Trumbo, not Pujols, is Angels' MVP so far

June, 6, 2012

6/06/12

10:52

AM ET

By Jim Bowden | ESPN.com

When the Los Angeles Angels dropped a 10-year, $240 million contract on Albert Pujols, the No. 1 free agent this past offseason, the media and fans immediately turned their attention toward Anaheim. The three-time National League Most Valuable Player quickly became the front-runner to win the AL version this year. But his early season slump, as well as the team’s losses, dominated April's headlines.

When the Los Angeles Angels sought an elixir for what ailed them, they called up outfielder Mike Trout, who ESPN’s own Keith Law deemed the game’s No. 1 prospect in the minor leagues. Pujols and the Angels’ play improved while talk continued of Trout as a candidate for AL Rookie of the Year.

But perhaps lost in the shuffle of all the news and bombast surrounding Trout and Pujols has been the consistency and versatility of Mark Trumbo. Quietly, Trumbo has done all that has been asked of him and more and has been arguably the Angels’ MVP this year.

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

Jim Bowden

Bowden, who served as the senior vice president and GM for the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals, is an analyst for ESPN.com. In 1992, Bowden became the youngest GM in MLB history when the Reds hired him at age 31. The Reds finished in first place twice during his 10 years as GM, and he was named MLB Executive of the Year by Baseball America in 1999. After working for ESPN in 2004, Bowden became the first GM of the Washington Nationals when the franchise relocated from Montreal to Washington, D.C., in 2005, working in that role until the 2009 season. Bowden co-hosts the "Inside Pitch" radio show on Sirius XM satellite radio. Follow on Twitter: @JimBowdenESPNxm.