Thoughts on Brandon Wood
by devildogamp on Apr 22, 2009 7:01 AM PDT
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PrintWhy the holdout on trading him if we don't want to play him?
I hate questioning things that Soth or ninja do but my problem is why does it seem like he's a collectible, they don't want to trade him to get players we need because he's our top prospect the next big thing but how long until we actually use him. I've got an image in my mind of the Angels in a couple of years looking like a 40 year old man still holding onto Ty beanie babies and pokemon cards tryin to get his moneys worth out of them now. I mean really, how many great deals have we passed on willingly because the other team wanted BWood and we said no no no that's our top prospect he's gonna be great for us one day. All Im really sayin is dont let him sit on the shelf it's not fair to him, the fans, or the team that could have that one more driving player on the team.
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I agree
We have already seen what Aybar can do with consistent playing time. Lets put Wood in there for a season and see what he can do. They really aren’t giving him a fair chance IMO
RIP Nick. We will miss you!
whether or not Wood turns into a good player
Scioscia and Reagins will take a lot of the blame for his development.
#34 Nick Adenhart always an Angel
My thinking is he will finish the season as our starting 3rd baseman
I don’t see us resigning figgy next year and I believe the FO will try to trade him once things start shaking out—either for a player that will help the Angels down the home stretch or for prospects if the Angels are out of it. I think this would be a good move—despite the fact that I like Chone a lot. The upside of keeping him is not that great. That is why they won’t trade Wood.
That doesn’t mean that I don’t think he should be playing everyday now. As I have stated in other threads, I think Wood should be starting over Aybar, and since we don’t need two speedy slap hitting middle infielders on the bench, Aybar should be optioned back to Salt Lake until they make the move.
I am a fair weather fan so the Angels better win!
Why would we trade Figgins?
I have heard this a lot lately. He will have an average above 300, he steals bases consistently, and he is a super utility guy. What’s wrong with that?
I just don’t see the logic in trading him. We can just move Aybar or Izzy to make room for Wood.
RIP Nick. We will miss you!
the same logic in trading cabrera
sure, hes good and fans like him…but the teams probably not re-signing him so why not get something in return instead of getting nothing and him just walking away? ESPECIALLY if we’re out of the race come july
RIP Nick Adenhart
by ihearhowie2.0 on Apr 22, 2009 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Figgy should expect to get a high-$ contract this off-season...
It is doubtful the Angels could match it unless the market continues to drop off like it did this last off-season.
RIP Nick Adenhart - Angel fans will never forget you!
by Downing Rules on Apr 22, 2009 11:31 AM PDT up reply actions
whos going to pay him a high & contract?
Orlando Hudson barely signed in ST. he’s a comparable player from this past off-season right? i think the market is going to be worse this off-season then in 08-09. i’m not saying i want him re-sign, just don’t think he will get a huge offer. if he’s offered ARB by the Angels i would advise him to take it.
You have a point.
RIP Nick Adenhart - Angel fans will never forget you!
by Downing Rules on Apr 22, 2009 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions
iif they re-sign figgins, they might as well trade Wood in a package for a legit pitcher
or a real first baseman. Theres no sense having valuable trade chips rotting until their value is a shell of what it once was just because the skipper would rather play slap hitting veterans than roll the dice on a prospect.
RIP Nick Adenhart
by ihearhowie2.0 on Apr 22, 2009 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions
A REAL first baseman?
Is Kendry Morales fake or something? Its all good he will make you eat crow later on during the season.
Put Kendry Morales at 1B, and move Sean Rodriguez to 3B......NOW LETS GO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's hope he makes everyone eat crow later this season, because all he's making us eat now is shit.
ROFL.......he has been hitting it hard but to the fielders.
His luck will change in no time. Dont panic, just believe in the power of the K-Mo.
Put Kendry Morales at 1B, and move Sean Rodriguez to 3B......NOW LETS GO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
im just curious at what point you admit he looks bad
and you never mention his defense which is what worries me the most. He’s slow and unathletic and it shows in the field
RIP Nick Adenhart
by ihearhowie2.0 on Apr 22, 2009 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions
Orlando Hudson also had a broken hand
Are you saying Figgins will have a broken hand at the end of the season?
