Angels outfielder Mike Trout was named American League Rookie of the Year on Monday, and Tuesday attended the MLBPAA Legends For Youth Dinner. Among other things, he addressed what he's learned as a young player and reflects on his remarkable rookie season.
"It helped me out a lot [getting called up last year] Taking it into this year, you just don't know what to expect."
"I look back at this year, but you have to be confident in your abilities. I knew I had it in me. There's still work to be done. We stopped short in the playoffs. So I gotta try harder next year."
"I figured [the power numbers] would come later in my career. But the adrenaline rush and just the way I was feeling at the plate, the ball was jumping out of the park."
"[What I learned in the minor leagues] is not to get down on yourself. You're always going to go through a little slump. You've got to get the negative out of your head and always stay positive. You're human, so you're going to make errors and mistakes. You can't worry about that stuff. I had to be confident in my ability. Looking at minor league numbers the power numbers weren't there, but average and stolen bases were there. I have to keep working hard to where I want to be."
"[Nationals NL ROY Bryce Harper] plays the game right. He plays the game hard. Yeah, there's some things that he does crazy. But he shows emotion on the field. He handles himself pretty good and he's out there playing a hundred percent. He wants to win and that's why you see him having emotion sometimes."
