Alberto Callaspo’s arrival pushes Brandon Wood further down depth chart
Reporting from Arlington, Texas — Angels General Manager Tony Reagins seemed defiant Thursday when asked if the acquisition of Alberto Callaspo would affect struggling third baseman Brandon Wood’s future.
“It doesn’t affect Brandon’s future in any way,” Reagins said.
Asked how that was possible, Reagins said, “It doesn’t.”
That seems hard to imagine considering that Callaspo, 27, will remain under the Angels’ control through 2013 and that Maicer Izturis, another player ahead of Wood on the depth chart, is in the first year of a three-year, $10-million contract.
Trading the once highly coveted Wood could help fortify the Angels’ roster while allowing a player who is hitting .168 with three home runs and 12 runs batted in to get a fresh start in a lower-pressure environment.
“We’re not thinking down that path right now,” Reagins said. “We’re not going to make any decisions and give up on Brandon Wood. He’s been a part of this organization and he’s a good player. Hopefully, we can get him going in the right direction.”
That could be difficult now that Wood has been relegated to a fourth-string role behind Callaspo, Izturis and Kevin Frandsen. Wood has made six starts in the Angels’ 18 games this month, batting .100 with two hits, no extra-base hits and seven strikeouts in 20 at-bats.
Wood said he wanted to remain with the Angels even though he now plays only once or twice a week.
“I want to be an Angel. I want to play in Anaheim,” Wood said before the trade for Callaspo was announced. “I’m 25 years old. I don’t think my time here is up.
“I’m anxious to get back and show that. … I mean, they could have done a number of different things for me to not be here right now, so I appreciate the opportunity to still be an Angel and hopefully help this team win.”
Manager Mike Scioscia acknowledged that at least in the short term, Callaspo’s presence could mean even fewer at-bats for Wood. But Wood said he doesn’t think he needs to wait until 2011 to make an impact.
“You can always use a clean slate, but that doesn’t have to happen next year,” Wood said. “Coming back the second half and once I got back from being on the [disabled list], I quit worrying about trying to do too much and do what I can to help the team win.”
Good test results
Reagins said an MRI exam on Scott Kazmir’s left shoulder showed “very little other than some fatigue,” but the left-hander, who is eligible to come off the disabled list Monday, probably won’t make his next start until sometime the following weekend at the earliest.
Trevor Bell is expected to take Kazmir’s spot in the rotation Sunday against Texas. Scioscia said the right-hander was capable of throwing about 80 pitches.
The heat is on
With a game-time temperature of 95 degrees Thursday, the Angels took extra precautions to minimize the heat’s effects.
Scioscia said the team moved some of its early pregame work indoors and would curtail defensive drills and on-field batting practice starting Friday. The Rangers typically alternate between taking batting practice on the field and in their indoor batting cages from June through August.
Frandsen had his long locks cut in New York in anticipation of the sweltering temperatures.
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