Angels' decision to cut Brandon Wood painful for both sides

It had to be done. But that didn't make the parting of ways between the Angels and Brandon Wood any easier to take for either side.

"We just had no way out of this," Manager Mike Scioscia said Tuesday after the Angels designated Wood for assignment.

With Erick Aybar coming off the disabled list Wednesday, the Angels needed a roster spot and there were few places to go for that. The pitching staff is at 12 arms; cutting one there would have placed strain on the bullpen. And with rookie catcher Hank Conger batting .333 and veteran backup Bobby Wilson out of options, there was little wiggle room behind the plate either.

And all four of the Angels' regular infielders -- Alberto Callaspo, Maicer Izturis, Howie Kendrick and Mark Trumbo -- rank among the major league leaders in various offensive categories. So the Angels decided to cut ties with Wood, leaving them 10 days to trade him or place him on waivers, where he's all but certain to be claimed by another team.

Angels' Erick Aybar undergoes MRI; Rays bench Manny Ramirez

Brandon Wood is in the lineup for the first time Wednesday as the Angels close out their season-opening six-game road trip with an afternoon game with the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. But that wasn't entirely by design.

Wood is starting at shortstop because regular starter Erick Aybar spent much of Wednesday morning having an MRI taken of his strained left side. Aybar has felt stiffness in his side since bellyflopping into third base in the eighth inning of Saturday's loss in Kansas City. Results of the test were not available Wednesday morning and Aybar's availability for Friday's home opener is uncertain.

Maicer Izturis, who started in Aybar's place the last two games, remained in the leadoff spot as the team's designated hitter. Also, the slumping Vernon Wells (.136) is making his first start in center in place of Peter Bourjos.

On the Tampa side, Manny Ramirez is out of the lineup after striking out three times in four at-bats Tuesday. Ramirez, 1 for 16 (.063) on the season, will  also miss Tampa's first road game Thursday in Chicago to attend to an undisclosed personal matter.

Angels exploring all their roster options

The Angels have four players -- pitchers Rich Thompson and Jason Bulger, catcher Bobby Wilson and infielder Brandon Wood -- on their 40-man roster who are out of minor league options, meaning if the team tries to send them down to the minors the players must pass through waivers first, giving every other team a chance to claim them.

And that possibility will definitely affect the way Manager Mike Scioscia sets his opening day roster.

Scioscia has been saying all spring he intended to start the season with 12 pitchers, but he backed off slightly Wednesday.

"Hopefully we’re going to be at 12," he said. "Realistically we do have some off-days early. We have a couple of guys who don’t have flexibility as far as going to the minors."

With three off-days in the first 15 days of the season, Scioscia now says the team could probably get through the first three weeks with just 11 pitchers. That would allow the team to keep both Wood and rookie Mark Trumbo as an insurance policy if Kendrys Morales and his bad ankle are less than 100% coming out of spring training.

Wilson and Bulger are both highly likely to make the team under any circumstances. Thompson, however, is on the bullpen bubble and any reduction in the size of the pitching staff could cost him a job. Putting someone on the disabled list for opening day would create another option, though.

"If somebody’s banged up at the end and on the DL we might have the option of being at 11 [pitchers] at the start of the season," he said.

Other Wednesday morning notes as the Angels prepare for their Cactus League exhibition with the Colorado Rockies:

