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Lineups — with a little Wood talk
July 17th, 2009, 6:16 pm · 3 Comments · posted by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM
OAKLAND
Maicer Izturis is at second base today with Erick Aybar at shortstop. Last night, it was Aybar and Howie Kendrick.
Since Kendrick returned from his demotion to the minors, Angels manager Mike Scioscia has used a three-man rotation in the two middle infield spots with Aybar, Izturis and Kendrick getting starts based on matchups and defensive need.
Don’t look for Brandon Wood to break into that group. Before today’s game, I asked Scioscia if Wood would get any starts at shortstop without an injury breaking up the current Aybar-Izturis tandem there.
He made it clear that “the way Erick is playing right now and the way Izzy has been playing” it was unlikely Wood would show up at shortstop.
“This stuff changes quickly,” Scioscia said. “But the way these guys have played there is depth over there.”
Aybar’s defense has been repeatedly praised by Scioscia and he has quietly raised his average to the brink of .300 (it’s at .299 going into tonight’s game) with a six-game hit streak and hits in 13 of his past 15 games. Aybar is 14 for his past 24 going into tonight’s game.
“We need that range, that presence he brings at shortstop,” Scioscia said. “He’s had the potential to be a very good offensive player and a difference-maker at shortstop. That’s the player we projected, the player we think he’ll be.”
Tonight’s lineups:
ANGELS
3B Chone Figgins
2B Maicer Izturis
RF Bobby Abreu
LF Juan Rivera
1B Kendry Morales
DH Mike Napoli
CF Gary Matthews Jr.
C Jeff Mathis
SS Erick Aybar
LHP Joe Saunders
A’S
3B Adam Kennedy
SS Orlando Cabrera
CF Scott Hairston
LF Matt Holliday
DH Nomar Garciaparra
C Kurt Suzuki
RF Rajai Davis
2B Mark Ellis
1B Bobby Crosby
RHP Trevor Cahill
3 Comments
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im SOO over Mike Scioscia! BW has been through sooo much waiting so paciently for his chance to play and actually start a game and MS is just a big butt-head!! if hes not going to play BW then just trade him because hes way to good to be sitting on his butt on the bench. and hes way to good for the minors so either play him or trade him.
when you look at BW’s stats hes like AMAZING! the 1st game hes played in this whole season with the angels he hits a 2 RUN HOMERUN!!!! HELLO!!!!! thats crazy! have u ever seen someone do that? i dont think so. hes way to good to be waiting around.
KEEP HIM AND ACTUALLY PLAY HIM OR TRADE HIM!!
FOR SURE GIRL!!!!!
From what I just read from Scioscia about Wood he has no chance at all of playing with the Angels. Scioscia said that even though Wood played extensively at short in the minors this year he doesn’t envision Wood playing that position with the big club……”with the way Erick is playing now, and the way Izzy is playing now, that’s not a position where we have need”
I’m sorry, did I miss Aybar and Izturis in the All Star game? Yeah they both are hitting just over .300 but that’s about it. Neither have 30 RBI’s and combined they have a whopping 5 HR’s. Last time I looked that’s not setting the world of baseball on fire.
I have never seen an organization that has such a desire not to play any of their young guys in the organization. Look what happened when they let Morales play everyday…..he’s on his way to 25-30 HR’s and 90 RBI’s. Their has to be something we don’t know about that makes Scioscia and the top brass so against them to giving Wood a chance to be an everyday player.