Wood is here, now play him

So the Angels finally come to their senses and start calling around, finding out what free-agent pitchers might be available. Better yet, they recall Brandon Wood from Salt Lake.

Except in Wood's case, they don't plan to play him. They plan to sit him.

"Right now he's a reserve player for us," Manager Mike Scioscia says. "Other guys can give us nice chemistry in the offense. Wood's time will come."

It will? Somebody please explain this one to me. It makes no sense at all. Wood is the top power-hitting prospect on a team desperate for more power. He hit like crazy in spring training, he delivered four home runs in his first six games at Triple A. He is as ready as he is ever going to be to play in the majors.

And you call him up to sit on the bench?

This might be the most baffling decision Scioscia has made since he's been in Orange County. He defends it by saying he wants more "table-setters." He has fallen in love with Maicer Izturis for some reason, making him his No. 3 hitter. Some of his scouts should tell him "Izzy," as Mike calls him, would be a fill-in utility man, at best, on any other team that considers itself a real pennant contender.

So why is Scioscia the only one who thinks Izturis is the next coming of Chase Utley? It's like asking why there are so many weird plot twists in the TV show "Lost." Nobody knows.

It's not as if the Angels can't find room for Wood in the lineup. Vladimir Guerrero is out for a month. Put the kid in as DH and leave him there for the next four weeks. It's time to find out if he can fulfill all that glowing potential.

I know Scioscia's guys finally won a game Tuesday night, but even then they were out-homered two to one, and it was a struggle right up until those two final questionable strikes the umpire gave shaky closer Brian Fuentes in the ninth inning.

It shouldn't have to be that way. Even when, or if, the Angels get all their starting pitchers back, they shouldn't have to walk such a fine line, afraid to make an occasional bad pitch. They need more breathing room. They need an offense that shouldn't always depend on Scioscia's beloved "small ball."

Wood can help provide some pop. He has 30 home run-type power if, as he's indicated of late, he has become more disciplined at the plate. Will he still strike out 120 times in 500 at-bats? Probably. But he'll also hit some three-run homers, something the Angels still haven't delivered in their first 13 games.

I've covered baseball for a long time, and I can't remember a more obvious time to stick your top prospect in there and let him play. I can see it. Most of you can see it. Why in the name of Tommy Lasorda can't Scioscia see it?

Come on, Mike. As natural decisions go, this is as easy as deciding what toppings you want on your next pizza.

So don't be stubborn. Just do it.

-- Steve Bisheff

File photo of Brandon Wood from September 2008 by Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Tripon]

What the heck does Maicer Izturis has on Scioscia?

[lee]

I don't like Mike batting Maicer third, but I'll start him over Brandon Wood for now. Wood hit well in spring training and in the minors, but you can say the same about Kendry Morales, Aybar, and Kendrick. A .275 average with a homer or two is expected from Wood if he does starte for a week or two, which won't be enough to propel the Angels to offensive greatness.

I defiintely think the Angels sholud be more bold to address the pitching. Pedro or Mulder for 5 mil is reasonable.

[CESAR]

You read my mind steve!!!!! everything you said in that article i agree with you 100%. its sad that sciocia would prefer to bat izturis instead of wood.

[Buffalo Rob]

Even with all the pitching injuries, the main lesson learned from the start of this season should be the awful job that Bill Stoneman did as GM. When he finally "left" (he's technically still with the team), he left behind a bad offense, several bad contracts, and a depleted farm system. If the Angels had been able to draft and develop some good hitters during Stoneman's EIGHT years as GM, perhaps the loss of Vlad wouldn't leave them with a threadbare line-up.

Howie "Future Batting Title" Kendrick is a joke. I can't believe Morales was ever considered a serious prospect. No one is ever going to worry about pitching to Aybar, Izturis, or Mathis. Kotchman and McPherson are long gone. Mike Napoli is the only offensive weapon to come out of the Angels system since Troy Glaus and he only gets to play about half the games.

Hunter and Abreu are the two guys we're counting on to keep the team afloat until Vlad gets back and it's no coincidence that those are guys we signed from outside the organization.

Brandon Wood is the team's last chance to have something to show for Stoneman's era as GM, and they still don't have enough faith in him to play him over Gary Matthews Jr. Has there been a team worse than the Angels when it comes to developing major league hitters since the year 2000?

[Tom S]

Steve is right again. Give Wood a chance. THE hALLMARK OF THIS SEASON ,OTHER THAN INJURIES , are Soscia's HORRIFIC PERSONNEL MOVES. There is no way Izzy should be hitting third. Come on Mike, get your head out of rectal defilade!!

