2-3 today with a HR...his average is now .467

 

 

He's better than Aaron Boone and really should make the team.

 

.......................................................................................................

 

Isotopes: Solid as Wood

At 36 and starting his 16th season in pro baseball, Jason Wood isn't ready to put down his bat. He's a top slugger for the 'Topes, and he's still getting looks from the Marlins

By Jeremy Fowler (Contact)

Wednesday, April 5, 2006

 

Albuquerque Isotopes third baseman Jason Wood isn't ready to change his career or give up on his baseball dream, even though opportunities to do so keep cropping up - and time might be running short.

 

"If I hit a point where I'm not enjoying what I'm doing, then I'll consider something else," Wood said.

 

"But I've busted my (butt) for this game, and I have to believe there's something more for me."

 

Wood, a journeyman minor leaguer, will begin his 16th season in professional baseball today in the Isotopes' season opener at Iowa.

 

 

Jason Wood has toiled in the minors for most of his 15 seasons in professional baseball, but the Albuquerque Isotopes third baseman isn't ready to accept a role change from player to coach anytime soon. "If I hit a point where I'm not enjoying what I'm doing, then I'll consider something else," Wood said. (Craig Fritz/Tribune)

The 'Topes, in their fourth season in Albuquerque, return to Isotopes Park on April 14 for the home opener against New Orleans.

 

Wood, the 2003 and 2005 Isotopes MVP, will be among the familiar faces in the lineup.

 

The 36-year-old has reached a stage in his career when most ballplayers have either moved on to the big leagues or to other professions.

 

For now, Wood is content to keep dreaming, keep playing, keep clinging to that "something more."

 

In 15 years, Wood has had 68 major league at-bats with the Oakland A's and the Detroit Tigers, a brief tease easily surpassed by his 5,993 trips to the plate in the minors, mostly in Triple-A.

 

Wood admits he's considered doing something else to earn a living, even working in the family crop insurance business back in his hometown of Fresno, Calif. He says he might enjoy coaching baseball someday, too, just not yet.

 

During the offseason, Wood entertained a coaching offer from Fresno State University. Wood's close friend is Fresno State pitching coach Bobby Jones, and the two have discussed whether he might want to join the Bulldogs when his playing career is over.

 

He also has options to coach infielders with the parent Florida Marlins or other big-league teams.

 

 

Jason Wood has been one of the most successful Isotopes, hitting .301 with 21 homers in 2005 in his continuing effort to prove he belongs in the big leagues. (Craig Fritz/Tribune)

"I take pride in what I do," Wood said. "I'm not a rah-rah guy, but if people want to follow what I do, they can."

 

When asked if Wood will make a good coach someday, Albuquerque Isotopes manager Dean Treanor said: "No question."

 

Treanor, however, plans to postpone Wood's coaching days for as long as possible.

 

"His playing days aren't over," Treanor said. "He'll be a great coach in the sense that you can have somebody on the team that has a steady influence on somebody, but he can still do that as a player."

 

He can still hit, too. Wood finished 2005 with a .301 batting average, 21 homers and 77 RBIs.

 

His enthusiasm for the game and desire to compete remain as strong as rookies half his age.

 

Still, Wood realizes the rigorous lifestyle of a minor leaguer has caused him to miss out on a typical family life.

 

He and his wife, Sissy, have a 3-year-old, a 2-year-old and a new-born daughter. Wood's job requires him to be away from his family more than he would like, and he isn't compensated financially as generously as his big-league counterparts.

 

"The (children) are starting to realize Daddy's not there all the time," Wood said. "That's a factor for me."

 

Despite the constant travel, baseball still holds promise for Wood, even at the highest level.

 

Wood's performance in spring training merited serious looks from the Marlins, Treanor said.

 

The versatile infielder can play third, second or first base. The Marlins have All-Star Miguel Cabrera at third and Isotope Jason Stokes, a touted prospect, backing up Marlins first baseman Mike Jacobs. But if relatively unknown Dan Uggla doesn't produce, Wood could be a viable option at second.

 

"He's still in that picture," Treanor said. "At the level he's still playing, he should be."

 

Wood hasn't appeared in the majors since 1999 with Detroit. He hit .159 in 44 at-bats.

 

That was a long time ago, of course. Besides, years don't matter when you're still playing with the vibrant effort of a Little Leaguer.

 

"I'm still successful at what I do," Wood said. "I wish I was at the top of the chain of my profession, but I want to get back there."

 

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GREAT STORY ON THIS GUY!!!

