Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout selected to All-Star game but won’t play

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout was selected for his sixth straight All-Star game. Trout was elected  by the fan vote to start in the game for the fifth consecutive time.

For Trout, he joined exclusive Los Angeles Angels royalty with his sixth All-Star selection. In the team’s 56 year history, only Hall of Fame inductee Rod Carew and fan favorite Jim Fregosi have been selected to six All-Star games while playing with the Halos. Carew was also selected in consecutive seasons. Fergosi had a one year gap, making five consecutive appearances.

Unfortunately due to his recent thumb injury Trout will sit out the 2017 All-Star Game in Miami, much to his chagrin. Trout will likely return next Friday July 14th  in Anaheim against the Tampa Bay Rays, but it won’t be soon enough for the reigning AL MVP.

“Toughest thing for me has been sitting there on the couch watching games, it’s weird, it’s different,” Trout said. “You want to be out there with your guys, they are like your second family, and to be watching them play in Minnesota and not be out there with them it is tough.”

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In Mike Trout’s young career, he has already made quite an impact on the game of baseball. Trout’s six selections to the Mid Summer Classic is evidence of this. Factor in the two AL MVP awards and his impact grows. Include Trout’s stats that are already comparative with some of the game’s all time greats and a legend is brewing.

One thing stands glaringly present when discussing the awe that Mike Trout inspires at All-Star time.

One of the best examples of exactly what Mike Trout is both capable of and has already amazingly accomplished is his selection in both 2014 and 2015 as All-Star MVP. Winning the award once is a feat unto itself. A player has to first be selected to play in the game. They then must excel at a level deserving of being the MVP among the game’s current best players.

In the 55 years that the All-Star MVP award has  been given out, only four other players have won it twice. None of those players have done it in consecutive seasons. They are however, players you may be familiar with. Names like Mays, Garvey, Carter, and Ripken.

While Trout’s thumb injury will keep him out of the 2017 game. His injury and All-Star selection should also speak to exactly what this young man has done in his time in the game. Trout has been out of action since late May. He has missed all of June and what will end up being half of July. Still, for Trout the votes continued to pour in.

“It was a tough decision as it is always a fun time, a fun couple of days. The fans vote you in and they obviously want to see you play,” Trout said about his decision to not play in the All-Star Game. “I just want to be ready on time. I want to be out there and start playing in some rehab games and hopefully get ready to play in the second half.”

Next: Los Angeles Angels Andrelton Simmons is an All-Star snub

Mike Trout is just 27 years. Surely Trout is destined for many more All-Star games in his already incredible career. Perhaps one year Trout may even participate in the home run derby. While it is easy to lament the fact that this year’s game will be Trout-less, celebrate that we are in the midst of greatness. You do not need to be an Angels fan to appreciate what Trout has accomplished. You do not even have to be a baseball fan to appreciate such excellence from such a young player. Mike Trout has just entered his prime years, terrifying as that might be for the opposition.

As early as next year we could be having the discussion about Mike Trout the sole all-time Los Angeles Angels All-Star electee. Even more exciting is we could be discussing Mike Trout, three-time All-Star game MVP.