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Hank Conger and Mike Trout Are Futures Game Stars

ANAHEIM CA - JULY 11:  U.S. Futures All-Star Hank Conger #24 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at bat during the 2010 XM All-Star Futures Game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 11 2010 in Anaheim California.  (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Angels prospects Hank Conger and Mike Trout were human highlight reels in the MB Futures Game at Angels Stadium of Anaheim this afternoon. Conger was 1 for 3 with a 3-run HR in the 5th inning to put the then 2-1 contest between the USA stars and the World stars out of reach. Trout was 2 for 4 with a Double and a SB.

The Futures Game is played at the All Star Game's host stadium annually on the Sunday before the big game.

Angels prospect Luis Jimenez was 1 for 2 playing for the World on a day when the world was watching the World Cup. Is MLB marketing geniuses or what?

Conger was named the game's MVP. Clear some shelf space, Hank, we'd all like to believe that this is the first of many chunks of hardware that you earn at the Angel Stadium plate.

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It was 2-1 before Hank's HR

I believe.

"Just another Halo victory" - Rory Markas

by Slyintine on Jul 11, 2010 6:26 PM PDT reply actions  

Way to go boys!

Conger truly is a stud and has made this fan proud. Now I fully expect the front office to reward Conger’s performance with…..a trade lol.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 6:29 PM PDT reply actions  

epic.

rec’d.

What do you need a fancy suit for, Charlie, you ain't got no job to wear it to.

by clover_black on Jul 11, 2010 7:21 PM PDT up reply actions  

Take it to the Bank

Hank will be the 2011 starting catcher for the World Series bound angels

"Fundamentals are a crutch for the talentless" - Kenny Powers

by DAD OF VLAD on Jul 11, 2010 6:34 PM PDT reply actions  

Conger unseating Scioscia 3rd favorite person in the whole world Jeff Mathis?

Impossible! Quinny and Reggie take the top two spots.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 7:01 PM PDT up reply actions  

In light of the Halo's dismal performance of late

It’s nice to see a glimpse of a more positive dynamic future in the performances today of these these stellar young men.

by Raaddad on Jul 11, 2010 6:45 PM PDT reply actions  

Something Angel related that is great!

Nice to see!

Any time you think you have the game conquered the game will turn around and punch you right in the nose.

Mike Schmidt

by Monkeyspanked on Jul 11, 2010 6:54 PM PDT reply actions  

Here's a question....

Napoli, Mathis, Wilson, Budde, Conger. Who’s not going to be an Angel in 2011?

- Napoli’s showing he’s not DH worthy with his horrific numbers with RISP and his defense at catcher leaves something to be desired.

- Mathis is a strong defensive catcher, close to Scioscia’s heart that will never hit enough to be a full timer.

- Wilson hits a bit more than Mathis but his defense is also a bit weaker than Mathis’

- Conger’s the real deal. His pitch recognition is great his OBP is great, he’s a switch hitter, hits for power ad average and plays good defense.

- Budde’s the emergency guy.

I’m willing to bet that both Napoli and Wilson will be dealt before next season.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 6:59 PM PDT reply actions  

Who are you kidding?

Give credit where it’s due, he’s one of the best and most athletic defensive catchers in baseball. This coming from Mike Scioscia, who knows more about the position than pretty much anyone on the planet.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 7:08 PM PDT up reply actions  

He is one of the best

except when a single defensive metric is required to prove the claim.

by Rev Halofan on Jul 11, 2010 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions  

Doubting Scioscia's judgement?

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 8:32 PM PDT up reply actions  

Soth is making the best out of what he has to work with

Plus, Soth never bad-mouths any of his players to the press.

There’s no doubt that Mathis is a great athlete, but with all due respect to Soth’s superior baseball knowledge, Mathis is demonstrably not one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.

by rspencer on Jul 11, 2010 9:48 PM PDT up reply actions  

i will fix your original statement:

“he’s one of the best and most athletic defensive catchers in baseball on the Angels 25-Man roster that Scioscia has to choose from.”

by Rev Halofan on Jul 11, 2010 11:29 PM PDT up reply actions  

lol yeah. Not saying much.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 11:38 PM PDT up reply actions  

I know throwing out runners is not the only job of a catcher

But it sure is frustrating to watch people like Jack Cust and Kouzmanoff run on your catcher. When it comes to throwing, Napoli is as good or better than anyone on the team.

