HBT: Angels' Trout hits for cycle against Mariners

Saving the home run for last, Mike Trout recorded his first career cycle Tuesday as the Angels crushed the Mariners 12-0.

Trout struck out in his first at-bat of the night before singling in the third, tripling in the fourth, doubling in the sixth and homering in the eighth. He ended the game with five RBI, and he also picked up his ninth steal to go along with his ninth homer.

The Los Angeles Times? Bill Shaikin pointed out that the 21-year-old Trout is the youngest player to hit for the cycle since Hall of Famer Mel Ott did so in 1929. It was also the perfect answer to Miguel Cabrera?s three-homer game Sunday in light of the subsequent revisiting of the 2012 MVP race.

After a slow start, Trout, the AL Rookie of the Year and MVP runner-up last season, is currently on pace for 32 homers and 32 steals, as well as 112 runs scored and a whopping 122 RBI. He?s hitting .343 in May to raise his overall average to .293.

Of course, as impressive as his numbers are, they?re still not a match for Cabrera?s this year. And his defense isn?t yet making up the difference, at least not according to WAR. Plus, any chance of Trout factoring into the MVP race will likely hinge on the Angels? playing much better ball from here on in. At 18-27, they have a better record than only the Astros in the American League.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/22/mike-trout-hits-for-cycle-in-angels-rout-of-mariners/related/

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