Mike Trout is back, even if the Angels aren't. Among the reasons why: A return to his CF roots and keeping it simple amid a data deluge
With his 35th birthday approaching in August, Trout’s story is far from finished. As his team continues to struggle his pursuit of individual greatness perseveres nevertheless.
CLEVELAND — In the fall of 2008, Shawn Armstrong was a redshirt freshman pitcher at East Carolina University when his head coach, Billy Godwin, asked for a modest favor. One of the Pirates’ top recruits was in town for his official visit, and Godwin wanted one of his players to show him around campus. “He straight up said, ‘just hang out with him,’” said Armstrong, now a reliever for the Cleveland Guardians in his 12th major-league season.
“There's absolutely no chance this kid's coming to school. ” That kid was Mike Trout, an outfielder from New Jersey. Long before the NCAA instituted rules prohibiting coaches from recruiting underclassmen, Godwin was quick to communicate his interest in Trout playing his college ball in Greenville.
"I was in eighth grade, and he came to see me. I had a really good game, and we just kept in contact,” Trout recalled. “And then once I got to freshman year [in high school] … he told me, "Hey, you're our guy – you're gonna be playing center field.
“I got to build a good relationship with Billy, and that's how that went. ” Trout maintained his commitment to ECU even as he leveled up throughout high school, prompting more prominent programs to attempt to alter his choice for college. “It got interesting, no doubt,” Trout said.
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