Mike Trout Named Baseball America Minor League Player Of The Year

Mike Trout was named Minor League Player Of The Year earlier today by Baseball America. The honor puts Trout in somewhat of an exclusive club that includes guys like Tim Salmon, Derek Jeter, Jose Canseco, Frank Thomas , Joe Mauer and Manny Ramirez among others. One excerpt from the BA article makes you wish the dicey relationship between Tony Reagins and former Angels Scouting Director Eddie Bane could have been repaired.

"Maybe he hoped too hard, because when Angels scouting director Eddie Bane (who has since been fired and now works for the Tigers) and crosschecker Jeff Malinoff came to see Trout, he popped up three times and didn’t square up one ball.On one of the pop-ups, though, Bane noticed that Trout was almost standing on third base when the ball was caught. And with that, along with Morhardt’s recommendation, he was sold.“That’s a testimony to Eddie Bane,” Morhardt said. “Eddie didn’t see him do anything technically, like him hitting a home run, getting a stolen base. When Eddie and Jeff saw him, he didn’t do it. But Eddie, to his credit, he listens to his other scouts. He didn’t see the performance. He saw the ingredients.”"

Bane clearly has a sharp eye for talent as evidenced not only by drafting guys like Trout but the real proof is in the late round picks like Peter Bourjos (10th round) and Mark Trumbo (18th round). Eddie Bane could quickly become synonymous with guys like Scott Kazmir and Vernon Wells for Tony Reagins – as names he is not trying to hear.