Why is Mike Trout considered a rookie?

[Heretic]

I dont get it... Didnt dude play like 40 games or so last year? Just saw on espn where he's the 1st 30/40 rookie. I watch baseball but never underdtood how some 2nd year players are still rookies.

 

[tremonthustler1]

A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list).

 

[mastermind]

there is a rule that you have to play a certain number of at bats to be counted as a first year player

 

[jfkennedy]

Technically he shouldn't, but I believe they changed the rules for him. Don't hold me to it, I'll look it up, but this is off the top of my head. I remember reading a few weeks back that he had like 135 plate appearances last year, and once you pass 130 you qualify as a rookie.

*edit*
Forget what I said, lol.

Major league rules grant rookie status to players with "not more than 130 at bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues during a previous season or seasons, nor more than 45 days on a major league roster during the 25-player limit (excluding time in military service, or on the disabled list)." Trout had just 123 at-bats with the Angels in 2011, but he appeared to have enough service time to disqualify him from rookie status with 56 days prior to September 1

Was selected to Major League roster on July 8, 2011.
Received an optional assignment on August 1, 2011; thus, was on the 25-man roster for 25 days from July 8th-July 31st.
Was recalled on August 19, 2011; thus, was on the 25-man roster for 13 days from August 19th-August 31st.
Thus, Trout was on the 25-man roster for 38 days in 2011.
Since Trout was on option for less than 20 days before being recalled again, he is retroactively credited with the days while he was on option.
Even though he now gets credit for those days, the fact remains that he was an active player on the 25-man roster for just 38 days in 2011.
Since he was under 45 active days on the active 25-man roster in 2011, he keeps his rookie status for the 2012 season.

 

[Da_Eggman]

Technically he shouldn't, but I believe they changed the rules for him. Don't hold me to it, I'll look it up, but this is off the top of my head. I remember reading a few weeks back that he had like 135 plate appearances last year, and once you pass 130 you qualify as a rookie.

Trout was technically credited with 55 non-September days on the Angels’ active roster last season, eclipsing the rookie limit of 45. However, in actuality, Trout was on the roster for just 38 of those days, with the remaining 17 coming because of service time he was credited with after a short-term demotion to Triple-A.

MLB apparently has cleaned up that technicality now. While Trout will still have 55 days of service time for accounting purposes, only the time he spent on the active roster will count against his rookie status.

 

[Heretic]

Appreciations brehs... i didnt think I was going crazy, but yeah I was looking at his stats and he was credited with 40 games last year, that cleared it up.