Brandon Wood last week

by Rally Manatee on Sep 2, 2008 11:56 AM PDT Comment 43 comments

B Wood went 5 for 14, hitting .357, over the last week. That's 3rd on the team behind Spidii and Tush. Yes, it is a very small sample size, but encouraging none the less. I'm also psyched that all his hits were singles, including the suicide squeeze. That means either he's shortened up his swing, or just getting lucky. Note also that he struck out only 3 times, the same number as Teixiera and Figgins among others.

When Kendrick and Aybar went down, my reaction was that if either Wood or SRod could figure things out quickly, we'd be ok (or if one of our catcher's bats caught on fire). So far, Wood is the man of destiny.

Do you think Wood will continue to hit this week, or was he just a beneficiary of TX pitching? Discuss.

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i think it might've been a little bit of both

Texas pitching helped out, I’m sure, but you can’t put too much stock in that… our bats were pretty quiet throughout that entire series.

The fact that he hit all singles in encouraging… he’s not just an “all or nothing” hitter anymore. As long as he’s getting hits, he’ll be fine. Hits = more comfort, and more comfort = power.

We’ll see how he does on the road…

Mike Scioscia: He provides to unlike method of your team member.

by howiestheman on Sep 2, 2008 12:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Mixed thoughts...

I struggle mightily between “think” and “hope”…

My primary “hope” is that Wood is going to succeed and be with us for a long time! That said, he has had several premature cups of coffee in the majors due to organizational depth needs. He was finally given a substantial amount of uninterrupted time at AAA this summer. This appeared to pay dividends with a nearly .300 avg and excellent power numbers.

I believe either 3b or SS is his for a long time starting with this Sept and next season (next month is still Eybar’s to lose).

Organizational need = 3b, though I have to say that Figgy has played phenomenal defensive 3b this season. Of course now that I have put that down in writing I keep coming back to the fact that the 2 little demons who play SS for us now continually get hurt. Perhaps the 2 of them need to play a utility role and let Figgy stay at 3b and let Wood play SS?! We need some consistency.

Perhaps an interesting offshoot question to your post is…when Wood succeeds, what happens to Figgins, Eybar, Mice Tits, Brown, and SRod? Trade bait? Should Wood get moved to LF?

Whodathunk we would be rooting for a former Ranger come August...?

by K3YEROUT on Sep 2, 2008 12:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Too many outfielders already

I think SS is the best permanent spot for Wood. Even though Figgy hasn’t been as phenomenal this year at the plate, I’d still keep him over Aybar or Izturis for his OBP, his newly developed plate discipline, his solid D at 3rd, and his versatility. However, neither Aybar or Izzy should have to be platooned like they are, and neither should they have to sit for Wood. They’ve proven they can be regulars at the highest level. Maybe if Wood pans out, we can trade away both of them for pitching or something, then just get a veteran back up SS like Vizquel or Counsell.

Shine on, luminous panthers!

by Rally Manatee on Sep 2, 2008 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i can see us trading Aybar

but not Izzy… Wood can become the new starting SS next year, and Izzy should be the back-up. NO PLATOON.

i think you’re right about Figgy though

Mike Scioscia: He provides to unlike method of your team member.

by howiestheman on Sep 2, 2008 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

most disappointing to me thus far is the fragility of HK, Izzy, and Eybar...

perhaps they need to stop at 2b occasionally instead of busting their hump to third? I don’t know the answer!

Whodathunk we would be rooting for a former Ranger come August...?

by K3YEROUT on Sep 2, 2008 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah i agree there

that’s mostly Howie… Aybar got hurt trying to make a play on defense.

Mike Scioscia: He provides to unlike method of your team member.

by howiestheman on Sep 2, 2008 4:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Figgy

Figgins should play LF a lot, his speed will play well there. I also like Figgy more as the jack of all trades.

We have just about the right amound of OF now, and you can bet at least 1 will be gone to start 2009, and 2 or more will not be in the rotation by the end of 2009.

by elricsi on Sep 2, 2008 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I read that Hatcher and Scioscia asked him to...

lower his hands, thus shortening his swing. It was attributed as the source of his recent turnaround in AAA.

by Downing Rules on Sep 2, 2008 12:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes

I also read that Shane Loux reported Wood seemed to figure something out. His pitch recognition and strike zone discipline vastly improved when he got on in AAA.