[Rob]

I used to think Mike was one of the sharper managers in the AL, but calling up Wood and not playing him is stupid.

Calling him up and not playing him when there's an opening in the lineup is dumbfounding.

Calling him up and not playing him when there's an opening in the lineup and it desperately needs another power hitter is beyond human comprehension.

I know fans like to second-guess or question GMs and managers. I'm not one of those people. But this situation is beyond ridiculous.

[Aaron]

I'd be fine trading Willits, Aybar & Izturiz for one middle-of-the-road SP and giving SS to Wood.

Serious arm injuries to three front-line SP means that at least one will continued to be plagued (fatigue, "nagging" pain, performance issues) this year. We can't keep running on fumes before we start choking on them.

[AL Church]

Steve, you are saying exactly what i agree with. Is sosh having a mental breakdown? You do not bring up your best power prospect tp sit on the bench when you are in desperate need of more power. Please, everyone remember what Boston keeps doing to us in the playoffs. Maybe sosh should go get a job in the national league and play small ball there. If we get back to the playoffs, small ball wont work against the other A.L. teams period. They are not ever going to convice me that they are better with either izzy or aybar in the lineup than Brandon wood until he is given the same at bats they got over the last two years and he flop's which i doubt, that is unless they ruin his confidence.

[Zach]

Buffalo Rob.... think a little harder.

Even if Kendrick doesn't win a batting title, he has two seasons worth of at bats in his career and has hit over .300. Two weeks of struggling in April and he's a joke?

Wonder why the Angels haven't produced as much in the way of offensive stars? That's because they've been producing pitching stars.... Lackey, Santana, Waver, Saunders, Arredondo, Shields, Adenhart, K-Rod... these were guys that they developed within the system. You only have so many high draft picks and potential to develop front line players. The Angels went with developing pitchers because that's what they feel wins ballgames. And that's even disregarding the fact that they still produced a number of highly touted offensive prospects, whether or not they eventually panned out.

Either way, considering they've won 4/5 division titles and been in the playoffs 5/7 years.... the emphasis on pitching seems to be working.

In either case, how do you possibly come to the conclusion that there is nothing to show for the Bill Stoneman era??? The guy took over the team in 1999, and, though he may have inherited the nucleus of Salmon/Erstad/Percival/Anderson/Glaus that won them the 2002 series, he made all the moves for the role players like Spiezio, Kennedy, Donnelly etc. that we all remember.... and moreover, he BUILT THE TEAM THAT HAS WON FOUR OF THE LAST FIVE DIVISION TITLES from the ground up, and given Angels fans a reason to come out to the ballpark night after night.

More to the point, besides Matthews, exactly what bad contracts exist on the Angels? Speier? Yeah that one has really handcuffed them. Quite to the contrary, one of the things that the Angels are lauded for around baseball is their position of financial flexibility. Do a little research.

And FYI, a depleted farm system is something that is typical of teams that have contended for a long period of time. That's exactly why the draft and free agency rules (type A free agents, for instance) are set up the way they are. It's the reason that it took the Yankees so long to develop their own talent, the reason it's easier for teams like the Marlins to continually trot out new talent, and it's the reason Stoneman can't be 'blamed' for the relative lack of depth in the Angels system.

Bill Stoneman was one of the best (and most respected, and, by his departure, one of the longest tenured) GMs in baseball.... and all Angels fans should personally thank him for making their team relevant for the first time in their history.

[COMMON CENTS]

I'd love to see Wood in a Cubbies uniform. Man would Chicago love him.

[brandon_in_sea]

As someone who played little league with Woody, went to high school with him and has seen him play with Utah in Tacoma and watched him sit the bench against the Mariners, it is extremely frustrating to see that the Angels are still refusing him to play. Woody is the most disciplined, hard-working guy I've ever met. He takes his baseball very personally and seriously and I know that he would love the chance to get out there and play now that he seems to have figured out his swing.

With his hitting seemingly back on par with his record setting high-school and minor league days, Woody should be given the opportunity to be the next Evan Longoria type. The Angels are getting older and their young guys are not peforming the way they need them to. If they need to send Izturis, Aybar or others down or trade them - then that's what they should do. If they're not going to play Woody despite his numbers, they need to trade him. I like the Angels organization but Woody needs to be somewhere where he can unleash his incredible defensive talent and cultivate his incredible power with the bat.