Orioles' Big Bird: Mark Trumbo Speaks Softly, But Carries A Big Stick

Remember the "can't miss" prospect, the best kid baseball player you ever saw?This is the story of how a young man made a name for himself, then saw his dreams evaporate, then found a new path to success, only to have his world turned upside down, multiple times ... and then succeeded brilliantly. It's about Baltimore Orioles slugger Mark Trumbo.Written by the award-winning Baltimore Sun columnist Peter Schmuck, Orioles' Big Bird traces the long road to the major leagues that even the best young players have to take.Like the time that Trumbo, then 11 years old and playing in Little League in Southern California, hammered a pitch not just beyond the fence, but past the parking lot and into the swimming pool of the Christensen family, more than 300 feet away!The young Trumbo was a star in the making and then he suddenly couldn't hit any more. His body was changing as he entered his teenage years and he also had an interest in music that included playing the guitar and the drums.But he ended up pitching and winning the Southern California Southern Section championship game as a sophomore at Villa Park High School. He was on his way to being a big league pitcher. Until he wasn't.He was drafted by the Angels, but during a physical examination, the Angels' doctor said Trumbo's elbow showed signs of arthritis and "overuse." Then, the Angels decided they liked him anyway ... as a hitter.Then came the minor leagues. He started with the Orem Owlz in Utah in the Pioneer League and was immediately told to change his swing. "I had no idea what I was doing," Trumbo said. After five years in the minors, he got the call-up to play for the Angels in Anaheim in September of 2010.Baseball fans know the rest. Trumbo became a star with the Angels, but was traded to Arizona before the 2014 season, then to Seattle, then back to Arizona and finally to Baltimore, where he led the majors in home runs in 2016 with 47.

• | Author: Peter Schmuck
• | Publisher: Back Story Publishing, Llc
• | Publication Date: Aug 06, 2018
• | Number of Pages: 154 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Paperback/Sports & Recreation
• | ISBN-10: 0999396765
• | ISBN-13: 9780999396766