I don’t know what we’d do with Figgy if Wood play 3B. I think Rodriguez is bait, as is Matt Brown, unless he can play LF. A lot might depend on our ‘09 roster. Who’s playing LF? GA and Rivera are both free agents, which do we sign, if either? This is assuming Matthews is the highest paid fourth outfielder in baseball.

Does Figgy move to LF then? Does he supersub, leaving Matthews/Willits or GA or Juan to LF? Do we keep Teixiera, making Kendry the DH, or is DH open because Kendry’s at 1B?

I think there are too many question marks to even try to figure anything out. It’d help, though, if Rodriguez can show he’ll hit in the majors. It’d also help if Howie can show that he can play a full season, otherwise I don’t see why we’d trade Aybar or Izturis for any help.

by Sethy on Sep 2, 2008 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

we would trade Figgy for pitching in December.

Ninja Del Taco move all the way.

by Rev Halofan on Sep 2, 2008 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't see how anyone in their right mind would trade Figgy

We are so spoiled to have a guy like that, and the rest of MLB is salivating at the thought of snagging a guy that can play defense excellently anywhere you ask him to. Oh, and can you please hit around .300 for us too? That’d be grreat. M’kay?

Not saying it won’t happen, but it’d be a crime.

Shine on, luminous panthers!

by Rally Manatee on Sep 2, 2008 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

if we thought Reggie or Aybar could take over

we’d do it.

the reason? the rest of the MLB us salivating at the thought of snagging a guy that can play defense excellently anywhere you ask him to. lol

it’s called selling high

Mike Scioscia: He provides to unlike method of your team member.

by howiestheman on Sep 2, 2008 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Everyone said the same thing about Orlando Cabrera, he was traded for pitcher, Jon Garland.

Heed the word of the Reverend, he is right some times.

by 44FAN on Sep 2, 2008 1:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heed the Reverend

And fear the Ninja.

Shine on, luminous panthers!

by Rally Manatee on Sep 2, 2008 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And keep your finger on the "refresh" button at all times.

by 44FAN on Sep 2, 2008 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is that a

song by Blue Oyster Cult?

Jim Scully

Jim Scully Home
Haloville - Land of the Halos

by jimmuscomp on Sep 2, 2008 6:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

it's called Free Agency

Figgy is a FA after the 2009 season. So either we pay him big bucks to stay even though we are not playing him in his correct position (2B or maybe SS) or one of these so-called salivating teams will pony up big bucks to take him away.

We have plenty of MI who are ready to play and much cheaper. So keepig him LT via a long, overpriced deal makes no sense. He’s also not getting any younger.

So we either trade him this offseason and get what we can now. Or else we lose him via FA after next year. Trading him this winter makes the most sense in that we can get some good prospects in return (sorely needed).

Go Angels!

by Four Ts on Sep 2, 2008 2:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What he said

though for the record, I’d hate to see Figgy go.

Chuck Finley is my homeboy

by HaloDutch on Sep 2, 2008 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

His correct position?

When has Figgins ever had a “correct” position? And what does that have to do with resigning him?

More importantly, if we trade Figgy, who leads off? Only Willits, Izzy, or Aybar are possibilities, but none of them come close to Figgy. Sothball demands an excellent lead-off hitter, and to get an excellent lead-off hitter, we’ll have to pay up.

I just don’t see how Arte can expect to remain competitive without raising the budget a bit after 09. We’ve got to resign Lackey and Guerrero for sure. Then there’s Figgins. That’s not even accounting for the more immediate K Rod, Teixiera, GA, and Garland questions.

