Angels left fielder Mike Trout has the distinction of making his first All-Star ballot after making his first All-Star team. (Getty Images)
For all the virtues of Mike Trout‘s 2012 season, a place on the All-Star ballot was not among them.
Trout, who started the season in Triple-A, wasn’t one of the three Angels outfielders listed on the 2012 fan ballot. Vernon Wells, Torii Hunter and Peter Bourjos were. Mark Trumbo was listed as a third baseman.
That’s because players’ names must be submitted to the league before MLB’s deadline for printing the ballots, which varies from year to year but typically falls somewhere in late April. The general manager or the assistant GM of each team is responsible for submitting the names. Even Jerry Dipoto couldn’t have foreseen Trout leading the world in runs, stolen bases and WAR last season.
Trout played in the 2012 All-Star Game anyway. He was listed on the players’ ballot distributed in June and collected enough votes to make the American League squad as a reserve.
This year, fans get their chance to vote Trout in. The ballot was released today. The Angels’ other candidates are predictable: Chris Iannetta (catcher), Albert Pujols (first base), Howie Kendrick (second base), Erick Aybar (shortstop), Alberto Callaspo (third base), Mark Trumbo (designated hitter), and Peter Bourjos and Josh Hamilton (outfield).
Some bullet points for a Wednesday morning:
• Trumbo’s walk-off home run Sunday and Kendrick’s walk-off last night made history: It’s the fifth time in team history the Angels have hit two walk-off homers in a three-game span (1968, 1975, 1986, 2010).
• Knowing his capacity for self-deprecating wit, Josh Hamilton would get a kick out of the A’s having some fun at his expense.
• Jeff Baker sacrificed his right knee making a sliding catch in left field last night. He doesn’t expect to be sidelined for long, per the Dallas Morning News.
• Bourjos leads the majors with 10 infield hits.
• Apparently Dodgers fans were rather amused by the announced attendance at last night’s game:
That’s cute RT @jphoornstra: 35,353 at Angel Stadium tonight.
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) April 24, 2013
• I spent much of this morning trying to decide whether “Desert Raven” by Jonathan Wilson reminds me more of The Youngbloods, Love, the Allman Brothers Band or Neil Young:
