Mike Trout Youngest Player to Hit 100 Home Runs, Steal 100 Bases

Now if the rest of the team could just pick up the pace...

At LAT, "Angels star Mike Trout proves a tougher out during two-homer game":

Houston reliever Chad Qualls got two quick strikes on Mike Trout in the eighth inning of a tie game Friday night and threw two nasty pitches, down and in, to the Angels center fielder.

It’s the kind of at-bat that would have probably ended in either a strikeout or an out last season for Trout, who won the 2014 American League most valuable player award despite leading the league with 184 strikeouts and hitting .215 on two-strike counts.

Qualls threw two nasty pitches, down and in, but Trout was able to foul off the 0-2 and 1-2 deliveries. Qualls then tried to go up and away with his next pitch but caught too much of the plate, and Trout lined it into the right-center-field seats for a three-run home run that gave the Angels a 6-3 victory in Minute Maid Park.

Trout also hit a two-run homer on a full-count pitch in the sixth inning to become the youngest player in major league history -- at 23 years 251 days old -- with 100 homers and 100 stolen bases.

Trout is batting .444 on the season and .400 (eight for 20) on two-strike counts. He says his new early-in-the-count approach is the reason he’s feeling more comfortable with two strikes.

“When I get aggressive early in the count, it gets me ready for pitches later in the at-bat, as opposed to just letting one go by,” Trout said. “When I’m up there, I’m looking to drive the ball. First pitch, second pitch, if I just get my pitch, I’m going to try to swing at it.”

Trout, who hit .287 with 36 homers, 111 RBIs and 115 runs last season, came to spring training determined to cut down on his strikeouts, but he said it took a month of exhibition games for him to get comfortable with the idea...

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