Pirates’ resurgence among several new storylines of 2012

The Pirates’ resurgence is among several new storylines of 2012

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS

Mike Trout is burning up the base paths in Los Angeles. Bryce Harper is rocking and rolling in D.C. And the standings in both leagues are dotted with newcomers like the Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates who are surprisingly in the hunt for the playoffs.

Suddenly the Grand Old Game has a fresh-faced new edge to it as the season passes the halfway point and heads into the All-Star break.

As the big leagues prepare to convene in Kansas City for the midsummer classic, the 20-year-old Trout has electrified the Angels and brought them back into contention in the AL West, the Orioles are within shouting distance of the mighty New York Yankees in the AL East and the young Pirates are finally playing a brand of ball worthy of that gem of a ballpark in Pittsburgh.

One of the dusty old arguments used to criticize baseball is that the game is too often dominated by the same teams and same stars. Derek Jeter and the Yankees still lead the AL East, but David Ortiz and the Red Sox are looking up at Adam Jones and Baltimore in baseball’s best division, the veteran Philadelphia Phillies are buried in the cellar in the NL East and the defending champion Cardinals don’t look quite like themselves yet in the post Pujols era.

It’s no wonder that baseball officials are seeing rising attendance this season. There are some charismatic young stars that are giving fans new reasons to get off their couches and head to the ballpark to see what all the fuss is about.

It all starts with Trout, who is hitting .343 with 10 homers and 23 stolen bases in 60 games this season, becoming the rare power-speed dual threat.

“He’s been a game-changer, offensively, defensively,” New York manager Joe Girardi said earlier this season. “The kid has got a lot of talent, a ton. Usually when you see a guy that fast, you don’t anticipate him hitting the ball that hard. What he’s doing at 20, it’s really pretty amazing. You think about it, most guys don’t hit triples down the left-field line.”

And Trout isn’t even the youngest star setting the league on fire these days. Harper rocketed through the minor leagues to reach the big time at just 19, doing it his own way with a cocky attitude that rankled some of the old guard. Cole Hamels even drew a suspension for hitting Harper in the back early in the season.

Harper stole home an inning after being hit by Hamels, and he’s hitting .280 with eight homers and has shown off his rocket arm in the outfield to help the Nationals to the top of the division. He and Stephen Strasburg are giving the Redskins a run for their money as the most popular athletes in town. Attendance is up 32 percent in an area that hasn’t seen a first-place baseball team since 1933.

Andrew McCutchen, the 25-year-old speedster in center field, was hitting .360 with 16 homers and 54 RBIs as of Thursday to help revive the Pirates.

So as the pennant races heat up and the stakes rise in the second half, will these kids be intimidated?

That’s a clown question, bro.