Jeff Trout debuted under Charlie Manuel

Jeff Trout tries never to miss a Los Angeles Angels game since his son, Mike, is a fixture in the outfield.

And Jeff Trout enjoys seeing his old manager, Charlie Manuel, guide the Phillies, a team the elder Trout has been following his entire life.

Jeff Trout is a former minor-leaguer who reached as high as double A. After finishing second in the nation in batting at Delaware in 1983, he was drafted in the fifth round by the Minnesota Twins.

He began his pro career with the single-A Wisconsin Rapids, where his manager was Manuel. Trout played for Manuel in Wisconsin and the next two years in double-A Orlando.

"Charlie is one of the most competitive people I've been around, and that served him well going up the ranks," Trout said. "We all loved Charlie, but he was tough on us. He was a young manager, and he didn't like to lose."

Manuel agreed.

"These guys here [with the Phillies] don't understand how tough I was," Manuel said. "I think I was tough but in the right way."

Jeff Trout agreed.

"He was tough because he wanted us to play the right way," he said.

When asked for a scouting report on Mike Trout's father, Manuel had almost total recall of the 5-foot-9, 175-pound infielder.

"His dad was a strong little guy, a switch hitter who loved to play," Manuel said. "He was like a bulldog kind of a player, very strong for a little guy, and he could really hit."

Trout had a career .303 batting average in four minor-league seasons. His final year in Orlando, he hit .321 with seven homers and 67 RBIs.

Trout played three seasons at Orlando and thought he would advance to triple A the next spring. But he was sent back to Orlando. Facing another year in double A, he retired.

"Mike is so much better than I was," Jeff Trout said. "I could hit a little but, I was 5-9, couldn't run that great, couldn't throw well and didn't have his confidence. To play in the big leagues you have to have confidence."