Angels’ Mike Trout meets his childhood idol

At just 20 years old, Angels star rookie Mike Trout isn’t that far removed from his childhood.

The outfielder was especially close to it Saturday when he got to meet his boyhood idol, Derek Jeter.

“I was a big Jeter fan growing up,” Trout said Sunday before the Angels’ 6-5 loss to the New York Yankees.

Both hail from New Jersey and Trout grew up playing shortstop, as Jeter does for the Yankees.

So when Trout doubled to left field in the sixth inning Saturday, he was met with a nice surprise when Jeter walked over to second base, slapped him on his rear and started chatting him up.

Trout said Jeter said hello, asked how old Trout was, and Trout then mentioned he was from New Jersey, which Jeter was glad to hear. Jeter told him he had a nice swing too.

“Pretty good coming from a Hall-of-Famer,” Trout said. “Definitely a good feeling.”

All in the family

Angels infielder Andrew Romine was sitting in the clubhouse Saturday afternoon before batting practice when he was told a man named Joe wanted to speak with him.

He stepped out of the clubhouse to find Yankees Manager Joe Girardi waiting.

“Have you talked to your brother lately? Do you know where he is?” Girardi asked, according to Romine.

Since the Yankees’ triple-A team in Scranton, Pa., had finished its season earlier in the week, Romine knew Austin, his brother, was on his way home.

But he also knew if the Yankees were trying to reach him, it meant they wanted to call him up, which they did Sunday.

“It couldn’t have worked out any better because our parents are from here — they’re 15 minutes down the street — and they got to see him play,” Andrew said.

Austin, who joined the Yankees because of injuries to their catchers, came in during the seventh inning and caught ace closer Mariano Rivera’s 599th career save. Rivera has two fewer than all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman.

“He couldn’t stop smiling,” Andrew Romine said.

Rivera’s appearance was his 1,036th, moving him past Hoffman for ninth place on the list of the most games pitched all time.

Short hops

Designated hitter Bobby Abreu stole two bases, giving him 20 for the season. It’s the 13th consecutive season he’s had that many, the longest streak in the majors since Rickey Henderson had 23 straight from 1979 to 2001. …The Angels embark on their final trip of the season Monday in Oakland, where they are 5-11 in their last 16 games. This season, the Angels are 5-8 against the Athletics. “Early on, we weren’t swinging the bats well and they were pitching well,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said.

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