Orange County Register

Definitely check out Earl Bloom’s slideshow on the Angels’ shortstop options. He gives us 10 scenarios, any number of which may be reasonable, but only one the best. In two sentences or less, let’s do some ranking:

10. Khalil Greene: Home runs and nothing else, an OBP that resembles a good bowling score and an overrated glove? Maybe the Angels could just see if Alex Gonzalez is still kicking around.

9. David Eckstein: There once was a child who tried so hard that he accomplished far, far more than anybody in his small town ever imagined he would. His story of greatness was an inspiration to all, until he moved out of the hamlet and everybody realized he had really just drugged the town water supply with hallucinogens, and but for a season or two he could hardly play at all.

8. Maicer Izturis: Making Izturis the full-time shortstop would be such an act of uncreativity that I simply won’t acknowledge it.

7. Chone Figgins: His most valuable season was 2005, when he played six positions, including four semi-regularly. The Angels should enjoy the roster flexibility he provides, not stretch Figgins past his limits as an everyday shortstop.  

6. Edgar Renteria: A shortstop with two good years in the past three seems like a nice option, while a shortstop with two good years in the past five sounds like a terrible one, and Renteria is both. What we know is he’s a below-average glove whose power and speed are gone and whose greatest ability is hitting into double plays.

5. Orlando Cabrera: Alone among the available veterans he will stay on the field, and by some measures he’s still very good defensively. The power isn’t coming back, though, and even Aybar is a good bet to outhit him for 1/20th the cost.

4. Sean Rodriguez: You try to be cautious with Pacific Coast League/Salt Lake City numbers, but 21 home runs in 248 at bats, a ridiculous .340 isolated power and the best OPS on the team dwarf anything Aybar has ever done with the bat. He’ll be 24, and while the Angels still seem unconvinced he can play shortstop, second base is blocked and it’s probably time to see.

3. Erick Aybar: His first 580 major league at-bats have been awful, but his glove — fourth in all of baseball, according to the Fielding Bible vote — is so good it might be worth giving him 580 more to see whether something clicks.

2. Rafael Furcal: The best reason to sign him might be that it keeps him from Oakland, who get absolutely killed by Bobby Crosby’s presence in the lineup. Still only 31, and don’t be surprised if his 30s look a bit like Ray Durham’s — a bit fragile, a bit more power, and quite a bit of value.

1. Brandon Wood: Forget about the recent struggles — the scouts and analysts who worry about his bat are judging his bat as a third baseman’s. He’s a good bet to outhit everyone on this list, and he was originally moved off shortstop because of organizational depth — Aybar — not for poor defense.

Previous Angels news:

• Brandon Wood cut from winter team.
• Good year for Angels to be buyers.
• Randy Johnson could be the answer.
• Ibanez, Teahen?

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