Angels’ Mark Trumbo named AL rookie of the year by Sporting News

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Angels first baseman Mark Trumbo, a former Villa Park High School star who hit .254 with a team-leading 29 home runs and 89 runs batted in this season, was named American League rookie of the year by the Sporting News on Wednesday.

Atlanta Braves closer Craig Kimbrel, who had 46 saves and a 2.10 earned run average, was named NL rookie of the year by the publication. Voting was done by 289 major league players, 177 in the AL and 112 in the NL.

Trumbo, 25, filled in admirably for injured first baseman Kendrys Morales, who missed the entire season because of a broken ankle. His power helped keep the Angels in the AL West race deep into September despite subpar output from middle-of-the-order hitters Vernon Wells and Bobby Abreu.

Trumbo began the season batting seventh but moved up to the fifth spot in early August and remained there until a stress fracture in his right foot ended his season with three games remaining.

He hit what was probably the most dramatic home run of the Angels’ season, a two-run walk-off shot in the ninth inning to secure a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Aug. 18.

Had the Angels lost that game, they would have fallen eight games behind Texas. Instead the Angels closed the deficit to six games. Trumbo’s shot sparked a six-game winning streak, and the Angels got as close as 1½ games to the Rangers on Sept. 10 before sliding out of contention in the final two weeks of the season.

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-- Mike DiGiovanna