Top defensive rookies of 2012
Trout, Simmons, Cozart and Harper making immediate defensive impact
When Prince Fielder swings the bat, he demands your attention. Nobody else in baseball has his swing, oozing with so much power that you can practically feel it in the bottom of your shoes. Over the past five seasons, only Albert Pujols has hit more home runs than Fielder. So when he connected hard off a Garrett Richards fastball last weekend in Anaheim, Calif., you had to hold your breath.
There was only one problem: Angels rookie Mike Trout circled back to the wall in center field, perfectly timed his jump at the wall and stole Fielder's home run to end the game.
Jaw-dropping power, meet show-stopping defense.
It was the fourth time Mike Trout has taken away a home run this season. Nobody else has four home run robberies this season or last season, combined. Since Baseball Info Solutions started tracking these plays in 2004, only three other outfielders have seasons with four home run robberies: Nook Logan in 2005, Gary Matthews Jr. in 2006 and Adam Jones in 2009.
Trout's season is historic in many more ways than just highlight-reel catches. He is very likely going to join Ichiro Suzuki and Fred Lynn with coinciding MVP and rookie of the year seasons, not to mention the other awards. A lot of that has to do with his hitting -- he's third in baseball in OPS -- but his defensive season has been one for the ages.
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