Possibly pondering retirement after some injury-plagued seasons, Mike Moustakas has pushed such doubts aside with an impressive second half of the season as an Angel.
Providing both valuable at bats on offense and a stable glove on defense, the veteran third baseman implied that he can keep going for a little longer.
“It feels great. I know I can still compete at a high level. I know I can still play this game at this level and be a productive bat and third baseman as long as I’m healthy. … I feel like there’s some more left in the tank to maybe play for another couple years.”
Suffering from injuries at their corner infield spots in both Gio Urshela, Jared Walsh and Anthony Rendon in his most recent nick in what's been a disastrous Angel career so far, Moustakas has fit just like a glove according to skipper Phil Nevin.
“Just pro at-bat. You can see a guy that understands what a pitcher is trying to do to him. He studies it. He’s always asking questions, but he also has a history in his head, what teams are trying to do to him. He talks about it a lot in the dugout, which is a big leadership quality he has.
A pension for clutch hitting, Moustakas' most recent act involved a three-run bomb that would decide the Angels' victory on Wednesday by a 4-1 score.
Given the issues to their depth, the veteran infielder from Colorado has been heaven sent to an Angel roster that desperately needed one.
It's been a great pairing for both player and team to get back on the collective right track.
Though doubters might say that the postseason push might be a farfetched possibility, Moustakas is making sure to do his part to make it happen.
More must-reads: