Mike Trout Robs J.J. Hardy of a Home Run
With the start of baseball season I decided to pull out one of my favorite plays in recent memory. Without plays such as this one, by Mike Trout, I honestly would not be as big of a baseball fan as I am today.
Back in 2012 I did not enjoy baseball. (Gosh it hurts to say those words now) The younger and more naive Max thought the game was actually quite boring. In a weird twist of fate I was invited to join a fantasy baseball league. Citing my love for fantasy football as my main motivation, I accepted the invitation. Through the first few weeks of the season I was not having a good time. Near the end of April I was strongly considering dropping out. That was until I picked up some random prospect named Mike Trout.
Mike Trout’s rise from a highly touted prospect to an emerging superstar was the spark that ignited my love for baseball. The more Mike did the more enamored I became with the game. From spectacular catches, to swiping bases, and long home runs Trout could do it all. With the play you see above being the icing on the cake.
Let’s break this stupendous play down. Right off the bat of J.J. that ball looks like a no doubter. An easy home run to tie the game at 1-1. BUT WAIT. The best center fielder in the league, Mike Nelson Trout (Yes I did look up his middle name), is there ready to make a SportsCenter top 10 play. Running at full speed Mike goes up, doing his best Spider-Man impression, and takes the ball right out of the air. This was no lazy “I am going to climb the wall with enough time to take a selfie and put it on Instagram then catch the ball” play. No that isn’t cool enough for Mike. He jumps in full extension and plucks the ball from over the fence as if it were an easy fly ball.
This was one of the many spectacular plays Mike made during his terrific rookie campaign. Along with the rest of America, I was captivated by his rise to stardom. While he is a member of a team that I highly dislike, I do attribute my love of baseball to Mike Trout. His awe-inspiring feats in the summer of 2012 have a special place in my heart. They stand as the foundation of my infatuation towards the game that I now hold dear.