Witty .sig goes here.
Why would we?
Figgins in already in his early 30s and will be expecting a guaranteed, multi-year deal. With the players we have in development now, why would we commit to a player whose chief asset remains his legs, which are the first thing to go?
Better to trade him during the season and get someone we can use in return, than see him leave in the offseason and get a single draft pick in exchange.
Branch Rickey long ago said, better to trade a player one season too soon than one season too late.
by George Kaplan on Apr 22, 2009 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Because he is a below league average hitter who has depended on his speed and is now 31 years old.
For the type of player he is, he is starting his declining years. The only really good offensive year he has had was 2007 (ops+117, BA .330, OBP .393) His career numbers are much lower. (+96, .290, .357). He will make $4.75 mil this year. That is way too much for a "super utility guy. Kingf15h, I hope he hits over .300 with an OBP over 400, but he has only hit over .300 once in his career.
I am a fair weather fan so the Angels better win!
by Halo84653 on Apr 22, 2009 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
surplus
because they have half a dozen other, cheaper and younger guys that play his position(s) in Wood, Aybar, Izturis, Kendrick, Brown, Sandoval, Statia…
That's a big "if"
Sure, if we’re out of the race by summer, hold a fire sale and start over next season. But in this division, thats not going to happen. This team will contend, and will be fine once our starting rotation gets in order. At that point all these arms we’re stretching in the rotation can go to the pen, and all these lousy relievers can go back to AAA.
Long term, of course we need to pick Wood over Figgins. But does that have to start RIGHT NOW? Figgy is still a decent leadoff hitter, and replacing him with Wood would not make this line up better. You think Wood will hit the ground running? What can we reasonably expect from him, .250/.320/.440? Figgins OBP alone will help the team score more runs this year. All you chicken littles need to calm down. Wood is not being “damaged”. He is still young and his time will come. If you’ve watched this team over the last few years, they don’t start these young players until they are 100% ready. There are no concerns about getting them ROY votes or trying to squeeze 30 homer’s out of their first full year. Its all about what’s best for the team, right?
I have never said that he should replace Figgy in the lineup--not now.
I have said that he should replace Aybar now—today. I also said that he won’t be traded because of Figgy’s FA status after this season and I think that if the FO can get some value for Figgy before the trade deadline they should. I know that there are a lot of Angel fans out there that think Aybar is great but I am not one of them. I don’t think he is proving himself to be a major league hitter and that Wood should be given a chance to play every day over him. Although Aybar’s defense may save 9-10 runs a year, his poor power/OBP costs 10 runs a year from the league average. There is much greater upside to starting Wood over Aybar. In a perfect world, Wood will carry over his ST/AAA numbers now, Aybar can go to Salt Lake and work on his plate discipline and be a viable replacement for Figgy come August. If Aybar can’t learn to get on base above his current clip, then maybe Izzy or someone else in Salt Lake. Of course I have said this about a dozen times over the past couple days in other threads. Sorry to sound like a broken record.
I am a fair weather fan so the Angels better win!
Someone in SLC???
I’ve got the perfect fit… Matt Brown.
Scioscia
Why did Scioscia keep putting Hillenbrand in the lineup? Because he could. Figgins is “blocking” Wood. I know I advocate the trade because I think Mike will continue to put Chone at third over Wood. Only way I can see that change is if we trade him. And Chone is a little more expendable because we have more “singles” hitters on the team. Also, he has better trade value.
Nick, you will always be an Angel. And you will be missed.
by anaheimisnotla on Apr 22, 2009 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions
Trade Value
Tell me which team that would give us equal value for Aybar or Izturis as they would Figgins and I think we’d keep Figgins.
Figgins’ reputation and ability gives us a reasonable return. Aybar or Izturis do not garner the same trade value.
RIP Nick Adenhart 4/9/09
Also...
We can have a mediocre shortstop this season, or we can have a good leadoff man third baseman this season. What we get in return for not trading Figgins is… FIggins.
