ANAHEIM — Mike Trout proclaimed himself “full go” on Thursday.
Not only had Trout gotten over a couple of days of being so sick that he “felt like he had 30-40 carries in the NFL,” but his legs and flexibility are now improved after beginning a program the Angels hope will keep him on the field.
“I’m doing stuff with the training staff every day just to maintain my body,” Trout said before the Angels opened their season against the Houston Astros on Thursday night. “It’s like stuff that when you’re younger you don’t really pay attention to. It’s a great program I’ve been on and I feel great.”
Trout, 30, missed most of last season with a strained calf. The injury, which occurred in May, was only supposed to keep him out until July. Trout aggravated the injury in July, though, and by the time he was able to try to play, the Angels were too far out of the race to be worth it.
The Angels have since replaced much of their training staff, and they have devised a program for him to help keep him healthy.
“I don’t want to jinx it, but I think I’ve got a great routine,” he said. “Just being able to to maintain and feel good about it every day. Not waking up sore. In the past, I woke up sore a little bit. Now I’ve really got to harp on taking care of my lower body.”
The only issue the three-time American League MVP faced lately was an illness that struck him after Sunday’s exhibition game.
“I ate dinner and then 45 minutes, stuff hit the fan,” Trout said. “I didn’t sleep much. I’m not going to go into detail. It wasn’t great. I don’t think I’ve been that sick since I was a little kid.”
ROTATION CHANGE
Left-hander Patrick Sandoval was scheduled to start on Friday, but the Angels flip-flopped him and Reid Detmers. Detmers will pitch on Friday and Sandoval on Tuesday, against the Miami Marlins.
Sandoval said he didn’t feel as strong as he expected in the days after his final exhibition game start, last Saturday, perhaps a function of the short spring training.
“Just a little more fatigue than I’m used to,” he said. “I got built up pretty quick and didn’t bounce back the way I had hoped.”
Head trainer Mike Frostad said that Sandoval is “doing great,” and the Angels made the decision as a precaution because it’s the beginning of the season.
“I’ll be good to go on Tuesday,” Sandoval said.
WARD’S INJURY
Taylor Ward suffered a grade 1 left groin strain when he was chasing a ball into the gap on Tuesday night, in the Angels’ final exhibition game.
“I think maybe in four or five days I’ll be alright,” Ward said. “It’s not anything serious.”
Ward and Frostad both said he might have avoided the injured list entirely if it were later in the year. As it is, he will miss at least nine days of the season, with the 10-day injured list assignment beginning on Wednesday.
While Ward is out, the Angels are expected to stick with Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh in the corner outfield spots. Jose Rojas, Tyler Wade, Matt Duffy and Jared Walsh can all play the outfield if necessary.
Maddon also said that he planned for Ward to be the everyday right fielder, with Adell and Marsh platooning in left. Obviously, that would mean Adell, a right-handed hitter, would get the least playing time of the three in a strict platoon. Maddon qualified it by saying there would be enough days off that he hoped for all three players to get 450 plate appearances by the end of the season.
NOTES
The Angels aren’t certain if their pitchers and catchers are going to use PitchCom, the electronic sign system that was unveiled during spring training, but Maddon said he’s in favor because it cuts down on the delays caused by catchers giving complicated signs to pitchers. “I think everybody’s on board,” he said. “I think it’s the best thing we’ve done in MLB to this point to make the game more interesting. There should be a better pace about the game.” …
Infielder Michael Stefanic did not make the Angels’ Opening Day roster, despite hitting .385 with an 1.106 OPS in spring training. Maddon said Stefanic is “real close” to being in the big leagues. “Hopefully there’s nobody injured but he’s close. I think he’s a big-league player. I know guys are reticent about putting that label on him. But he can hit. He can absolutely hit. Defense has gotten better. That was the only negative I heard about him last year. The narrative changed a bit in camp among the group. This guy is going to play in the big leagues for many years once he’s given the opportunity.”
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