COMMENTARY | Mike Trout is having a historic year of epic proportions in 2012 -- one that may deserve to forever live in the annals of Major League Baseball history.
The Halos' star rookie is leading the American League in batting average (.343), runs scored (96), and stolen bases (39). Couple those numbers alone with the fact that he's only 21 years-old and has done all of that in only 99 games through August 20, and it's easy to see why he should be considered for AL MVP.
Unfortunately, the Angels' underachieving starting rotation has hurt Trout's likelihood of being recognized the way he deserves. The starting pitching has been that bad.
The Angels have lost 13 games of their last 18 contests and are 3-7 over the last 10. For a team that was tabbed to have a shot at the World Series, the word disappointing doesn't do this group justice.
They've been awful, and could very well cost Trout a shot at winning the MVP award he rightly deserves. That's how bad things are in Anaheim.
The starters' collective ERA for the month tells the story -- 6.53. The offense can't be expected to carry the team when the pitching staff can't keep the team in the game. But the worst thing about it is that it's not just any pitching staff that's playing so poorly -- the Angels have a rotation full of talent and winning pedigree. These guys have been there and done it all.
It starts with Jered Weaver, who had his worst outing of his career over the weekend, giving up nine runs and allowing eight hits in three short, painful innings of work. He's been the rock of the staff, and to see him struggle in such grand fashion speaks to the dismal state of the Angels' pitching.
If the staff doesn't turn things around and help get the Angels back in the playoff hunt, then Trout's road to being crowned MVP will be that much tougher.
Voters like players from playoff teams.
Michael C. Jones is a Yahoo! Featured Contributor in Sports and covers the Los Angeles Angels and MLB. He has written for Southern California's Press-Enterprise and Examiner.com and is the Editor of Sports Out West.
You can follow him on Twitter @MikeJonesTweets.
