ANGELS NOTEBOOK: WOOD PICK SOLID CHOICE FOR ANGELS.Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico San Juan (IPA: [saŋ hwaŋ]) (from the Spanish San Juan Bautista, "Saint John the Baptist") is the capital and largest municipality on Puerto Rico. - Brandon Wood Richard Brandon Wood (born March 2, 1985 in Austin, Texas) is an Major League Baseball third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He bats and throws right-handed. is at least four years away from the major leagues, but already he has started training and acting like a big leaguer. The Angels selected Wood, a shortstop from Scottsdale, Ariz., with the 23rd overall pick in Tuesday's amateur draft. Wood has accepted a scholarship to Texas, but Wood and Angels scouting director Donny Rowland said signing with the Angels was a mere formality that could happen within days. Tuesday's selection by the Angels capped a year in which Wood's increased training regimen helped elevate him to top prospect status. Considered a sure-handed fielder, Wood joined the Athletes' Performance Institute in Tempe, Ariz. - which counts Nomar Garciaparra Anthony Nomar Garciaparra[1] (born July 23, 1973, in Whittier, California) is a Mexican-American baseball player who currently plays third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers. and Roberto Alomar He went on to have a banner year for Horizon High in Scottsdale, which he led to a state-title game. Wood hit .504 with a state-record 20 home runs and 58 RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in . ``I knew the Angels were picking 23rd, and once I heard my name over the Internet, it's still hard to even realize it right now,'' said Wood, who struck up a friendship with Angels scouts Jeff Scholzen and Bobby Magallanes Bobby Magallanes is the manager of the Cedar Rapids Kernels, the Los Angeles Angels' minor league affiliate. The Kernels are a part of the Midwest League. Magallanes is a native of Downey, California. and worked out first for the Angels. ``(The offseason) was big for me. In Arizona you play 12 months out of the year, and you have six months or so to work on my strength. I put myself in that position.'' Wood is 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, and Rowland acknowledged Wood might eventually outgrow outgrow verb To change the relationship with a condition or structure by dint of ↑ age or size; while children outgrow clothing, and certain behaviors, they rarely outgrow diseases–eg, asthma shortstop and move to third base. But for now, the plan is to start him at the Angels' rookie-league team in Mesa, Ariz., and keep him at shortstop. ``The last year-and-a-half he's gotten a lot stronger,'' Rowland said. ``He's added the power potential. We're going to leave him at shortstop as long as we can. He has a lot of options physically because of his defensive ability.'' The Angels took 20 players on the draft's first day, including nine pitchers. In the second round, they grabbed West Virginia West Virginia, E central state of the United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland (N), Virginia (E and S), and Kentucky and, across the Ohio R., Ohio (W). Facts and Figures Area, 24,181 sq mi (62,629 sq km). Pop. prep left-hander Anthony Whittington, who has signed with Oklahoma State. Whittington, a volunteer firefighter, throws a fastball in the low-90s. --Injury update: Darin Erstad has three hits in 10 at-bats with Triple-A Salt Lake and remains on track to be activated Monday. ... Closer Troy Percival (degenerative hip) will throw a simulated game today. Gabe Lacques, (626) 962-8811 gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com CAPTION(S): box Box: ANGELS vs. MONTREAL - Gabe Lacques |
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