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Where does Wood fit in 2010 plans?
October 28th, 2009, 10:58 am · 26 Comments · posted by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM
ANAHEIM
The coming of Brandon Wood has been foretold in story and blog for years now (but not song yet, I don’t think). Earlier this season, Angels manager Mike Scioscia and GM Tony Reagins each had the same thing to say — that Wood’s “time” would come … but it wasn’t here quite yet.
Wood (still only 24 after a third season split between Triple-A and the majors) reaches a crossroads this winter. While the potential for change in the Angels’ roster this off-season is great, Wood is out of minor-league options — which means he cannot be sent to the minors next season without clearing waivers first (highly unlikely).
So where does Wood fit in the Angels’ plans for next season?
“We’ve internally talked about this for a long time. I’m sure there’s a decision that has to be made with a lot of guys,” Scioscia said Tuesday. “He’s absolutely ready for the opportunity much like Kendry Morales was.
“Now I’m not saying he’s going to put up Kendry’s numbers. But as far as where he is and what he’s going to accomplish playing at a level outside the major leagues is not going to move his career forward. … Just because you’re ready for the challenge doesn’t mean you’re going to jump in and hit 34 bombs and drive in 105 runs or whatever (as Morales did in his first full major-league season). That’s not what we’re saying. What we’re saying is right now he’s ready for that challenge.
“The next growth stage is going to be major-league experience for this guy and eventually he might be like Howie (Kendrick) — struggle, figure it out and take off. He might be like (Erick) Aybar — play okay, figure it out and get to your level. Maybe he’s like Kendry Morales and, boom, it clicks and he does what Kendry did. We don’t know. We don’t have a crystal ball. But right now he’s not going to get any better outside of seeing major-league pitching and starting to adjust from that. So, yeah, he’s ready for that challenge. But there’s a lot of things obviously moving forward this winter that are out of his control.”
One of those things is Chone Figgins’ future employment.
If Figgins leaves via free agency, it would seem natural to then pencil Wood in as the Angels’ starting third baseman in 2010 — much as the
Angels did with Morales at first base when Mark Teixeira left as a free agent last winter.
The situations are not quite the same, Scioscia said. While Wood can play three positions (first base, shortstop and third base), the Angels are set at two of the three for a long, long time (Morales at first and Aybar at short).
With Morales last winter, the Angels had him pencilled into their 2009 lineup regardless of how the negotiations with Teixeira played out. Morales was their fallback position at first base if Teixeira left. But if Teixeira had signed with the team, neither Juan Rivera or Bobby Abreu would have been signed, clearing a corner outfield spot for Morales.
The options to get Wood into the 2010 lineup are fewer and Scioscia was not willing to say that Wood would be his third baseman next year if Figgins leaves.
“Obviously if Figgy’s not here then you’re going to look at a guy like Brandon getting the opportunities he’s been working hard for,” Scioscia said. ”If Figgy’s not here, obviously he’d be in the mix to go out and win a job. It’s never ordained.”
There are other scenarios that could play out — if Figgins re-signs with the Angels but Abreu and/or Vladimir Guerrero leaves, Figgins could move to the outfield, clearing third base for Wood.
One scenario that Scioscia ruled out, however, was making Wood learn yet another position like the outfield.
“Brandon Wood’s got the chance to be a dynamic defender wherever you play him on the infield,” Scioscia said. “That’s a positive that we would look at.”
26 Comments
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IMO, worst case for Wood is Rob Quinlan is gone and Brandon fills Qs role next years.
Can I puke now? For the last 3 of 4 years PRIOR to Wood getting out of minor league options all Mike kept saying is Wood has “alot to work on ” and implied he was not ready for the majors. Now that Wood is out of options hes ready?
Total crap. I have no clue how writers let him get away with this stuff.
Obviously if Figgy’s not here then you’re going to look at a guy like Brandon getting the opportunities he’s been working hard for,” Scioscia said. ”If Figgy’s not here, obviously he’d be in the mix to go out and win a job. It’s never ordained.”
So let me see if I understand, every other teams top prospect isn’t given a chance or position to play every day but ONLY on the angels you have to earn it?
Morales was the 1B for this season regardless of where he hit .081 in spring. And what about aybar? How did he earn the SS position?
Seriously David, what do you expect Scioscia to say? I think he wants to leave it open so Figgy doesn’t feel like he is gone and not wanted. I mean, wouldn’t you want Figgy in the outfield and leading off for us with Wood at third in the best case scenario? If that were to happen, losing Vlad and Abreu would not be the end of the world at all in my opinion.
