Two Major One Minor 071611

First base is a position where you want someone that carries a big stick. All three this week fit that mold. They are Mark Trumbo, Mitch Moreland and Christopher John Cron. 


Mark Trumbo is having a stellar rookie season for the Los Angeles Angels. I made the wrong decision of choosing Juan Miranda over him in our draft this year because I believed the initial reports that Kendrys Morales would only miss the first couple weeks of the season. Morales under went a second surgery in May as Trumbo was already shining in his on the job training. So far this season Trumbo is hitting .261 with 17 home runs, 41 RBI, 36 runs and 8 steals. That is a nice continuation of his 2010 season in triple A where he hit .301 with 36 home runs, 122 RBI, 103 runs and 3 steals in 139 games. If Morales returns next year the Angels will be blessed with the problem of abundance of talent which may end with one being traded.


Mitch Moreland is also having a good first full season for the Texas Rangers. He spent 47 games with the Rangers in 2010 and managed nine home runs in 145 at bats. That was something I noticed after our draft this year and picked up Moreland with my first free agent transaction of the year to add depth behind Joey Votto and Miranda. This season he is hitting .271 with 11 home runs, 24 RBI, 38 runs and 2 steals. He started out strong but did go through a recent 0 for 15 slump which he may soon turn around with adjustments to his swing and he did have two multi hit games in his last five. His walk rate has fallen off since last season and hopefully he can work on that in the second half. Just getting on base in the potent Rangers line up could lead to a further increase in his runs total.


Cron is just beginning his minor league career as the Angels first round pick in the 2011 draft but will be on my radar for some time. Actually CJ Cron was on my radar in college at Utah where he was a first team All American at first and also played catcher. As a Freshman he gained notoriety by being the only player to get three hits in a game off the great Stephen Strasburg  who went number one overall that season in the 2009 MLB draft. This year for Utah he hit .434 with 15 home runs, 59 RBI and 51 runs in 49 games. Over the two seasons 2010 and 2011 he had a 70 game reached game streak which brings to mind Joey Votto. Through 14 games so far with Class A Orem Owls he is hitting .311 with four home runs, 13 RBI and 13 runs. I foresee a quick rise through the minors over the next couple seasons.