Brandon Wood

[Illinest]

I am annointing him our 3B for the immediate future. He's in the middle of a 3 month run in which his OPS is in the low .700s. Coupled with plus defense for the position I think he deserves to stay and play.

He's still 26 years old and this is his first time with Hurdle, so maybe Hurdle has found a way to help him? The version of Wood that we've been seeing lately isn't a great player but he's at least been good enough that we don't need to feel embarrassed by the position.

Also - more than ever I think Alvarez needs to find a new position. His defense is terrible. I don't know why we've been pretending like he could stay at third. He should've been learning first all along.

 

[thecrow124]

Where exactly do you want him moved to? He will be a liability at any position he plays defensively, but at least at 3B he has the arm to make up for a couple of his fielding blunders.
Personally I would like to see him traded before he loses all value, there is just no way that someone that K's at the rate he does can have a respectable major league career, and to this point in time, he doesn't seem to be willing to make any adjustments to his swing.
I hate to sound like people from the ESPN site, but I am not sure Pedro will ever be anything other than a 3B version of Jeff Clement.
I would rather see Matt Hague at 1B and Brandon Wood at 3B next year than watch Pedro attempt to hit a major league curve ball for another 3 months.

 

[element1286]

As long as Pedro is in the minors, Wood should be the starter. I didn't understand the use of d'Arnaud and Harrison at third base earlier in the year when Wood was clearly the better option.

Pedro could switch to first base, it is really hard to be bad at that position. Many of his fielding blunders are a product of bad footwork, as much as they are hands. Either way, defense is secondary to him hitting at this point in his career.

 

[Burns80y]

Agreed on Wood. I think he has improved quite a but since his acquisition and could provide long term value to the club. He will never be the player that he was once said to be but he versatile and has a little pop in his bat. Every team needs a guy like this. He can play all 4 infield positions and not embarrass himself and he is cheap.

 

[sychmd]

i really like wood. he should be our utility man next year at the least and our 3B if his hitting can get a bit more consistent. seems like all our players have a need to pull the ball with huge swings, especially with 2 strikes.
wood, alvarez, and mccutch(now falling into that trap), jones.
hopefully hurdle can work with them on keeping their body in and driving their weight and hands toward the pitcher and not toward the foul pole every swing. all 4 above have great power the opposite way when they put a good, straightaway 80% intensity swing on it.
alvarez needs to go to first, play winter ball to get his swing and footwork down. he has good reflexes to be a good scoop at first, and his arm wont be a liability there.

 

[Blitzville]

Agreed on Wood. I think he has improved quite a but since his acquisition and could provide long term value to the club. He will never be the player that he was once said to be but he versatile and has a little pop in his bat. Every team needs a guy like this. He can play all 4 infield positions and not embarrass himself and he is cheap.

Agree with Burns80y, he's very versatile and the more consistant at bats that he gets the better he will become. I feel that the pressure that he had in Anaheim to produce was his biggest problem; he doesn't have that here. Give him time (on the field) and I think that we all will be pleasantly surprized. Now, what to do with Pedro.....That's the big question.

 

[thecrow124]

Agree with Burns80y, he's very versatile and the more consistant at bats that he gets the better he will become. I feel that the pressure that he had in Anaheim to produce was his biggest problem; he doesn't have that here. Give him time (on the field) and I think that we all will be pleasantly surprized. Now, what to do with Pedro.....That's the big question.

Not really that big of a question on what to do with Pedro, I have said from day 1 since he signed that he needs to be traded, now that he is losing value as anything, I can't even hope for a big return.