 

 

Jason Wood walked into his manager's office holding an ice-cold beer in his hand and hope in his heart.

 

Wood closed the door.

 

"Is that for me?" Albuquerque manager Dean Treanor asked the veteran Isotope, eyeing his brew.

 

"I'll tell you in a minute. It depends on what kind of news you have for me."

 

The news was good.

 

The beer was Treanor's.

 

After dropping Monday's season finale 7-6 to Oklahoma, Wood and three other Isotopes found out they had been called up by Albuquerque's parent club, the Florida Marlins.

 

The three others - Chris Aguila, Eric Reed and Paul Hoover - all smiled as they walked out of Treanor's office.

 

But Wood's promotion created the most grins in the clubhouse.

 

How could fellow teammates not beam for Wood? At 36, he has played 16 seasons, the majority of those years in the minors. The last four in Albuquerque. Wood hasn't been in the majors since 1999 when he played 27 games for then-doormat Detroit.

 

"It's almost indescribable," said Wood after autographing a dollar bill for a bat boy. "It's like the first time getting called up. It's been a long time since I've been there."

 

Now Wood and his fellow former Isotopes have a chance to help surging Florida into an unlikely playoff berth. Entering today, the Marlins sit two games behind San Diego for the National League's wild card berth. They have 25 games left.

 

"If (the Marlins) throw (Wood) in late in the game, he's going to come through for them," Treanor said.

 

Wood's feel-good moment is a testament to perseverance.

 

Then again, so was the Isotopes' 2006 season.

 

Even as his age worn on and memories of the major leagues faded, Wood refused to stop. He refused to return to his native Fresno, Calif., and work a normal job.

 

Even as a rash of injuries and a midseason swoon took the Isotopes out of the playoff race by July, Albuquerque refused to stop. By winning seven of its last 10 games, the Isotopes nearly crawled back to .500 - a modest achievement considering how much the team floundered in the last two months of the what started as a promising season.

 

After his first sub-.500 campaign as Isotopes manager, Treanor admitted this season was a "disappointment."

 

Not long ago, the season brimmed with potential.

 

Albuquerque's blazing start carried it to a 30-15 mark on May 22 and a 3-game lead in the Pacific Coast League's American Southern division.

 

But an unusually high number of roster moves kept the Isotopes lineup in flux and no doubt contributed to an 8-18 record in July.

 

Four of the six players to win team awards on Monday missed significant chunks of the season either because of injury or reassignment.

 

Several other key players missed multiple games with ailments.

 

"I've never had this many injuries," Treanor said.

 

Nor had Treanor and other Isotopes officials seen so many players come and go - and come and go.

 

Albuquerque players were included in 176 transactions this season. Last year, Isotopes were involved in 132.

 

Wood seemed to be the lone steady force.

 

For the third time in four years, Wood's teammates voted him MVP. He led Albuquerque with 77 RBIs but there is no way to measure the impression his presence left on the other players.

 

"He's a total professional," Hoover said. "Many argued he should have been called up a long time ago."

 

Said Treanor of Wood's call-up: "You can split between what's right and what's wrong in the game. This is what's right."

This is Spring Training.

He's been on the brink for years, I think it's his time.

wonder why he didn't retire

he should definitely make the team. he proved he deserved to be up at the end of last year, and then he was going to retire but the club offered him a shot to stay in the MLB and then they go and waste money on Aaron f***ing Boone?

 

Fredi said a few weeks ago that the club expects to go with 13 pitchers... that only leaves 4 bench spots.

Treanor and Amezaga are definitely in... but then you gotta pick between Borchard/Ross (unless one of them claims the starting CF job), and Wood/Boone... and i'd imagine they'd keep Boone, but only because of what he's being paid.

I am now starting the official Jason Wood Fan Club and you all above me are the first members-with complimentary membership

Jason Wood = Joe Dillon = Admin Barnes = Matt Padgett

 

All career minor leaguers. None of 'em belonged on a major league roster.

 

I fart in the general direction of the Jason Wood fan club.

Wood is good . He has looked better than Boone.

Not to say that Jason Wood should or shouldn't make the team, but people need to calm down and realize that this is the first week of Spring Training games. Aaron Boone is a major league player, just because he's had a bad 10 days, shouldn't mean he should not make the team. Please remember spring training HOF'er Abraham Nunez hitting like 12 HR's a couple of years ago.

Jason Wood has always, always raked. He wont make the club out of spring training, but maybe he can get some time with club this year if Boone goes down.

God forbid.

