The November 13th, 2012 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including Trout unanimous pick for AL Rookie of the Year, Trout ready to move to left, assessing the risk with Zack Greinke's mental health and much more…
The Story: Mike Trout was the unanimous winner of the American League Rookie of the Year award.
The Monkey Says: I think he even got some National League votes too, just for good measure. This was totally expected, but you never know when some beat writer for some tiny local paper is going to get creative and find a reason not to give the obvious choice a vote. Perhaps that didn't happen this year because for the first time ever, the actual individual ballots have been made public. That's an amazing step forward for the BBWAA who has kept the voting in the dark for so long and tried, poorly, to defend the decision to do so.
The Story: Mike Trout is ready to move to left field and for life without Torii Hunter as a mentor.
The Monkey Says: It is nice to see that he isn't letting his early success go to his head and using it to justify being stubborn about moving out of center field which he clearly prefers.
The Story: A look at the risk behind Zack Greinke and his social anxiety and depression disorders.
The Monkey Says: Very interesting and insightful stuff. It certainly helps put in perspective what Greinke is going through and what how wildly insensitive people are when they make fun of his introverted personality.
The Story: Did Mike Trout have the greatest rookie season ever?
The Monkey Says: It is close, but I think when you factor in the era he is playing in (as in, no minority players are freely allowed to play now), I think you have to give the nod to Trout.
The Story: Mike Trout and Bryce Harper share an intrepid baseball soul.
The Monkey Says: I just don't get the need to link the two players. They are very different players with very different personalities who play in different leagues. The only real reason anyone compares them is because of their shared youth, which I guess is something, but it is a pretty flimsy premise, but one that will likely sustain for quite some time.
The Story: Projecting the long-term value of Trout and Harper.
The Monkey Says: Again with this, though this one does make actual real comparisons rather than touchy-feely ones. One aspect of Trout's game that I think the comparison overlooks is his knack for being able to make such quick adjustments at the plate. That leads me to believe that Trout will be able to adjust well once his athleticism starts to fade.
The Story: Some potential options for restocking the Angel rotation.
The Monkey Says: I like all of those names except for Sanchez, if only because I don't think he is worth what he is asking. Marcum seems like a good fit too, but I don't think the Angels and their wafer thin pitching depth can gamble on a big health question mark guy like that.
The Story: The Angels are looking at a bleak future if they lose both Hunter and Greinke.
The Monkey Says: I don't think it is as dire as Neyer suggests. The rotation is definitely a big problem without Greinke, but I don't think the loss of Hunter is really that big of a deal at the end of the day.
The Story: A look at the in-house rotation options available to the Angels.
The Monkey Says: Yeah, you probably shouldn't look, not unless you're a horror fan.
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