Trumbo's role unclear despite strong rookie season

Coming off a season in which he led the team in home runs and RBI and finished second in the voting for American League Rookie of the Year, Mark Trumbo should have had a measure of security in his future with the Angels.

As it played out this winter, though, nothing could be further from the truth. The potential return of Kendrys Morales after nearly two years recovering from a fractured ankle was already a threat to Trumbo's status and playing time at first base -- and then the Angels signed Albert Pujols as a free agent.

Now the 26-year-old slugger will head to spring training in a very undefined role, having endured a steady stream of speculation that he might be traded. With few starts available at first base, Trumbo has begun working out at third base and will likely also spend time in the outfield, trying to transition into a multi-position role that can maximize his playing time in the Angels' new Pujols-centric world.

"If I'm physically able, I'll be out there at 4:15 in the morning (taking groundballs at third base) if that's what it takes," Trumbo said. "In all honesty, I'll field thousands of groundballs a day if that's going to give me a better chance to make the transition and help the team."

Trumbo has only recently been physically able to start full workouts. A stress fracture in his right foot was slow to heal and it wasn't until the start of February that he was cleared to take his workouts onto the field. Since then, he has been working with Angels coach Rob Picciolo on the transition to third base.

"Logically, it is a very tough transition, especially learning on the fly," Trumbo said of playing third base. "But one thing they have said is they will be patient. I'm going to give it everything I have and I don't think there's any reason I can't make the transition.

"I don't have any unrealistic expectations off the bat about me being a Gold Glove-type in February. But I think it'd be nice to be able to make the routine play, field bunts and do everything that everyone would normally do. There are probably going to be some plays that do get by me but I'll try to be as consistent as I can be. And if I'm hitting -- not allowing the one to affect the other -- I think we'll be all the better for it."

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