How good has Mike Trout been in his seventh MLB season and throughout his entire career? So good that at least one opposing manager has considered intentionally walking him with the bases loaded.
The New York Mets held a 7-4 lead over the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning Saturday when Trout strolled to the plate. The bases were loaded, and Mets manager Terry Collins said after the game that he “absolutely” considered walking Trout in that situation.
“The first thought is, ‘I’d rather almost walk this guy than give him a pitch to hit,’” Collins said, via Anthony Rieber of Newsday. “Fortunately, (Addison Reed) made some good pitches on him. That’s the kind of situation where you look back on the time when Buck Showalter walked [Barry] Bonds with the bases loaded rather than pitch to him and I had … the same feeling.”
Showalter, who was managing the Arizona Diamondbacks at the time, chose to intentionally walk Bonds in 1998 with the bases loaded and the D-Backs leading by two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Arizona ended up winning the game.
Reed got Trout to fly out for a sacrifice fly and the Mets eventually hung on. The reliever said he would not have been pleased if Collins forced him to walk in a run.
“No. I mean, I feel confident no matter who I’m facing,” Reed said. “I don’t care who’s in the box. Obviously, he’s one of the best players in baseball right now, but as a pitcher, you’ve got to have all the confidence in yourself, and I felt good out there.”
Trout is hitting .350 with 14 home runs in just 39 games this season, so he obviously had the ability to put the Angels up with one swing of the bat.
Collins has faced a lot of criticism and had to deal with some unfortunate clubhouse situations this season. With the Mets off to a disappointing 18-24 start, he likely would have been lambasted if he intentionally walked Trout and it backfired.
H/T Hardball Talk
