managing general partner and is a frequent visitor to Rangers games, was aware of what was happening.
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