Between Albert Pujols and Tony La Russa, how many unbelievable baseball players do you think the two have come across in their countless years across baseball?
First off, recall that La Russa was appointed to the Angels’ front office in an advisory role in the recent past. Second, consider that Pujols and La Russa had decades in the game encountering greatness before every coming across this wunderkind that is now known as Mike Trout.
However, La Russa talks on MLB Network Radio about Trout and their candid feelings on him. Also, there’s a strong desire to put him on a winning ball club. Now have a listen at what La Russa says about the reigning three-time Most Valuable Player of the AL.
This is the tweet where Tony La Russa and Albert Pujols call @MikeTrout the greatest player they've ever seen.@Angels | #Angels
"I know the Angels are very, very motivated to surround him with a playoff-type team." pic.twitter.com/yVtYUiaN3c
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) December 9, 2019
This is what La Russa thinks about Mike Trout, as he tells former general manager Steve Phillips.
“You know, that’s a great question Steve. I can tell a quick story. My first year as an assignment scout for commissioner Selig; I’m touring the camps. One of the first stops is in Tempe, I go say hello to Mike. Then I say hello to Albert, and he points to the guy [Mike Trout]. He says ‘that’s the greatest player I’ve ever seen in my life’. And he was talking about Mike Trout, as a rookie. I said who is that? He says it’s Mike Trout, remember they sent him down and brought him back up? And that shows you the knowledge in Albert being not only a great player but a great scout.”
However, the praise didn’t stop there. Still, La Russa keeps glowing when talking about why the Angels want to send Trout back to the postseason.
“Mike plays the whole game and the way you’re supposed to play it for your team. He handles the success with so much class and professionalism. And that’s one of the reasons with him in the prime of his career that the Angels are very motivated to surround him with a playoff-type team.”
Finally, you get the feeling that the Angels just might have done enough to be truly in the mix over the next few seasons. Without question, it would be good for the sport to have Trout on the grand stage and in the playoff mix.