Let's do this for Nick Adenhart, Courtney Stewart, and Henry Pearson.
young team
In the off season they said they were going to let the young players have their chances this year but I haven’t seen that yet except with the bullpen and thats only because it fell apart
"Boy, did he drop a huge deuce in the stands!" (About a two-run homer)
Rex Hudler
you have to give
them some credit for letting Morales start everyday im sure it was hard to bench the veteran Robb Quinlan over the unproven Morales
R.I.P. Nick Adenhart #34
"Wood will get his chance ..."
was one thing I read Scioscia saying. One thing the young man is going to have to learn is PATIENCE. We all certainly could learn that too.
RIP Nick Adenhart - Angel fans will never forget you!
I actually like Wood not starting last night believe it or not
The last thing any young power hitter needs is to feel the pressure that he is our savior and will make up for Vlad’s lost power production.
My thoughts are bring him up and let him sit for the first game, perhaps start him at third and DH Figgy tonight, then sit him again on Thursday no matter how he does.
Then again I don’t have any rings, and I have a pretty good idea that nobody in this thread does either.
Disagree...
Our lineup should never consist of any three of these slap hitters at the same time..Figggy, Aybar and Izzy. Needless to say having someone like Izzy as the DH is just plain stupid, when you are in a power outage. I can’t stand it when Scosh uses Izzy as the DH. I would have much rather seen Woody DH’ing last night…A lot more upside….
R.I.P. Nick, you are missed!
I didn't say anything about Izzy?
And I think you and I would agree that he shouldn’t be in the 3 hole if he’s DH’ing.
I said start Wood and DH Figgy, it has the least effect on the rest of our lineup and I want Wood in the field if he’s playing from a developmental standpoint.
As opposed to the Angels pre-Soth Dynasty?
Heaven forbid he allows these kids to continue to bring home Division Titles. And if he dares win another World Championship I’m just gonna quit watching baseball altogether.
by Wytelitning on Apr 22, 2009 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
This is getting old fast
Whenever someone criticizes Soth, the Soth ball washers immediately go to the would-you-rather-go-back-to-the-preSoth-days card. I’ve read it a million times on here.
Obviously no one wants to return to the 90s, but that doesn’t mean Soth isn’t infallible. It’s a lame argument.
I have nothing important to say.
Who said anything about "infallible"?
Terry Francona makes mistakes. Same with Bobby Cox, Jim Leyland, and others.
I think the point which has been pretty consistently made is that the team is better off with Scioscia at the helm, than with Doug Rader, or Terry Collins, or Marcel Lacheman…
You get the idea. The results speak so loudly that it is remarkable that anyone should need to elaborate.
by George Kaplan on Apr 23, 2009 9:11 AM PDT up reply actions
But no one's saying we're not better off with Soth
But some respond as if they did whenever they criticize him.
I have nothing important to say.
I think you raise a good point and it has been noted by this avid Scioscia defender. Just don’t get too whiny, a’ight? ;)
In a year of such turmoil, whining still abounds.
by Downing Rules on Apr 23, 2009 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions
LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE
[voice TYPE="whiny-emo-kid]
LEAVE SCIOSCIA ALONE!!!!!
[/voice]
Angels fan since '67
Ruining? Really?
Would you rather any number of the inept managers (former manager) sitting around instead of Soth?
Aybar
if he still has options then they don’t need to trade him. just send him down so he can play everyday. we have SS open for Wood. don’t need to trade figgy, and keep Izzy were he has always been, a backup. its soo simple, i’m going crazy. i have np giving Wood 5 months to prove himself.
I feel the same way
I feel like this is so easy a child could/would do it. But, for some reason, the Angels wont
RIP Nick. We will miss you!
waiting for the deadline
thats too long of a wait to give Wood his shot.
i would rather have him get more than 250 ABs to prepare for 2010
if 2009 is doomed, i would like to make sure 2010 isnt. If Wood is supposed to start getting ABs NEXT year, you can count on a wasted year of adjustments and slumps that we’d all rather get out of the way this season
RIP Nick Adenhart
by ihearhowie2.0 on Apr 22, 2009 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions
so
you’re giving up on this season on April 22nd?
i said IF
and to be honest, i dont think the season’s success hinges on wood replacing izturis or aybar in the lineup. my point has been that theres really no reason scoscia should be this stubborn with an elite prospect at a time when the stars are alligning for him to get some playing time. We just lost our power hitting franchise player and we’re replacing him in the lineup with maicer izturis. forgive me for not being thrilled.
