Mike Trout says he had no problem giving up a few years of free-agent freedom in exchange for lifelong financial security and a chance to win championships with the Angels, according to an ESPN.com report.

Owner Arte Moreno would have liked to lock up baseball's best young player for even longer, and says he met Trout in the middle on a record-setting contract.

Trout formalized his six-year, $144.5 million deal on Saturday, committing himself to the Angels through 2020.

The 22-year-old outfielder says it was "hard to turn down" the big numbers offered by the Angels.