Chronicles of the Lads

HOT STOP/SHORT CORNER
So, as linked at Halos Heaven, Brandon Wood is going to be taught how to play third base.

This does not, according to the Angels, signal a position shift -- they're just expanding Wood's skills.

As you know, it has often been speculated that Wood would outgrow shortstop and have to be moved to third. This may yet be, but all the reports as of now are that Wood is still doing just fine at short, thank you, and as such I think any permanent move to third would be premature.

Of course, the Angels have, as predicted when Orlando Cabrera was signed, a positional logjam. Cabrera in the majors means that Erick Aybar stays at AAA (which in and of itself is fine, as he is not ready to hit in the major leagues), which means that Brandon Wood, who put up a 123 OPS+ in AA last year, has nowhere to go. (And even if you wanted to idiotically stunt his development by keeping him at AA, what do you do with Sean Rodriguez?)

Of course, as Aybar is considered an even better defender than Wood, it's Aybar who will stay at short while Wood learns the hot corner, and very possibly may be playing third at AAA this year.

There are several things I don't like about this:

1. I think that if you have a real hitter who can play a competent or better shortstop, you keep him there until he proves that he can't play it.

2. Brandon Wood is a better offensive prospect than Erick Aybar:

         Age  Level  AVG  OBP  SLG
Wood      18    R    288  348  471
Aybar     18    R    326  395  469

Wood      19    A    251  322  404
Aybar     19    A    308  346  446

Wood      20    A+   321  383  672
Aybar     20    A+   330  370  485

Wood      21    AA   276  355  552
Aybar     21    AA   303  350  445

Wood      22    AAA  ???  ???  ???
Aybar     22    AAA  283  327  416

Wood has outperformed Aybar from the High-A California League on up.

3. Wood's value might be neutered at third base. This is a guy that projects to be a low-average slugger, like a Dean Palmer in his prime. A shortstop with power can carry the low OBP better than a third baseman can.

4. Erick Aybar likely has a decent trade value.

Anyway, that's my thinking. Of course, Wood could always go to third for a year and come back to shortstop. I'm just hesitant to see him at a corner before it's probably necessary.

Labels: Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, Orlando Cabrera, positional logjam, shortstop, third base