RIP Nick Adenhart
by ihearhowie2.0 on Apr 22, 2009 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I hear ya
but for the month Vlad is out, who is likely to put more runs on the board for this team, Izzy or Woody? Wood could very well hit .190 with a homerun in that time. What good will that do? Izzy gives us a professional approach that we simply will not get from Wood, especially not right away. This is not Salt Lake, and he will not hit a homer every 4 ab’s.Sosh is just trying to put the best lineup possible out there right now. He still wants to win. Hes not just going to stick Wood out there because a bunch of cry babies on the internet want to see some potential homeruns. This team needs stability right now, and that’s on both ends of the ball. Sure, when July rolls around and we’re 15 games out, please trade Figgins and Abreu and even Lackey if it comes to it. Then restock the farm and give Brandon his big shot. But I’m actually holding out hope that it won’t come to that.
not old
i want him to get a feel for MLB pitching. i don’t want to wait till the trading deadline to give Wood his everyday AB and see him good/bad late in the season when were chasing for the div. i would rather have him go through it early in the season so will be prepared for the run at the end of the season. i think we can let this happen because i really don’t see our comp running away with the div.
But if we're still chasing the division
why would we trade any of our key parts? Like it or not, the only chance for Wood this season is an injury to one of our infielders (sadly, that’s likely), complete ineffectiveness from Aybar or Figgins from here on out, or a complete collapse in the standings. Yes, it sucks that he hasn’t had his chance yet when he’s so obviously ready to take the next step, but then that’s the hard part about watching an annually competitive team – you can’t just stick your best prospect out there, results be damned.
we need some more pop in the lineup
i can’t hope for an injury. no one wants that. i just see Aybar and Izzy as very similar players. its time to give Wood his shot. we need more gap power.
My hunch...
is that the FO is trying to stabilize a shaky situation (the offense) by playing more veterans instead of calling up Wood, etc. Figgins and Izturis have proven themselves and are less likely to be rattled by a poor outing especially when there are others in the lineup with less experience (Morales, Rivera) that may not handle adversity as well. To throw Wood into a mix like that before the situation can right itself, ie: making Wood the offensive savior of the club, would be wrong.
Just my two cents.
"Proven themselves"....
… to be singles hitters who all too often play at power-hitting spots for a power-hungry team.
And again — WOOD IS NOT THE SAVIOR. He’s just a SS/3B with great power who has nothing left to prove in AAA, and is therefore having his development stunted even at a time when the team is screaming out for right-handed power. This isn’t hard to understand.
by mattwelch on Apr 22, 2009 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions 6 recs
i feel like this should be REC'd 1000 times....
just to get the point across.
Godspeed Nick - RIP - 1986-2009
by norcaliangelsfan on Apr 22, 2009 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree with you.
My point was taken from what I believe the FO was thinking. Sorry if it wasn’t clear.
And I also
agree that Wood isn’t THE savior. But it appears as if many people do based on the numerous threads floating around the interweb. I was also opining (apparently shittily) that this perceived pressure that Wood might feel to be the “Savior” might be tough on a kid. The FO is prolly waiting for a point in time where there isn’t the desparate need for him to (be the sole) perform(er).
Done.
Agreed
Woody is not the savior, but he is one of the better options we have right now….Lets see do I DH Izzy or Woddy…even a moneky can pencil that one in…Come on Scosh let the monkey on the scoreboard make the lineup card! :)
R.I.P. Nick, you are missed!
its not a matter of being a savior
its a matter of realizing the situation for what it is. this is a team starved for power. the knock has always been that wood is ready but there hasnt been a position for him to play so he can get consistent ABs. Suddenly a spot opens up and scoscia refuses to either move figgins to the outfield(despite making 3-4 really questionable plays already at 3rd) or letting Wood DH. Instead, we’re now playing BOTH izturis and aybar while a guy who’s ceiling is immense in comparison is treated like he threw up in arte’s favorite plant.