"That boy is our last hope" - Obi Wan Scioscia, as Francisco Rodriguez left for the Mets. "No, there is another" - Yoda Reagins.

by RallyMonkey5 on Jul 12, 2010 6:11 AM PDT up reply actions  

Watching the game on DVR

and man I just fell in love with King Conger. At least when he misses he intimidates you. He swings like a damn BEAST! And Trout, nothing else to say but we finally have that stud we’ve all been waiting for. This guy hits the ball so hard! And I think he will jump aboard to fast track to the majors.

Broken Wood...

by angelskid2210 on Jul 11, 2010 7:28 PM PDT reply actions  

After I wrote this

I went over the minorleagueball.com and someone wrote a tweet from Peter Gammons stating
“Trout will be playing for the angels next year, Scoscia thinks sooner.” Lol that’d be fing awesome!

Broken Wood...

by angelskid2210 on Jul 11, 2010 7:41 PM PDT up reply actions  

I hope you're right.

By the way, does anyone know where I can watch the full game at? It isn’t archived on mlb.tv.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions  

espn3

"Just another Halo victory" - Rory Markas

by Slyintine on Jul 11, 2010 9:22 PM PDT up reply actions  

i can haz video?!

i left before our guys went crazy… i want to see the homer!

Thank you, Nick Adenhart. You will always be remembered. #34

by howiestheman on Jul 11, 2010 8:00 PM PDT reply actions  

Good thing I've got it on DVR

so when Hatcher does screw it up I’ll be able to watch this game. lol

Broken Wood...

by angelskid2210 on Jul 12, 2010 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions  

Proud of the Angels boys

Watched the game, Conger’s HR was towering. And he looked solid enough behind the plate, some good blocked balls.

Trout… well, just looked so comfortable, and had an advanced approach at the plate. When you think he is only 18… (one of the youngest, if not the youngest positional prospect on show)

One of my favourite comments about him from the game came from Keith Law:

Keith Law
Trout’s run time to first matched the fastest I’ve ever gotten from a right handed hitter.

The future is exciting (if the now is a little bit disappointing)!

by TheQuestforMerlin on Jul 11, 2010 8:22 PM PDT reply actions  

I watched Trout's double, he's the only player in the Angels system that would have made that a double

In the big leagues, professional hitters smack a ball like that and jog to firstbase pleased with themselves. Not Mike Trout. He ran hard straight out of the box, rounded first base like an aggressive player should, saw an opening when the center fielder made an unecessarily fancy spin and elongated crow hop and took the extra base.

He’s the most gifted, hungriest ball player I’ve ever seen. You just don’t see guys like Mike Trout or Dustin Pedroia for that matter very often anymore. They love the game, and play it the way it was meant to be played and never stop pressing. Most guys like that don’t have the talent to go pro.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 8:37 PM PDT up reply actions  

since i razz you a lot i will take time to compliment you on that tobservation

There are hundreds of college, high school and minor league players who play all-out but just do not have the skill set to get to the majors or make an impact there.

Meanwhile there are many guys with all star caliber talent who coast into being a league average player becaause they do not have to bother hustling to maintain the amazing level f play that they naturally possess.

Halowood distinguishes that these two skill-sets rarely line up with each other and that Mike trout possesses them both indicates his special status among all baseball players. Thanks for the insight!

by Rev Halofan on Jul 11, 2010 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions  

I appreciate the compliment

Hustle makes a world of difference. It’s what gets guys on rosters that otherwise shouldn’t be and get them playing time. Just ask David Eckstein and Reggie Willits. It’s all heart and EVERY manager and fan appreciates it.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 9:07 PM PDT up reply actions  

This is why I loved Ersty

What you said about the two skill-sets lining up was true of him as well. It’s a tragedy that he couldn’t have been just a wee bit more careful with his body.

by rspencer on Jul 11, 2010 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions  

I watched that trout double

And I can honestly say I haven’t been that excited watching a baseball game since I myself use to do that. And am eons away from being any where near trout. He is my favorite player and he is going to win us a world aeries guaranteed.

