Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo Bring It Home for the Angels

From Bill Shaiken, at the Los Angeles Times, "Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo are bringing it home for Angels."

To say Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo saved the Angels' season reeks of hyperbole. We're going to go one better, though.

Trout and Trumbo revived a franchise sagging under the weight of bloated contracts, mercenary outfielders and October letdowns. If the Angels do get to their first World Series under the ownership of Arte Moreno, the day they called up Trout might be just as significant as the day they signed Albert Pujols.

Probably more so.

Until the Angels summoned Trout from the minor leagues, Pujols had no one to drive in. Until the Angels installed Trumbo in the lineup every day, Pujols had no reliable power threat behind him.

Trout did not make the team out of spring training, crowded out by veterans with guaranteed dollars. Pujols pushed Trumbo off of first base, and out of the everyday lineup.

Now Trout and Trumbo appear anchored in the Angels' outfield — now, and for the next decade.

"When guys perform like this, you let them do what they do and get out of the way," Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto said.

And see ESPN's Buster Olney at this video clip, "Award Winning Angels."

RELATED: From Chris Erskine, "Time to celebrate the star of sports at the All-Star break — baseball."