RIP Nick Adenhart
by ihearhowie2.0 on Apr 22, 2009 2:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Wood needs to be play
I don’t see what the benefit to the team or to Wood is to have him on the bench. It makes no sense. Mike needs to rethink this one.
I know I said it else where...
But what could we get if we put Figgins and Rivera on the trading block.
If we can’t move GMJ, lets just play him. Abreu, Hunter, and GMJ. Let GMJ earn some value so we can see about moving him in the off season.
RIP Nick Adenhart 4/9/09
Why would you get rid of Rivera?
He is doing good and if we Bench GMJ he will start to bitch again and then he will ask to be traded, then we bundle him with Figgins and BOOM our problem is solved.
Aybar – SS
Kendrick – 2B
Abreu – DH
Hunter -CF
Morales – 1B
Napoli – C
Rivera – RF
Wood – 3B
Rodriguez – LF
When Vlad is back, we bench Sean Rodriguez and DH Vlad, and move Abreu to RF, Rivera to LF.
Put Kendry Morales at 1B, and move Sean Rodriguez to 3B......NOW LETS GO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That lineup will never happen
You have constructed a lineup with 2 players who have proven the ability to consistently hit major league pitching (ok, 3 if you count Napoli). That’s not enough.
BOOO!
Aybar as a leadoff hitter?!?! HAH! That made me laugh harder than Jepsen’s pitching!
Aybar can’t set the table worth anything. Like it or not Figgins is a better leadoff hitter than Aybar will ever be. More speed, hits for higher average (not right now, of course), gets on base, and doesn’t BLOW near as many big situations as Aybar.
The solution is keeping Figgins for now and getting rid of Aybar/Izturis while sliding in Wood as the starting SS this year. It’s Wood’s time right now, and the team can’t afford a player like Aybar preventing a player like Wood from getting into the majors in ’09.
I don’t understand the Aybar love, I REALLY don’t. He’s been nothing but unsatisfactory with his lack of power and ability that we desperately need right now. However, I think we all know as fans that “The Big Three” wouldn’t know an improvement on the team right now if it bit them on the ass.
Wood belongs at SS this year until the Halos don’t sign Figgins for 2010. For now we can’t afford a player like Aybar hogging all of Wood’s playing time (that the team needs more than anything right now).
Brandon Wood has earned the starting job at short
Truth is Aybar is a good shortstop with a chance to be a little more than good. Brandon Wood is a good shortstop with an upside to be great. Aybar may be the best option for a bunch of other major league clubs at short, but he is probably our 3rd or 4th best behind Wood, Izturis and Rodriguez.
The “to keep or not to keep Figgins” is a whole other story with nothing to do with Wood. Our infield of the future has Wood at short and brown at 3rd. Figgins has emerged as one of the top leadoff hitters in baseball. I do think he has a value to this team… what Im not sure about is what position he should play… defensively he isnt the best we have at any position, but as a complete package he has a value…
The guys we need to be looking for trades on while they still have value are Matthews, Aybar and Willits. While making room for the future which is Wood, Brown, Kendrick, Napoli, Mathis, Weaver, Saunders, Santana, Arredondo.
um
Matthews, Aybar, and Willits couldn’t net us a hot dog and two beers. And I’m no prospect expert, but my understanding is that Matt Brown’s upside is something like Quinlan.
I do agree about Aybar, and have been beating that drum for years. But in Mike’s defense, Aybar is a far better defensive shortstop than Wood will ever be, maybe top 5 in the game at his position. Unless it’s Adam Everett, if you have a top 5 defensive shortstop, you play him. Especially with this high contact pitching staff we have right now.
i don't care about gold glove caliber Defense right now
i would settle for a solid glove(Wood isn’t bad with his glove) and potential of a big bat then a great glove and a singles hitter right now.
from what I've seen from wood at SS, he is above average. In the minors his fielding percentage was better than Aybar's
and his range was not that far behind. He is a good defensive short stop. I bet he would have made at lest two of the three blown plays Aybar couldn’t in last nights game.
I am a fair weather fan so the Angels better win!
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