Slumping Angels Trumbo and Trout to sit vs. A’s

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Rookie first baseman Mark Trumbo, hitless with four strikeouts in his last eight at-bats, and 20-year-old outfielder Mike Trout, who has two hits in his last 25 at-bats, will be on the bench for the start of the Angels’ game against the Athletics in the Oakland Coliseum on Tuesday night.

Manager Mike Scioscia moved second baseman Howie Kendrick to first base, a position he has not played since July 3, and Maicer Izturis will start at second. Torii Hunter, Vernon Wells and Peter Bourjos will start in the outfield, and Bobby Abreu will be the designated hitter for the Angels, who are three games behind Texas in the American League West with 15 to play.

‘His last 10 at-bats, we’ve seen a little tighter grip on the bat,’ Scioscia said of Trumbo. ‘This is a good time for him to catch his breath, and hopefully he’ll finish strong.’

Trumbo, who leads the team with 26 home runs and 80 runs batted in, is not known for his plate discipline -- he has 108 strikeouts and only 25 walks in 496 plate appearances. But as with most rookies who struggle, Trumbo’s problems have come because he is expanding the strike zone. ‘I fouled off some pitches I could have handled, and I haven’t gotten a ton of good pitches to hit,’ Trumbo said. ‘I also feel like a few calls have gone against me. You never like to use that as an excuse, but it hurts when a guy is trying to work on his plate discipline. Combine that with chasing pitches, and now I’m in a hole every at-bat.’

Trout is having similar problems at the plate.

‘I’ve been chasing pitches away,’ said Trout, whose plate discipline is very advanced for his age. ‘And once I get out of my zone, I start thinking. I have to recognize that pitch and know where it’s going to end up.’

The Angels’ lineup: 2B Maicer Izturis, 1B Howie Kendrick, DH Bobby Abreu, RF Torii Hunter, 3B Alberto Callaspo, LF Vernon Wells, SS Erick Aybar, CF Peter Bourjos, C Hank Conger, P Jerome Williams.

The Athletics’ lineup: 2B Jemile Weeks, SS Cliff Pennington, LF Hideki Matsui, DH Josh Willingham, 3B Scott Sizemore, CF Ryan Sweeney, C Kurt Suzuki, 1B Brandon Allen, RF Michael Taylor, P Guillermo Moscoso.

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-- Mike DiGiovanna in Oakland