Richard Brandon Wood (born March 2, 1985) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professional ...
infielder and
Minor League Baseball manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities ...
. He played for the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
and
Pittsburgh Pirates of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
from 2007 through 2011. He formerly managed the
Tri-City Dust Devils
The Tri-City Dust Devils are a Minor League Baseball team in the northwest United States, based in Pasco, Washington. The Dust Devils are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels. Tri-City plays their home ga ...
of the
Class A-Short Season
Class A Short Season (officially Short-Season A) was a level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States from 1965 through 2020. In the hierarchy of minor league classifications, it was below Triple-A, Double-A, Class A-Advanced (cre ...
Northwest League
The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Basebal ...
.
Playing career
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Wood was drafted by the
Anaheim Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
in the first round (23rd overall) of the
2003 amateur draft.
![Brandon Wood 2009](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Brandon_Wood_2009.jpg)
He spent most of the 2005 season with the Angels' High-A
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes,
hitting .321 with a
California League record 43
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s and 51
doubles. Combined with two doubles and a
triple
Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble":
Sports
* Triple (baseball), a three-base hit
* A basketball three-point field goal
* A figure skating jump with three rotations
* In bowling terms, three strikes in a row
* ...
in four games with the Triple-A
Salt Lake Stingers
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
, Wood became the first known minor leaguer to hit more than 100
extra-base hit
In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire ano ...
s in one year.
Wood received several awards for his performance in 2005. Amongst his accolades were: the
Joe Bauman Home Run Award
The Joe Bauman Home Run Award, formerly known as the Round-Tripper-Award, is given to the Minor League Baseball player who hit the most regular season home runs that year. The award, first given in 2002, is named after Joe Bauman, who set a the ...
, the California League and Single-A Offensive Player of the Year awards, player of the year by Minor League Baseball's official website, and co-player of the year of the Angels minor league system, alongside fellow prospect
Howie Kendrick
Howard Joseph Kendrick III (born July 12, 1983) is an American former professional baseball infielder and current special assistant to the General Manager for the Philadelphia Phillies. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected Kendrick in the ...
.
Wood was selected by the Angels to play on their
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fille ...
team, the
Surprise Scorpions
The Scottsdale Scorpions are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Scottsdale, Arizona, at Scottsdale Stadium, which is also the spring training facility of the San Francisco Gi ...
, in October and early November 2005. He hit a league-record 14 home runs for the league runner-up. In mid-November 2005, he represented the United States on the U.S.
Olympic
Olympic or Olympics may refer to
Sports
Competitions
* Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896
** Summer Olympic Games
** Winter Olympic Games
* Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
regional qualifying team.
Prior to the 2006 season, Wood was ranked as the 3rd best prospect by
Baseball America, behind
Delmon Young
Delmon Damarcus Young (born September 14, 1985) is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter for the Melbourne Aces of the Australian Baseball League. He played in Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Ray ...
and
Justin Upton
Justin Irvin Upton (born August 25, 1987) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. Nicknamed "J-Up", he has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tig ...
. He had a solid, though not spectacular year, hitting .276 with 25 home runs and 19
stolen bases in 453
at-bats for the
Double-A Arkansas Travelers
The Arkansas Travelers, also known informally as The Travs, are a Minor League Baseball team based in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The Travelers are affiliated with the Seattle Mariners as members of the Texas League.
History
The team succeeded ...
.
Wood began 2007 as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America once more, holding the 8th spot overall. He changed positions however, as he slid over to third base for the other highly talented
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...
Erick Aybar
Erick Johan Aybar (born January 14, 1984) is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres ...
. This move was made in part to accelerate his track to the majors.
Wood was called up to Angels' major league club on April 25, 2007 and made his major league debut at third base the following day against the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home ve ...
. Prior to the call-up to the big club, Wood was batting .278 (22-for-79) with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 20 games with Salt Lake. Wood's first major league at-bat came against
Jae Seo
Jae Weong Seo (; Hanja: 徐在應; ; born May 24, 1977), usually referred to as simply Jae Seo and pronounced "Jay So", is a retired South Korean professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Lo ...
. He
struck out
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is denote ...
swinging. He started his second game at third base for the Halos on April 29, picking up his first career base
hit
Hit means to strike someone or something.
Hit or HIT may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super''
* Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...
off
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
closer Bobby Jenks
Robert Scott Jenks (born March 14, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox from 2005 through 2011.
According to the ''Baseball Almanac'', his ...
. After the game, he was optioned back to Triple-A Salt Lake. He was recalled to the Angels on May 2. On September 12, 2007, against the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
, he hit his first major league home run off
Danys Báez
Danys Báez González (; ; born September 10, 1977) is a Cuban-American former professional baseball pitcher. Báez played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Balt ...