Further, his coachspeak will get to Wood and hopefully inspire him to be hungry enough to work even harder in the offseason. The guy, while loaded with power potential, needs to do a better job making contact and hitting for average.
He should be honest and say- Wood is 2nd on the depth chart at 3B and we are going to see what he can do, just like EVERY other manager in baseball says.
Clearly players don’t respect Mike, but they go along with the moves he makes because he is the manager ( see Lacky for example)
Lackey is a bad example. He’s very bullheaded and a very fierce competitor. Pitching at the high level they were at, it’s natural for him to do and act as he did. That’s just the fire in Lackey more then his questioning of Mikes decision.
Yeah…I don’t quite understand it. One of the broadcasters midseason brought up the possibility that someone upstairs just doesn’t like Brandon. How else do you explain your number one guy “Maybe” getting an opportunity “If” Figgins leaves. Weird
Mike doesn’t like Wood for some reason and I have no clue why.
Maybe because you can’t start 10 players on the field? Where the hell was Brandon supposed to play this year?
Carlos- are you that in love with Figgy and Aybar and Rivera? Go back and read Mike and Reagin quotes about how “you find a place” for a guy to play
In love? No, I have a girlfriend and family for that, thanks. I guess you didn’t notice Figgy lead the league in walks, likely the first lead off man to do so since Henderson. Rivera is an outfielder so I’m really not sure what he has to do with this. As for Aybar, I was on the same bus that said Wood should have played over him at the start of the year, but after seeing what Aybar did with his glove AND his bat, I’ll gladly admit that I was wrong. Wood is 24. He’ll get to play next year and should hit the ground running. There was no obvious need to rush him.
I dunno about all thepolitics. What I do know is this: I used to work for the Angels in a limited capacity as a photographer - and I covered a lot of the Angels Minor League stuff on a regular basis. I was the team Photographer for Cucamonga the year that they had Brandon Wood (SS), Matt Brown (3B), Jered Weaver (P - duh), Howie Kendrick (2B), Kendry Morales (1B), and Bobby Wilson (C).
While we can pontificate all day long about whether or not he’s ready, I tell you: this kid can hit. I watched him hit almost every day at home games. It is amazing how often this kid would drive the ball really hard. I have one of his home run balls. Crushed it. This is the year that he won the Monor League Player of the Year Award, and set a minor league single season home run record that still stands.
Brandon Wood has the POTENTIAL to be the bat that the Angels have sought for years. There is no reason to not bring him up now. He has paid his dues - give him a real shot.
Barring injury or a horrendous spring (the former I hope not and the latter I doubt), Brandon Wood will be the starting 3B when the Halos break camp. If Figgy stays with the Halos (which I doubt given that his market will exceed what I think the Angels should be willing to sign him for—3 years and $8M per is the max I would pay for him), he will be in the outfield. Howie will be at 2B; Aybar at SS. Izzy will back up all three and fill in when one struggles or gets injured (both are bound to happen through the course of a full baseball year).
Give Wood a chance, bring back Bobby & Lackey, and we r set!
Wood has never learned to hit major league pitching (strikeout ratio has improved very little) but it was obvious why he was not part of any trade packages (Figgy possibly leaving). If Figgie stays, place him in left field, re-sign Abreu, trade Rivera and Santana (who is another Ramon Ortiz–’head case’) to the NL for a good first rate starter. If somebody wants to take on Mathews salary, let him go and do all you can to sign Jason Bay (free agent) regardless if Figgi stays or goes.
PS Why haven’t any So Cal sportswriters challenged Mike as to why he cost us game 2 with the Yankees (bringing in Fuentes to pitch to A-Rod instead of a righty and then bring Fuentes in); or, leaving Kazmir in game 4 after 77 piches in 4 innings; or, not being aggressive in game 3 with first and third with no outs & Figgie up–he should have sent Aybar to take 2nd (inflield was drawn in) and allow Figgie to suicide squeeze Mathis–if it did not work, we would have had one out with Aybar on third. Then the Lackey being pulled in game 5–Mike was too conservative in entire Yankee series and STILL does a poor job handling his pitchers (all season long since 2007)!
PSS–Why hasn’t anyone challenged our GM (who is following in Stoneman’s footsteps) as to why he has Stonemanitis! We let Bettencourt go to the Rockies; Lee to the Phillies; Maritnez to the Red Sox and last year too cheap to ’spring for’ Sabathia or anyone else–so he beats us twice in the playoffs because of how many million (playoff and world series turnstyles would have paid for that)???? Our organization is ALWAYS behind the ‘8 ball’ ever since we signed Vladdy! Nobdoy ever challenges this management team like they do in most major league cities (Detroit; Cleveland; Boston; New York; Philly——–WHY, doesn’ t anyone have the nerve to do so??????