Broken Wood...

by angelskid2210 on Jul 11, 2010 9:10 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions  

It's the way I was taught, it's the way I still play

I am blessed with fast feet and hands and good hand eye coordination. However I never had the physical strength, power or arm to play any higher than my current level. Speed, hustle, determination is all someone like me has. Like most people, I’ve had to work my tail off just to keep up, and I find it hard to root for those who have hit the genetic lottery and think it’s an excuse not to hustle. Mike Trout, you’re a hero lol.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 9:25 PM PDT up reply actions  

I think he's

the only player in anyone’s system that makes that a double.

"That boy is our last hope" - Obi Wan Scioscia, as Francisco Rodriguez left for the Mets. "No, there is another" - Yoda Reagins.

by RallyMonkey5 on Jul 12, 2010 6:14 AM PDT up reply actions  

Balls to the wall determination

with some of the best talent I’ve ever seen.

Trout is scary good.

by TheKingfish on Jul 12, 2010 8:32 AM PDT up reply actions  

Will go to Qaukes games

now that he is there. I kept checking for him to get the promotion and he finally did. He is the real deal folks. if everything works out he will be one of the Angel greats in my opinion.

by CaptainCarlos on Jul 11, 2010 9:55 PM PDT reply actions  

Trout and Conger were great to see live. Got Conger's autograph!

Also, everyone watch the Celebrity and Legend Softball game on tv tomorrow. Tim Salmon was absolutely amazing tonight. It may have only been a fun exhibition but watching Tim Salmon and Chuck Finley take the field again, reminded me of great childhood and teen memories.

Torii Hunter has some Brain Movage

by ryanfea on Jul 11, 2010 9:57 PM PDT reply actions  

Great crowd response for our guys

Got the privilege to see our youngsters in action at the Futures Game today and it was great to see the Angel fans give the guys great rounds of applause and more than a healthy share of support. The excitement for these guys to reach the next level was truly palpable, Trout especially.

Put on your Nostradamus thinking cap here guys… if you had to guess, when do we see Conger and Trout get called up to the bigs?

by Dubby Dub on Jul 11, 2010 10:48 PM PDT reply actions  

Conger in September, Trout, September next year

Conger will be promoted and immediately inserted into the lineup. They’ll let him have his chance at taking that spot away from Mathis, Wilson and Napoli. They prefer Conger doesn’t play everyday so he stays healthy and they prefer Mathis not to play every day because he doesn’t hit. Going into next year we’ll see a split of the duties.

My feeling is the Angels will try and add offense and sign Carl Crawford in the offseason. Then they’ll package Juan Rivera for Edwin Jackson or Roy Oswalt. Finally when they get sick of Abreu’s defense in RF they slide him over to DH and give Petit/Bourjos a shot. They will have mixed results. End of the season they’ll bring up Trout for a cameo and he’ll take over full time in 2012.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 11, 2010 11:08 PM PDT up reply actions  

I agree with both conger and trout.

I think they start trout in rancho next year, unless he kills it starting today, and move him to up to AA around the same time and then give him a little sniff. Also, Crawford is probably going back to the rays because they are trying to get rid of upton to sign Crawford, but we shall see.

I think gorgeous will be on the big club next year also along with conger making this team a little bit more exciting to watch.

Broken Wood...

by angelskid2210 on Jul 12, 2010 7:13 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions  

Conger in September a la Halowood. Trout Opening day 2013.

Something tells me they are going to be extremely careful with Mike Trout. They won’t want to Brandon Wood him and shuttle him back and forth for three years. In reality, Torii Hunter should not play centerfield next season, but he will, and will be there for the duration of his contract. He’s too proud not to hold on and skip…. well you know him and his veterans.
Troutmania in 2013!

