One year into his career, Mike Trout is rated a ’99’ in MLB 2K13

MLB 2K13 releases tomorrow, and yet the game is still somewhat of a mystery. However, we put together a list of things we know about this year's edition a week ago in The Final Countdown. Let's add some player ratings to the list of 'Things we know about MLB 2K13.' This morning, Operation Sports posted a few videos taken by someone that played the game in a Best Buy. While the user shared his impressions of the game — which was mostly the same as MLB 2K12 — he also included a brief look at a few player ratings.

The most notable of those ratings was Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Outfielder, Mike Trout. After being called up on April 28, 2012 to replace the injured Bobby Abreu, Trout went on to have a rookie season unlike any seen in the history of Major League Baseball. He became the youngest player ever to hit at least 20 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season. He went on to hit .326 with a .399 OBP, hit 30 home runs, had 83 RBIs, and stole 49 bases in a 2012 campaign that landed him the Rookie of the Year award. He also came in second to Miguel Cabrera in the American League MVP voting.

He's a star in the making. The season he had is, apparently, deserving of a '99' overall rating in MLB 2K13.

A 99 rating! 99 ratings should be reserved for the best players in the game — usually someone with a bit of a track record — that are at the peaks of their careers. Mike Trout will be entering his second season. Now, obviously, his rookie season was amazing, but there's been a lot of amazing rookies (and veterans) that go on to have bad seasons to follow it. Hasn't 2K Sports heard of the sophomore slump? Mark Prior had an amazing year in 2003 and never came close to repeating those numbers.

Knee-jerk reactions to the previous season's statistics can have a negative effect on sports games. Mike Trout should definitely be rated in the 90s, but not have the highest rating in the game. From what I'm seeing, with a 99 overall there is no room for improvement. He's peaked and can only get worse now. Maybe 2K Sports isn't taking into account that he'll be playing Left Field this season. He's been a Center Fielder his whole life, but the Angels acquiring Josh Hamilton in Free Agency will have Trout moving to Left Field and learning a new position. Maybe they're not taking into account that after a full year of seeing a player, pitchers might adjust and learn how to pitch to him. Maybe they don't remember that the Angels didn't make the playoffs. While that's not Trout's fault, these were his numbers the last two months of the season:

Obviously, these numbers are far below the level he played at for the majority of the season, but it looks like the league caught up to him. That September was particularly tough — and probably some of the reason he didn't win the MVP.

I'd just hate to see Trout be the next Peyton Hillis. Hillis rushed for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns in 2010, landing him the cover of Madden and seeing him get a significant ratings boost. In the two seasons since that, he's combined for less than 900 yards and four touchdowns. #Perspective

Trout could shut me up and justify the rating if he has the exact same season or better, but giving a 99 overall to a second year player is still ludicrous.

To see the other player ratings revealed, visit Operation Sports.

You can follow Senior Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. He likes talking sports, video games, movies, and the stupidity of celebrities. Email at LLiebl@GameZone.com

[Operation Sports]