Angels Official Website: Trumbo understands concerns over on-base percentage

[AngelsWin.com]

Mark Trumbo -- current slump notwithstanding -- is on his way to a second straight 30-homer, 90-RBI season and, at age 27, ranks among the top 50 in the Majors in slugging percentage since the start of 2011.

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[Tyler]

Trumbo be an avid-AW reader.

[Tyler]

He is such a likeable guy. Here's to hoping he can find a consistent approach.

[Tank]

I'm more concerned about how sad and pathetic his swing has become. His arms are so out of synch with his lower body. About as ugly as you can see from a professional player.

[fan_since79]

We have a hitting coach, right? Has anyone seen him recently?

[gotbeer]

For me, he is my favorite player on the team.  But it's been quite brutal at times.  Like he has 20 things being told to him, and he's trying all 20 in one swing.  

[YouthofToday]

Folks who call Trumbo an idiot should truly check themselves before they walk out of the door in morning. They are surely bound to wreck themselves in the very near future with their own stupidity. (h/t Ice Cube).

[Angel Oracle]

He better check that .675 OPS since June 1 at the door, if he's to take it to the next level.

[tdawg87]

At this point I'm not even sure the 30 HR and 90 RBI's are a guarantee. He's been stuck on 29 for a while now.

[jshep]

I'm concerned by the fact that he hasn't even been a league average hitter since May.

Edited September 6, 2013 by jshep

[jshep]

He is such a likeable guy. Here's to hoping he can find a consistent approach.

 

Ya, that's the big thing that jumped out to me as well.

 

He could have taken a really adversarial tone about it on the basis of HRs and RBIs(and it's for whatever reason, it's not uncommon for players to take the "Shove it nerds!" attitude. Like when Eric Wedge blamed sabermetrics for ruining Dustin Ackley), but he came off as pretty self aware about his flaws and limitations as a player.

 

I don't know that that really helps him as a player, because I think the underlying issues behind his struggles are ones that probably aren't things him(or anyone) are really going to "fix" at this point, and as such he's probably stuck at pretty much what he is: A guy with a ton of power who is capable of getting crazy hot streaks, but whose pitch recognition(and the streakiness that comes with it) likely keeps him more at the good player level more than the great player level.

 

But it's still kind of neat on the "Mark Trumbo seems like a cool dude" level.

[ettin]

I'm concerned by the fact that he hasn't even been a league average hitter since May.

 

He's starting to look like a hotter first half guy....

[YouthofToday]

In all fairness HRs and RBIs are essential pieces to arbitration cases. Trumbo should get paid soon. Kudos to him.

[tdawg87]

At this point I'm not even sure the 30 HR and 90 RBI's are a guarantee. He's been stuck on 29 for a while now.

 

oh

[Angelsjunky]

Trumbo seems like an intelligent, reasonable guy. But I think its also time that we stop expecting him to be a star and recognize him for what he is: A very limited player who only really has one tool: monumental power.

 

I think Rob Neyer puts it well.

[Inside Pitch]

We have a hitting coach, right? Has anyone seen him recently?

 

 

Stop blaming coaches...   He's had how many different batting coaches since turning pro and he's been essentially the same player regardless.   Trumbo is another guy that gets excuses made for him be it undisclosed injuries or HR Derby curses...  All I know it's been three years of second half fades.

 

Bad approaches get exposed, and reading the follow up Neyer piece, it's pretty clear he is going to cost more than he is worth.  Trade him while there is still some value there.

 

BTW, he genuinely seems like one of the nicest people in MLB, which makes it harder to move him as a fan.

Edited September 7, 2013 by Inside Pitch