And why hasn’t anyone challenged Frank to tell him that the professionals know more than he does??????
That’s not always the case, but here… yeah…
You mean the GM that signed Hunter, traded for Garland, traded for Teixeira and traded for Kazmir.
He means the GM Mike, Reagins is but a figurehead.
But I agree all of those were safe moves to make, the risk was small for the Angels. That is how the angels operate and its successful for the regular season.
The question should really be, if the Angels and iron Mike are so confident in all their guys as he says, why make any moves?
Well, they often don’t.
Yes Mark–that GM—–Hunter was good investment for our regular seasons (his playoff BA with Minn and Angels is nothing to bank a WS on)—Garland was only a one-year rental (500 pitcher) and as it turns out, the same for Tex. Kazmir was a good move but a desperation move late in the year and at a cost of possibly a good long time 2nd baseman in the majors.
There were so many deals that we allowed to pass on going back to not having a good backup ss in 08 when Izzy broke his finger and was unable to play. We let Arizona grab Eckstein and we could have used him that playoff year to put down that suicide bunt (look at the year he just had for San Diego). One player after the next we let pass because we only do the bare necessities to stay on top. Teams like Boston, Philly, Yanks and a few others are always pro-active in obtaining players because they see the potential for the playoffs and payback with revenue streams via turnstiles and various sales. LOOK HOW MANY PLAYERS WENT THRU THE RED SOX ORGNAIZATION JUST THIS YEAR! Yes network (cable) in New York pays for the Yankees extra salaries beyond the salary caps–their subscription base allows them the extra $$ to pay extra for free agents–been that way for decades and continues on! Do I like it, no, but these clubs always have it over us due to an agressive philosophy of antcipating their needs beyond the regular season and us not paying ‘top-dollar’ for the elite players. Did you ever think TEX would have been traded for had we really made a STRONG effort to sign Miguel Cabrera a few years ago??? His 30 HR’s and 100 RBI’s would not have looked good in our lineup? In hindsight a domestic dispute tarnishes his image but this was/is a solid player. Bottom line—we are a thrifty orgnaization that will always be a bridesmaid and never a bride. Pitching is the name of the game, has been and always will be—we have good but not great pitching over the past 10 years. As much as I don’t want to say it, 2002 was an aberration–we won because the stars were aligned just right (like the Mets of 1969 & Minn in 1991) , because of chemistry and 2 pichers that most teams knew little about (Lackey and Frankie). Our current rotation without Lackey will not win a championship–they are all good but not great–we need to find a stud to carry this pitching staff. Unless we are pro-active and SPEND WHAT IT TAKES, we will be fighting to qualify and then fade in October again and again!
Aberration? Only two franchises (Red Sox and whomever wins this World Series) will have two World Series titles in this decade. They’re all aberrations, to a point. But unlike the D-backs, Marlins and White Sox, the Angels are at least in the picture every year.
on the potential of a suicide squeeze bunt with Figgy, the question to Mike should be if its such a good/high percentage play with your season on the line (last post-season) why not with the LEAD when adding a run would be important?
Clearly no matter what BS he tells the media and fans THAT is not Angels baseball and definitely not how the Angels win games. The media is fooled by it totally but if you go look at the angels best stretch this season offensively they were hitting HRs. But your Mike just said last year “you cant force extra base hits” Has he every played. Every real hitter will tell you sometimes you go up trying to hit a HR and or drive the ball.
Every hitter will tell you they’re trying to make contact not named Vlad. It’s when the ball is sittin out over the strike zone do they want to drive it or rip it out the park.
I look forward to seeing Kazmir pitch all year long for us.I still think at age 25 this kid has major future ahead of him.His stats show it and maybe he needs to add a pitch.I recently saw an article where he pitched better against the top teams and hitters over all the other top pitchers.
I am ok with Wood getting a shot at playing everyday BUT having a quality vet backing him up.I’d love to see Mathis catch everyday and DH Napoli or Kendrick.Abreu needs to be resigned over Vlade and Figgins.Figgins depending on his asking price.Lackey i am afraid wants top dollar and to me as much as i like him, he isn’t a number one.Hence watch Lee & Sabathia.I still think we need another top bat in the lineup especially when i see the Phills, Yanks & Red Sox power.
Wood has more plate appearances through his age-24 season than did Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Shane Victornio, and Raul Ibanez, not to mention Matt Stairs, Carlos Ruiz, and Pedro Feliz.
He’ll be the starting 3Bman next year; Scioscia’s just letting him know he still has to work hard. Nothing wrong with that.