Local guy Mike Trout wins AL rookie of the year

Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim outfielder and Millville, NJ native Mike Trout was named the American League Rookie of the Year Tuesday.

The announcement may have capped off one of the greatest seasons by a rookie ever, though, Trout still could win the AL MVP Award, which has yet to be announced.

In 139 games, Trout hit .326 with 30 home runs and 83 RBI. However, Trout's best case for the Rookie of the Year award and possible MVP is his WAR (wins above replacement) rating. The sabermetrics stat was the best in the major leagues this season.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the 21-year-old Trout is the second South Jersey product - the other was Boston Red Sox pitcher Andrew Bailey -- to win the Rookie of the Year Award in the last four seasons. Trout's ROY announcement was highly anticipated by locals from his hometown.

"My mother is 88 years old, and she has completely changed her sleep schedule," said Tim Shannon, the 56-year-old mayor and former next-door neighbor to the Trout family. "She stays up all night watching Mike [play for the Los Angeles Angels] and then sleeps in until 10:30 or 11:30 in the morning."

Trout was named the second-best overall prospect by Baseball America in 2010. By '01, Trout was named No. 1 by ESPN's Keith Law and MLB's Johnathan Mayo.

Trout will more than likely enter next season as a big favorite to win the 2013 AL MVP award.