Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Scioscia against Trout taking part in Derby

ANAHEIM -- Shortly after Mike Trout was announced as starter for the All-Star Game, he said he hadn't given any thought to the Home Run Derby.

While Trout may or may not be asked and is not sure what his response would be, it is clear how manager Mike Scioscia feels.

"I'm not a fan of it," Scioscia said. "It's grueling for a participant. The number of full gorilla swings you take, it's like being on a driving range and hitting 10 buckets of balls. It's tough. I haven't seen someone come away from that Derby and be a better player for it."

Although Mark Trumbo does not blame his 2012 second-half struggles on the Home Run Derby, there are several people who feel the Derby negatively alters a player's swing.

A season ago, Trumbo hit .306 with 22 home runs in the first half compared to just .227 with 10 home runs in the second half.

However, Trumbo is not the only case Scioscia or Trout could examine. Scioscia has managed three other Angels -- Troy Glaus in 2001, Garret Anderson in '03 and Vladimir Guerrero in '07 -- that participated in the Derby and had second halves similar to their first.

Glaus hit .247 with 22 home runs in the first half of 2001 and then proceeded to hit .254 with 19 home runs in the second half. In '03, Anderson hit .316 with 22 home runs in the first half and .313 with just seven home runs in the second half.

While Scioscia admitted he did not believe the Derby had a negative impact on Anderson, he also added that he "didn't see any positive effects either."

In 2007, Guerrero won the Home Run Derby after a first half in which he hit .325 with 14 home runs. He then followed it up with a second half that featured 13 home runs and a .323 average.

Trout entered Sunday with 14 home runs and a .315 average.

William Boor is an associate reporter for MLB.com.
Read More: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim