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MLB Playoffs 2017: 5 reasons Los Angels Angels make it

By Joshua Sadlock

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 05: Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts after hitting an RBI single in the fifth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 5, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 05: Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts after hitting an RBI single in the fifth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 5, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM, CA – SEPTEMBER 12: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim warms up in the on deck circle during a game against the Houston Astros at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 12, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA – SEPTEMBER 12: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim warms up in the on deck circle during a game against the Houston Astros at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 12, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

1. They have Mike Trout

Major League Baseball is unlike the other major professional sports in the United States. Unlike football and basketball where having the best quarterback or scorer gives you good odds of making it to the championship, baseball is a total team game. Even though Mike Trout is the easy choice for best player in the sport today, it is still hard for him to elevate a mediocre team for an entire season. LeBron James went to the NBA Finals with Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes and Eric Snow playing major minutes. Trout’s Angels won 74 games last year.

While it is hard for a singular talent like Trout to completely put the team on his back for 162 games, he can do it in short stretches. The Angels are down to 13 games in the regular season and have a manageable gap to make up on the Twins. By himself, Trout can be two wins better than the Twins when the pressure is on for two weeks.

Trout leads the American League in on-base percentage and slugging this year and the major leagues in OPS. In only 102 games, he has 29 home runs and 21 stolen bases. Lately, teams have stopped pitching to him, but Trout still has a .409 OBP in September with 13 walks and only six strikeouts.

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Whether or not he sees strikes at the plate is out of Trout’s control. With the Angels set to play the Houston Astros and Cleveland Indians this week, he may see more free passes than he would like. Both of those teams are playing for homefield advantage. Trout is still valuable even when he is being given four wide ones multiple times per game. He may look to push the issue on the bases.

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