.
In the 2009 offseason, third base appeared to open up for Wood as All-Star third baseman Chone Figgins signed a four-year deal with division rivals the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
. Wood went into Spring training, preparing for a shot at the majors. "I'm going in to spring training to win a job", he said, "That keeps you on your toes. If you think that job is yours, you might get lazy. I've got to be ready to work, rather than sitting back and saying I paid my dues, I waited for my time." He cited first baseman
Kendrys Morales
Kendrys Morales Rodríguez (born June 20, 1983) is a Cuban-Dominican former professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota ...
, who had just come off a breakout 2009 season, as a role model. The Angels' willingness to part with Figgins was in part because they had Wood waiting in Triple-A. Bill Shaikin reported, "The Angels also think that, as Wood improves his plate discipline and gains a better command of the strike zone, he will add a key power component to the lineup." Wood began the season in AAA, getting called up for a couple of games at the end of April before being sent down to AAA again. He hit .195 in just 18 games.
Wood headed into the 2010 season with low optimism but ultimately began the season as the starting third baseman for the Angels. On June 27, 2010, Wood hit his first Major League grand slam off
Colorado Rockies reliever
Manny Corpas
Manuel Corpas (born December 3, 1982) is a Panamanian professional baseball pitcher for the Martinez Sturgeon of the Pecos League. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs.
Career
Colorado ...
. He finished the season with a .146 batting average, including four home runs, in 226 official at-bats.
On April 19, 2011, Wood was
designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
by the Angels to accommodate
Erick Aybar
Erick Johan Aybar (born January 14, 1984) is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres ...
's activation from the disabled list.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Wood was claimed off waivers by the
Pittsburgh Pirates on April 22. In his April 25 debut for the Pirates, a home game against the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
, Wood hit a two-run double and was part of a four-run fourth inning that gave the Pirates a 4–2 win. Wood played in a career high 99 games, hitting 7 home runs with 31 RBI's but struggled to make sufficient contact, managing just a .220 average.
Later career
Wood signed a minor league contract with the
Colorado Rockies on November 17, 2011. He spent nearly all the season with the Rockies Triple-A affiliate Colorado Springs, hitting 10 home runs with 64 RBIs and a batting average of .259.
On November 16, 2012 the
Kansas City Royals confirmed they had signed Wood to a minor-league contract for the 2013 season. No financial terms of the deal were announced.
Wood signed a minor league contract with the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
in December 2013. He was released in March 2014. Wood then played for the
Sugar Land Skeeters
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas, part of the Greater Houston metr ...
of the
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an
independent baseball league. He batted .098 in 25 games, and decided to retire.
[
]
Post-retirement revelations
In an interview with Baseball America in April 2021, Wood chronicled his mental health struggles while playing in 2010, suggesting that near-daily panic attacks undermined his ascent to a prosperous playing career in the big leagues. “I was just so light-headed. I couldn’t really breathe—I had this feeling of pure fear,” Wood said. “I have to have success here and I don’t know how I’m going to do it.” Wood chose to suffer in silence, worried that simply admitting he needed help with his mental state would be perceived poorly by manager Mike Scioscia and negatively impact his career far more than the daily panic attacks.
Managerial career
Following his retirement as a player in 2015, Wood was hired to manage the Tri-City Dust Devils
The Tri-City Dust Devils are a Minor League Baseball team in the northwest United States, based in Pasco, Washington. The Dust Devils are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels. Tri-City plays their home ga ...
, the Padres affiliate in the Class A-Short Season
Class A Short Season (officially Short-Season A) was a level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States from 1965 through 2020. In the hierarchy of minor league classifications, it was below Triple-A, Double-A, Class A-Advanced (cre ...
Northwest League
The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Basebal ...
for the 2016 season. After one season in a Manager role, Wood retired from professional baseball and began a career in the private world. He currently owns and operates a D-BAT Baseball and Softball academy franchise in Billings, Montana, where he continues coaching baseball as a private instructor.(Facebook/Brandon Wood) Wood resides in Billings, Montana with his wife, Elly and their two young sons.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Brandon
1985 births
Living people
Baseball players from Austin, Texas
Major League Baseball third basemen
Major League Baseball shortstops
Los Angeles Angels players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
Arizona League Angels players
Provo Angels players
Cedar Rapids Kernels players
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players
Arkansas Travelers players
Salt Lake Bees players
Colorado Springs Sky Sox players
Salt Lake Stingers players
Omaha Storm Chasers players
Norfolk Tides players
Sugar Land Skeeters players