With a $150 million payroll, the Angels aren't looking for rookie outfielder Mike Trout to carry the team -- but they would like him to light a spark.
One of top-rated prospects in baseball, Trout was promoted from Class AAA Salt Lake on Friday and started the next two games as the Angels' leadoff hitter, going 0 for 7 with a walk.
"Mike got his feet wet last year," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Trout's big-league callup last season at age 19. "He's grown up a lot, both mentally and physically. I think with that experience and starting off the way you hoped he would in Triple-A ... he was ready for this opportunity.
"It's a lot to put on a kid to say he's going to be a difference-maker right away. But eventually, he's going to be a real force at whatever position he's playing or wherever he hits in the lineup."
The lack of production at the top of the lineup has been just one of the Angels' offensive problems -- but a big one. Through 20 games before Trout's promotion, Angels' leadoff hitters had batted a collective .195 with a .250 on-base percentage.
Trout knows much is expected of him but he said he is resisting the temptation to "try to do too much."
"I'm just here to do my role, try not to do too much," he said. "The team is struggling right now. But I'm just here to add my piece."
NOTES, QUOTES
Pujols continues to plummet in April
--1B Albert Pujols' worst April continued with another hitless and homer-less game Sunday in Cleveland. Pujols has just three hits in his past 34 at-bats, dropping his average to .216. He doesn't have an RBI in his past 13 games (and only four for the season) and is still looking for his first home run as an Angel.
--RHP Ervin Santana didn't allow an earned run in seven innings Sunday, his best start of the season, but still fell to 0-5 for the season. He is one of only three starters in Angels history to start a season with losses in his first five starts -- Clyde Wright in 1969 and Joe Grahe in 1991. Both Grahe and Wright had pitched in relief before they joined the starting rotation.
--OF Torii Hunter lost a fly ball in the sun in the fifth inning of Sunday's 4-0 loss. The ball fell for a two-base error, allowing two runs to score. He was charged with his first error since Sept. 2, 2011 against the Twins, a stretch of 42 errorless games with 75 chances. Going into Sunday, Hunter had just 35 career errors in 4,520 chances, the fewest errors by any outfielder in major league history with at least 4,500 chances.
--OF Mike Trout started each of the first two games after his promotion from Class AAA Salt Lake as the Angels' leadoff hitter. Trout went 0 for 7 in the two games with a walk on Sunday.
--IF Mark Trumbo started at third base Saturday and Sunday against the Indians. It was the first time this season Angels manager Mike Scioscia had started him at third in consecutive games. He got just one chance in the two games -- an infield pop-up in Saturday's game.
BY THE NUMBERS: .165 -- Angels team batting average (31 for 188) while losing five of six games on the road last week.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "You can't defeat God's light." -- Angels OF Torii Hunter after losing a fly ball in the sun.
