Big move creates big buzz at Angels camp

Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Location: Tempe, Ariz.
Date: February 23, 2007

Burning Question

What is the impact of moving Brandon Wood to third?

It goes a lot deeper than just one guy moving over one slot on the left side of the infield. Considering the depth up the middle the organization boasts, there is a definite trickle-down effect, even if the move proves temporary.

At the highest level, there's Erick Aybar, who's intertwined with Wood in more ways than one. More of a pure shortstop than Wood, he's every bit as blocked by Orlando Cabrera. Without Wood, Aybar would be getting most of the "prospect buzz." On the flip side, if Aybar weren't in the system, the Angels may not have been so willing to move Wood to third. Meanwhile, while Wood slides to his right, Aybar has been working on moving to his left across second base. So far, he's shown an ability to play second and, just like Wood's shift to third, it could open up big-league playing time for the prospect sooner rather than later.

A step behind Aybar and Wood is Sean Rodriguez. He already knows about the value of playing multiple positions. In seasons past, Rodriguez has played four different positions, though he was almost exclusively a shortstop in 2006, where he'll likely play at Double-A Arkansas.

Go down one more level and there's Hainley Statia, yet another fine middle infield prospect who'll start the year in Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga. So while Wood moving to third may get him to the big leagues sooner than had he stayed at shortstop in 2007 (the Angels are adamant in saying he could move back there in the future and perhaps would not have moved him to third if they thought it would ruin his chances to play short in the future), the Angels know they don't have to bring someone up before he's ready.

"We have depth in our system now. We don't have to rush someone up just because fans are waiting for the next guy," said Angels Minor League field coordinator Bruce Hines. "It's a great luxury for us. For someone like Hainley Statia, at the bottom, it does take some mental toughness. We just keep pushing them and it usually works out.

"If [Wood] ends up playing third base in the Major Leagues this year, good for him. If it's next year ... Brandon Wood will arrive when he's ready."

Other News of the Day

Third baseman Matt Brown, added to the 40-man roster for the first time this past November, is one of many Minor Leaguers in camp trying to open some eyes. Brown took a very nice step forward in 2006, went to the Arizona Fall League and should be ready for the move up to Triple-A Salt Lake, even with Wood there now as well. If Brown continues to hit -- he had 19 homers and 41 doubles in Arkansas a year ago -- the Angels will have to find a place in the lineup for his bat. Who knows, he could be the future third baseman with Wood moving back to short in a couple of years. "He's swinging the bat well. Mickey Hatcher likes the way he's swinging the bat. We wanted to get him experience up here," Hines said. ... Sometimes it's good to be in the right place at the right time. The Angels have several catchers in big-league camp. Brent Del Chiaro was supposed to be one of them. But he broke a finger that will force him to miss all of camp. The Angels were in need of a replacement and luckily for Brett Martinez, who caught in the Midwest League last year, he showed up for Minor League camp early. When Del Chiaro went down, Martinez was able to slide over and get some invaluable -- and unexpected -- time in big-league camp. ... Nick Adenhart reported to camp bigger and stronger, having put on what's generally called "good weight," and the Angels are pleased. "He's starting to get some mature weight," Hines said. "He was pretty light when we got him. When you see him [as a scout], you hope that he'll fill out. He's right on pace." ... Right-handed pitcher Tommy Mendoza, a fifth-round pick in the 2005 draft who spent last year with Cedar Rapids and finished fourth in the organization in strikeouts, has been shut down due to some shoulder issues. He will be rehabbing for at least the next month.

Five Questions with Brandon Wood

MiLB.com: If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?

BW: I just got done watching Band of Brothers, so I'd probably want to have dinner with members of the EZ Company to talk about their experiences in World War II. I've always been interested in that, any movies about World War II or any war, that gives you an idea of what these people went through to fight for our freedom.

MiLB.com: People would be surprised to know that I ...

BW: I fly fish. I'm not too bad with the fly rod. One of my really good friends is a fly fishing guide. When we were in high school, he got me into it. We take a trip to the San Juan River in New Mexico every year. We go and fish that for two days every year before Christmas.

MiLB.com: What's the best thing about playing for your organization?

