Orange County Register

Back in 2003, when they both were on the lowest rung of the Angels’ minor-league system, Angels rookie shortstop Brandon Wood and rookie second baseman Sean Rodriguez talked about their dreams among themselves.

They fantasized what it would be like holding down the middle infield positions in the big leagues for the Angels.

Now, that fantasy has come true. With injuries decimating the Angels’ middle infield - currently Howie Kendrick, Maciel Izturis and Erick Aybar are out - the patchwork infield consists of two youngsters who now have advanced together from rookie ball, to Single-A, Double-A, Triple-A and now the major leagues.

So, when Wood connected for a pair of home runs five days ago in a 12-1 victory over the New York Yankees and Rodriguez took one out of the ball park in the same game, Rodriguez reminded his buddy about those idle chats five years ago.

“I said to him, ‘Can you imagine, back in 2003, that we’d be here together, side by side?’ So he said to me, after he hit his first home run, ‘Hopefully, if given the opportunity, you and I can help turn things around for the Angels in the middle of the infield.’ I just laughed. And then when I hit my home run he said, ‘See, that’s what I’m talking about.”’

Where the pair is taking advantage of their experience playing together up each rung in the Angels’ minor league system is on defense.

In Friday’s win over Seattle, Rodriguez made a brilliant defensive play when he dove to stab a wicked ground ball up the middle by the Mariners’ Miguel Cairo. Without taking the ball out of his glove, Rodriguez made a flip to to Wood in time for a force out at second base.

“We’re definitely comfortable with each other out there, having grown up together in the Angels’ organization,” Wood said. “I wasn’t sure if he was going to glove flip it to me or hand flip it but I knew he’d get it to me in some way.”

Angels manager Mike Scioscia has seen to it that Wood and Rodriguez have worked in tandem extensively in spring training the past two years. In fact, Scioscia said the primary infield unit this spring on field two consisted of Wood, Rodriguez, Robb Quinlan and Kendry Morales.

“Those guys worked extremely hard in spring training with (Angels roving infield instructor) Rob Picciolo,” Scioscia said. “It was quality work that was done every day.”

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