 

Unless he gets bio-mechanical knee replacements, heals in 10 days, and can win the CF job. Then sure. All for that actually.

Jason Wood has always, always raked. He wont make the club out of spring training, but maybe he can get some time with club this year if Boone goes down.

 

In the alternative (and this is just a hypothetical) an end of spring training injury elsewhere may create an interest in a veteran like Boone that would allow for a roster spot to open up for a Wood or other exemplary spring training player.

Jason Wood = Joe Dillon = Admin Barnes = Matt Padgett

 

All career minor leaguers. None of 'em belonged on a major league roster.

 

I fart in the general direction of the Jason Wood fan club.

 

The few, the proud-no fart can fell us.

i dont have a problem with wood replacing boone because boone's impact on the team is minimal at best and as another poster pointed out wood has always hit might not be a bad idea to have a guy with some pop coming off the bench

Aaron Boone will be making just under $1mil this season. Unless there is a team out there that has an injury and need a cheap bat, Boone will be on this team come Opening Day.

Boone will be a major bat coming off the bench He probably just got over his Winter hangover this morning He will be just fine, Don't worry Woods is just a phone call away in triple A

Jason Wood has looked better than a lot of guys this spring training... keyword: spring training

Jason Boone has looked better than a lot of guys this spring training... keyword: spring training

who?

haha operator error!!! my bad!

Jason Wood = Joe Dillon = Admin Barnes = Matt Padgett

 

All career minor leaguers. None of 'em belonged on a major league roster.

 

I fart in the general direction of the Jason Wood fan club.

 

 

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...............he is not just an average minor leaguer and his better than all those players next to his name. Jason Wood is a 2 time AAA MVP so obviously is his pretty good and can play major league baseball.

 

Wood tore it up last spring training. He is tearing it up this spring training and hit over .400 last year for the Marlins at the end of the year.

 

Aaron Boone (at this point of his career) < Jason Wood

 

BTW, Wood is a celebrity....look he's on wikipedia!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Wood_(baseball_player)

 

 

LOOK HOW THE MARLINS SEASON ENDED!!!

 

http://www.mlb.com/media/player/mp_tpl.jsp..._free&_mp=1

Jason Wood = Joe Dillon = Admin Barnes = Matt Padgett

 

All career minor leaguers. None of 'em belonged on a major league roster.

 

I fart in the general direction of the Jason Wood fan club.

 

That is the exact thing I was hearing about Uggla last year at this time. I don't know if Wood is going to make the team or not. he is having a pretty good ST but so are some other guys that I don't expect to break camp with the team. Point is, there is no reason for the negativity.

Jason Wood = Joe Dillon = Admin Barnes = Matt Padgett

 

All career minor leaguers. None of 'em belonged on a major league roster.

 

I fart in the general direction of the Jason Wood fan club.

 

That is the exact thing I was hearing about Uggla last year at this time. I don't know if Wood is going to make the team or not. he is having a pretty good ST but so are some other guys that I don't expect to break camp with the team. Point is, there is no reason for the negativity.

 

I've got a copy of last year's BA Propsect Handbook, and there's Dan Uggla as one of the Marlins' top 30 prospects. Wood hasn't made one of these lists in a decade (if he ever did). Point is -- Uggla was 26 years old last year, Wood's 36. BIG difference. Wood's got no future.

Jason Wood = Joe Dillon = Admin Barnes = Matt Padgett

 

All career minor leaguers. None of 'em belonged on a major league roster.

 

I fart in the general direction of the Jason Wood fan club.

 

That is the exact thing I was hearing about Uggla last year at this time. I don't know if Wood is going to make the team or not. he is having a pretty good ST but so are some other guys that I don't expect to break camp with the team. Point is, there is no reason for the negativity.

 

I've got a copy of last year's BA Propsect Handbook, and there's Dan Uggla as one of the Marlins' top 30 prospects. Wood hasn't made one of these lists in a decade (if he ever did). Point is -- Uggla was 26 years old last year, Wood's 36. BIG difference. Wood's got no future.

 

 

Who cares about the future? We aren't talking future here....we are taking it year by year.

Jason Wood is 1-1 with an RBI.....Boone is 0-1 and hitting .077.

Wood went 2-3, BB, RBI today raising his average to .474

 

Boone went 0-3.

 

 

 

I know Boone will make the team, even if he hits below .071 but Boone has a bad knee and Wood has taken advantage of his opportunity playing 1B, 2B, and 3B!

 

 

Boone is now 2-30 for the entire spring with 8 K's and 2 errors! OUCH!