BW: In camp, they really emphasize bringing the team together. It develops chemistry early so once the games start, we hit the ground running and everyone is on the same page.

MiLB.com: What is it like for you, a kid from Arizona, to be able to stay in your own backyard for Spring Training?

BW: It's great. It's an extra month to stay at home. I get to stay in my place. It's great for my family and friends, too. They can come out to games when they might not be able to during the year. There are no drawbacks. It's all positives.

MiLB.com: How much are you going to work at becoming a third baseman? How many ground balls will you take every day to prepare?

BW: Right now, it's up to the staff to let me know when they want to me to take ground balls or when they want me to do drills. It's just a new position that I'll need a lot of work at to feel fully comfortable out there. It's still on the left side of the infield, but it's a different angle and the action is a little faster. But that's what spring is for. When they sat me down and told me what they wanted to do, and that it might get me to the big leagues faster, I said, "Let's go!"

Lasting Impression

Outfielder Terry Evans came to the Angels last July 5 in the Jeff Weaver trade, so they didn't get a real long look at him. They certainly liked what they saw in the 52 games he played at Double-A. The late bloomer hit .309 in 188 at-bats in the system, blasting 11 homers and stealing 11 bases, helping him to finish the season as Minor League Baseball's only 30-30 man.

He went to the Arizona Fall League, but some minor injuries limited him to six games there. So the Angels staff was particularly interested to see what Evans brought to the table in his first big-league camp. That's enough for a young player to deal with by itself, but throw in the fact that it's with a new organization and all eyes are on Evans to see if his 2006 season (.309 average, 33 HR, 37 SB) was a fluke. It all could add up to a lot of pressure for the 25-year-old.

"We've been impressed with him," Hines said. "He kept his numbers up even with the trade and coming to a brand new team. We were excited to see him."

So far, if any of the pressures are bothering him, he hasn't shown it. Evans came virtually out of nowhere with his 2006 season, which began in the Florida State League, got him finally promoted to Double-A after spending parts of three seasons in the FSL. But he kept right on hitting when he moved over to the Angels and Arkansas. Now he's on a 40-man roster for the first time, soaking in the surroundings of big-league camp and, at least early on, showing he belongs in the conversation about future Angels.

"He's fitting in really well and he's quietly going about his business in a professinoal way," Hines said. "He's definitely drawing some eyes. Coming from the Cardinals, they do similar things in terms of teaching fundamentals. They're good baseball people."

Off the Beaten Path

If you walk around the Angels complex asking for Minor League field coordinator Bruce Hines, you might get a bunch of blank stares in return.

That's because almost everyone in the organization -- and many throughout baseball -- know Hines simply by his nickname, Jeter. No, he's not some wannabe trendsetter who adopted the name when the Yankees All-Star reached the big leagues in the mid-90s. This Jeter has carried the moniker since he was a youngster traveling with the college team his father coached. For the record, he became Jeter two years before the Yankee captain was born.

"We would room with the players," Hines recalled. "And they said, 'You need a nickname.' There was a Colonel Sanders commercial on at the time. He was on the porch with a kid, who was called, 'Little Jeter.' The name just stuck."

Parting Shots

For good reason, Wood's move to third was generating all the early buzz from a Minor League perspective in big-league camp. In some ways, it overshadowed some of the other tremendously talented players the farm system is starting to funnel up to Los Angeles, the catching battle between homegrown backstops Jeff Mathis and Mike Napoli and the developments at first base with Kendry Morales and Casey Kotchman (again, homegrown). In the end, the move is possible simply because of one thing: Everyone in the Angels organization, from the owner down to the Minor League coaching staff, knew their young prospect would be able to handle the transition, both physically and mentally. He'd also be able to make the move and be able to slide back to shortstop if and when the need arises.

"This is a pretty unique individual," Hines said. "He's not one who's trying to get sidetracked by ego. He's not going to say, 'I'm a shortstop and this is where I'm going to play.'

"We wanted to articulate to Brandon that this has nothing at all to do with his ability to play shortstop. We wanted to make sure he understood that. Scouts looked at his body and said, 'If he fills out, you've got a third baseman.' From day one, I said we used our first-round pick to draft a shortstop. He's going to play shortstop until he plays himself off of it. He still hasn't done it."