"If he raced his pregnant wife he'd finish third"
Tommy Lasorda on catcher Mike Scioscia

by sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher on Jul 11, 2010 11:21 PM PDT up reply actions  

Anybody else read the Angels website write up on the game?

And notice the typo at the end?

If they keep at it, Conger, Wood and Jimenez could be sharing the same home clubhouse at Angel Stadium on a full-time basis in the not-too-distant future.

I’m watching it soon and can’t wait.

NOT MY QUINNY!!!!

by halofan4life on Jul 11, 2010 11:00 PM PDT reply actions  

Settle down everybody.

It’s only natural to be very excited about a prospect with the talent of Mike Trout, but let’s give him some time in the minors to develop a bit. I think he, as well as any prospect should be allowed to take their lumps. I am hopeful like everyone that Trout is every bit as good as we all think he is, but remember, he’s only eighteen! Eighteen, good lord, forget what I said, let’s get ready for our new baseball messiah. Let Troutmania begin!

"If he raced his pregnant wife he'd finish third"
Tommy Lasorda on catcher Mike Scioscia

by sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher on Jul 11, 2010 11:08 PM PDT reply actions  

What you have to remember about trout

Is that he is as mature as Jason Heyward is. The only difference is he has better plate discipline. Trout will be up by next September if he keeps growing as a player as rapidly as he has been.

Broken Wood...

by angelskid2210 on Jul 12, 2010 7:09 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions  

I got Conger's autograph on my ticket and video of his HR!!!

Will post sometime in the next day or two.

Also got autographs from the two guys on the Royals – Moustakas and the other guy (forgetting his name now). All 3 of them were pretty cool.

"You gotta have nuts." / "Coming Around 3rd, especially if I'm ticked off, that's going to happen." - Torii Hunter

by Commander_Nate on Jul 11, 2010 11:23 PM PDT reply actions  

Bingo

"You gotta have nuts." / "Coming Around 3rd, especially if I'm ticked off, that's going to happen." - Torii Hunter

by Commander_Nate on Jul 11, 2010 11:31 PM PDT up reply actions  

I also got Conger's

As well as the Phillies Domonic Brown and the Rangers Tanner Scheppers.

Torii Hunter has some Brain Movage

by ryanfea on Jul 11, 2010 11:32 PM PDT up reply actions  

Harumph!

I’d just as soon see these young guys come up early as suffer through McAnulty and that other has-been we’ve seen lately.

by SurfCityTom on Jul 12, 2010 1:24 AM PDT reply actions  

That risks severely breaking a future stud.

Basically you play worthless. low ceiling scrubs like McDonut so you dont mentally destroy Trout by bringing him up when hes 18.

I brought sexy back, but they only gave me store credit....

by PhiSlamma on Jul 12, 2010 2:50 AM PDT up reply actions  

From watching Trout

I don’t think he’d be mentally destroyed in the majors. He could probably join the big league team and hit .260 right now.

There are good reasons to let him play at the other levels of the minors first, even if this is true:
1) service time. If he came up today, and stuck in the Angel lineup through 2016, he’d be a free agent when he’s only 25. I would rather get 6 years of him hitting .300 or better than 2 years of .260 until he’s ready to be a big league star.
2) basestealing. Obviously he can run all day on single A pitchers and catchers. Yesterday he was gunned down at 2B by a mile, and it was because he got a terrible jump. He needs to learn to read pitchers better as he moves up, at the higher levels you cannot be a great basestealer on pure speed alone. Just ask Aybar. At some point he needs to hang out with Bobby Abreu, who is a great basestealer despite average speed.

"That boy is our last hope" - Obi Wan Scioscia, as Francisco Rodriguez left for the Mets. "No, there is another" - Yoda Reagins.

by RallyMonkey5 on Jul 12, 2010 6:21 AM PDT reply actions  

Very true, very observant.....

Mike Trout is extremely fast. You see it in the field and on the base paths. But there’s a difference between fast and base thief. Those are little things that Trout will inevitably learn on his way to the majors or in the majors.

We betrayed Vlad, the greatest Angel. Epic fail.

by Halowood on Jul 12, 2010 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions  

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