Shine on, luminous panthers!

by Rally Manatee on Sep 3, 2008 2:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"none of them are close to Figgy"

thats true, but one could argue that as he continues to get older, Figgy wont be close to figgy. Hes a nice sparkplug, but he’s become somewhat one-dimensional this year and hes not going to get better he ages. Also, as i said below…diminished speed and more frequent injuries are a risk when you re-sign a guy who is basically a speedster into his 30s. Someone will offer him more years and we would be wise not to match it and lock ourselves into an extremely old core of hunter, vlad, figgins, matthews, and lackey

we have a farm system. willits and aybar are not the only solutions. Peter Bourjos is a type of player that comes to mind who so far has 50 steals this year and kind of just emerged this year really. You never know when guys come down the pipeline.

by ihearhowie2.0 on Sep 3, 2008 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You have a point

I’ve seen a lot of Bourjos this year. Kid has crazy upside.

Chuck Finley is my homeboy

by HaloDutch on Sep 5, 2008 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

people said the same thing about trading OC

i like figgins, but hes kinda shown that 2007 was pretty flukey. I think we should keep him but if theres an offer we cant refuse, why not? I dont think we’ll be re-signing him. You cant keep everyone and unfortunately the little guy who relies on his speed to be valuable is not the best guy to extend into his 30s.

by ihearhowie2.0 on Sep 2, 2008 6:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

We have no one else that can lead off effectively. Figgins is getting on base, man. Aybar can’t do it. Willits isn’t a everyday starter that can lead off. Who else? No one.

by Sethy on Sep 3, 2008 8:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Uh...

2007 seems to contradict your idea about Willits. Willits is a perfectly acceptable solution at leadoff for a year or two.

Jim Scully

Jim Scully Home
Haloville - Land of the Halos

by jimmuscomp on Sep 4, 2008 11:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

waste of a corner OF spot

Seattle I would like to thank you for sucking. It allows me to get back to my roots: Hating Fremont.

Kobe tell me how my ass tastes

by hauldog on Sep 4, 2008 1:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not if the alternative is...

Willits could put up a .380 or so OBP and I’d be content. If you are putting Teix, HK, Vlad, Napoli and Hunter in the lineup he would be a fine lead off guy even if he isn’t the power hitting LF’er we’d rather have. Shoot, GA hasn’t been the power hitting LF’er we’d like to have the last few years.

Jim Scully

Jim Scully Home
Haloville - Land of the Halos

by jimmuscomp on Sep 4, 2008 3:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think he is going to put up a 380 OBP

Seattle I would like to thank you for sucking. It allows me to get back to my roots: Hating Fremont.

Kobe tell me how my ass tastes

by hauldog on Sep 4, 2008 4:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

GA does not have an OPS of 687 second half Willits does

Seattle I would like to thank you for sucking. It allows me to get back to my roots: Hating Fremont.

Kobe tell me how my ass tastes

by hauldog on Sep 4, 2008 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Second half of 2007

Seattle I would like to thank you for sucking. It allows me to get back to my roots: Hating Fremont.

Kobe tell me how my ass tastes

by hauldog on Sep 4, 2008 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's almost as good as GA's first half OPS of .690.

Oh wait, the first half of the season doesn’t count. Unless of course we’re talking about Joe Saunders, in which case, it’s all that counts.

by snowhor on Sep 5, 2008 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

GMJ did a pretty good job batting lead off today in Detroit.

by 44FAN on Sep 4, 2008 4:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

ya, didnt want to say this before, but...

matthews WAS signed to be our leadoff guy..

:-(

by ihearhowie2.0 on Sep 4, 2008 5:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yuck

I would really hate to see Matthews leading off, and no Figgins. That would also mean either no GA and/or no Rivera. I like howiestheman’s projection of the future lineup in the Morales thread much better than this. This is depressing.

Shine on, luminous panthers!

by Rally Manatee on Sep 5, 2008 12:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Prophetic

Whodathunk we would be rooting for a former Ranger come August...?

by K3YEROUT on Sep 2, 2008 2:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think we should platoon Woody next year and let Figgy go after 2009

by vlad IS my man on Sep 2, 2008 3:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Or MAYBE, let Tex go after this year and try to make wood a first baseman

by vlad IS my man on Sep 2, 2008 3:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

no

not 1st base. we have morales and trumbo if tex walks. to move wood there permanently, especially when he has yet to become a bat we need in the lineup no matter what yet, would be foolish. His bat plays well at 3rd and really well at short. gotta maximize value

by ihearhowie2.0 on Sep 2, 2008 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs