Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

No one ever really got sick of seeing Mike Trout around Dickey-Stephens Park last year.

In fact, people enjoyed having the Los Angeles Angels superstar-in-waiting so much they sort of like to pretend he hasn’t left.

Just the other day a Facebook friend posted Mike Trout photos from last year, and in the ballpark pressbox it has become a running joke to elevate Mike Trout to Superman status, or beyond.

“Mike Trout built new Yankee Stadium with his bare hands.”

“Mike Trout can steal second, third and home on one pitch.”

“Mike Trout once ate the entire Seattle Mariners starting lineup, gloves, spikes and all, then asked for seconds.”

Dickey-Stephens Park has become “Trout Memorial Field” in the city of “North Little Trout” in “Trout County, Trout-kansas.”

Some might think our little Trout-isms resemble all those Chuck Norris declaratives made popular in recent years. But who cares?

Mike Trout could use Chuck Norris as a bat.

Okay, we exaggerate, but in the parade of talented players to pass through Arkansas on the way to the majors, few have approached the combination of speed, power, defense, likeability and potential big league payoff Trout has.

Not only did Trout have the individual numbers (.328 average, 11 home runs, 18 doubles, 38 RBI, 33 stolen bases), he also did what stars must do sooner or later to even be considered as such. He helped his team win, as Arkansas took the Texas League North Division first-half title to reach the postseason.

The Travs lost the league championship series to San Antonio, but what did you expect? By then, they didn’t have Trout.