• Scioscia said Morales is in the final stages of his treadmill program and is taking part in defensive drills at first base. There is still no timetable for when he'll be able to play in a game. But his swing is already in midseason form. Morales, batting left-handed, was impressive in batting practice Wednesday as the ball jumped off his bat. The switch-hitting slugger hit several balls over the wall, both towering fly balls and line drives. When he hits the ball it just sounds different, hitting coach Mickey Hatcher said. Scioscia added a note of caution. "There's a difference between hitting a ball at 50 mph in batting practice and hitting in a game," he said.
• No. 1 prospect Mike Trout has been limited to designated hitter duties because of a sore shoulder and Scioscia said the 19-year-old outfielder, a nonroster invitee to spring training, will be reassigned to minor league camp within a week. But he'll be leaving an impression behind. Scioscia said Trout got from home to first in 3.98 seconds after hitting a ground ball to short in a recent exhibition. That time ranks him among the fastest players in baseball history.
• Right-hander Trevor Bell, who hasn't pitched since coming out of his March 2 appearance with some stiffness, was scheduled to throw batting practice Wednesday and could be back in a game soon.
• With Morales' status for opening day uncertain. Wood has been seeing more and more action and first base during defensive drills.
• Infielder Alberto Callaspo's sore shoulder is recovering nicely and Scioscia said he could play in the field for the first time this spring in a couple of days.

-- Kevin Baxter in Tempe, Ariz.

Bottom photo: Jason Bulger. Credit: Jake Roth / US Presswire

Top photo: Bobby Wilson. Credit: Matt York / Associated Press

Brandon Wood helps Angels to 2-1 win over Reds

Brandon Wood, who needs a good spring if he hopes to have a future with the Angels, lined a one-out double to left to key a two-run third-inning rally Tuesday in a 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

Wood hit .286 and averaged 23 homers a season in the minors but he's struggled at the big-league level, batting .169 in 450 at-bats. And the Angels, out of options with the 25-year-old infielder, are clearly running out of patience too.

"Brandon needs to prove to himself that he’s made adjustments and can make adjustments from the experience last year and be a major league player," Manager Mike Scioscia said of Wood, who hit .146 and struck out in nearly a third of his at-bats in 2010. "I think a lot of it’s confidence. It’s tough to get confident when you hit .146.

"This spring training is as much going to be him hopefully attacking major league pitching and showing the talent he has. Obviously last year he took a step backward. If it makes him better in the long run, it’s worth all those struggles. If it doesn’t, then it’s a shame. Because he’s a talented kid."

Wood attacked major league pitching in his first at-bat, falling behind Reds' right-hander Johnny Cueto before lining a 1-2 change-up just inside the line in left for a double. Peter Bourjos, the next batter, was hit by a pitch before Erick Aybar singled up the middle, scoring Wood. Bobby Abreu followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Bourjos with what proved to be the winning run.

The Angels were held to just two hits over their final five at-bats but five Angel relievers made the one-run lead stand up. Kevin Jepsen and Tyler Chatwood were the most impressive of the bunch with Jepsen pitching a perfect inning, striking out one, while Chatwood threw two scoreless innings, also with a strikeout.

Right-hander Jered Weaver, the major league strikeout champion last summer, started for the Angels and gave up hits to two of the first three batters he faced to fall behind 1-0. But he also struck out two Reds in his two innings on the mound.

-- Kevin Baxter in Tempe, Ariz.

Photo: Brandon Wood. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Angels' Brandon Wood to make spring debut against Reds

Brandon Wood, fighting for a corner infield spot with the Angels this season, was in the lineup for this first time this spring Tuesday, starting at third base and batting eighth against the Cincinnati Reds.

The trio of Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells -- expected to be the heart of the Angels' offense this summer -- were to start for the second consecutive day, batting second, third and fourth. More important, however, is the fact that Hunter and Wells were also in the outfield again. The two All-Stars, who have combined for 12 Gold Gloves as center fielders, are moving to right and left, respectively, to make room for speedy youngster Peter Bourjos in center.

Right-hander Jered Weaver, a Cy Young contender last season, will make his first start on the mound and is expected to pitch two innings.

Tuesday's lineup:

SS -- Erick Aybar
DH -- Bobby Abreu
RF -- Torii Hunter
LF -- Vernon Wells
2B -- Howie Kendrick
C -- Hank Conger
1B -- Mark Trumbo
3B -- Brandon Wood
CF -- Peter Bourjos
P -- Jered Weaver

-- Kevin Baxter in Tempe, Ariz.

Photo: Brandon Wood. Credit: : Mark Duncan / Associated Press