Steven Russell Trout is a former
major league baseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher who played during the 1980s.
He is the son of former major league pitcher
Dizzy TroutPaul Howard "Dizzy" Trout was a Major League Baseball pitcher primarily for the Detroit Tigers. Born in Sandcut, Indiana, he first played professionally in 1935 with the Terre Haute Tots in the Three-I League before signing with Detroit in 1939.Trout played for the Tigers for fourteen seasons,...
. Teammates and friends often referred to him simply as "Sorenson" along with the fairly obvious nickname
Rainbow TroutThe rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
. He displayed a little "dizziness" of his own from time to time, developing a reputation for his offbeat personality.
Chicago White Sox
Trout was drafted by the
Chicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in the first round of the draft. He played three years in the minor leagues before joining the White Sox and pitching in his first big league game on July 1, 1978 against the
Minnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
.
Chicago Cubs
Before the season, Trout was traded to the
Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
along with
Warren BrusstarWarren Scott Brusstar is a former baseball player who played 9 years from 1977-1985. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, and the Chicago Cubs....
for Scott Fletcher,
Pat TablerPatrick Sean "Pat" Tabler is a former Major League Baseball player and currently a color analyst for the Toronto Blue Jays on the Canadian sports television network Rogers Sportsnet and formerly with Rod Black on TSN....
,
Randy MartzRandy Carl Martz is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who attended the University of South Carolina. He played for both Chicago teams in his career, the Cubs and White Sox....
, and
Dick TidrowRichard William Tidrow was a Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and New York Mets from 1972 to 1984. He was primarily known as a setup man, or pitcher before the closer; however, on occasion he would also start games...
. Trout had 32 starts in his first season with the Cubs, going 10-14 with a 4.65
ERAIn baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. Trout was known as a tough autograph to fans, always screaming, "I'm late!" while vanishing inside Wrigley Field.
The following season in , he stayed in the Cubs rotation, pitching along with
Rick Sutcliffe,
Dennis EckersleyDennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
, and
Lee SmithLee Arthur Smith is an American right-handed former baseball pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball for eight teams. Pitching primarily for the Chicago Cubs, with whom he spent his first eight seasons, Lee served mostly as a relief pitcher during his career...
which led the Cubs to 96 victories, and their first trip to the playoffs in 39 years. Steve pitched the Cubs home opener on April 13 against the
New York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, pitching a complete game and gaining two hits in the 11-2 victory. On May 30, Trout took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the
Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
that was broken up by
Albert HallAlbert Hall is a former professional baseball player who played the majority of his career for the Atlanta Braves. Hall was drafted by the Braves in the 6th round of the 1977 amateur draft, and would go on to become a second-string outfielder.On September 23, 1987, he became the first Atlanta...
.
Trout finished the season with a 13-7 record in 31 starts, posting a 3.41 ERA. Steve pitched effectively in the
division series-Game 1:Tuesday, October 2, 1984 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisBob Dernier led off the game for the Cubs with a homer, and things went steadily downhill for the Padres as Chicago romped to a crushing 13–0 win in their first postseason game since 1945. Gary Matthews also homered in the first...
against the
San Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, going 8.1 innings for the victory in game two.
Trout started strong in with a 6-1 record through June 8, until ulnar nerve problems caused him to miss time on the disabled list, as he was only able to make nine starts for the remainder of the season Trout was traded in to the
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, for
Bob TewksburyRobert Alan Tewksbury is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Tewksbury's talent was initially discovered by Andy Michael in Concord. Michael contacted the New York Yankees and Tewksbury was drafted by them out of Saint Leo University in the 19th round of the 1981 draft...
,
Rich ScheidRichard Paul Scheid is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Houston Astros and Florida Marlins .-External links:*...
, and
Dean WilkinsDean Allan Wilkins , is a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1989 to 1991. He played for the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros.-External links:...
.
New York Yankees
Trout's acquisition by the
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in a mid-season trade proved to be a disastrous trade for the Yankees. Though his last two starts with the Cubs were complete game shutouts, and his ERA was one of the best in the National League, with the Yankees he proved unable to locate the strike zone. He walked 37 batters and threw 9 wild pitches in 46 innings and lasted an average of only four innings a start in his nine starts Yankee starts. The Yankees traded Trout to Seattle after the 1987 season, paying the Mariners over one million dollars to offset some of Trout's substantial salary.
Seattle Mariners
Trout was traded to the
MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
before the season. He pitched infrequently over the next season and a half before being released by the team.
Retirement
Trout runs a baseball clinic from his home in
Venice, FloridaVenice is a city in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 21,015. It is noted for its large snowbird population. Its newspaper is the Venice Gondolier Sun...
from November through April. It is open to all ages. In 2002, he Published a book about his and his father's,
Dizzy TroutPaul Howard "Dizzy" Trout was a Major League Baseball pitcher primarily for the Detroit Tigers. Born in Sandcut, Indiana, he first played professionally in 1935 with the Terre Haute Tots in the Three-I League before signing with Detroit in 1939.Trout played for the Tigers for fourteen seasons,...
, baseball lives called
Home Plate: The Journey of the Most Flamboyant Father and Son Pitching Combination in Major League History.
He has also been a pitching coach for the
Brockton RoxThe Brockton Rox were a professional baseball team based in Brockton, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Rox were a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From the 2002 season to 2011, the Rox played their home...
of the
Can-Am LeagueThe Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, based in Durham, North Carolina, is a professional, independent baseball league located in the Northeastern United States and the Canadian province of Quebec. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is...
and Chicago's
Windy City ThunderBoltsThe Windy City ThunderBolts are a professional baseball team based in the Chicago suburb of Crestwood, Illinois, in the United States. The ThunderBolts are a member of the East Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the
Frontier LeagueThe Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...
. On January 25, 2008, it was announced that Trout would be the manager of the Texarkana Gunslingers for their inaugural season
Moloka'i high school in Hawaii hired Trout in March 2010 to be its head coach. Trout answered an ad in the local newspaper.
External links