March 16, 200719 yr Author i dont think people want to rip on him.. just wmm Who do I want to rip on? Wood went 2-4 again yesterday by the way.
March 17, 200719 yr Author MARLINS | JASON WOOD Wood's field of dreams Jason Wood has toiled for 17 years in the minors and is a long shot to make the Marlins, yet still pursues an MLB job. BY CLARK SPENCER cspencer@MiamiHerald.com Jason Wood has contemplated retiring, 'but then spring training comes around and I get that itch.' VERO BEACH --He is 37, the oldest man in camp. But the years don't begin to tell his story. The games do. The bus rides and their countless miles. The stack of broken dreams. With Jason Wood, there is one burning question: why? ''There have been a few times I've thought that myself,'' Wood said. USA Today Sports Weekly carried a recent story that focused on career minor-leaguers, guys who hung around long past the point where most would have given up. Wood topped the list. According to the publication's research, no active professional has played more minor-league games than Wood's 1,785. He is 253 hits shy of 2,000. He is 24 home runs short of 200, 60 runs away from 1,000, and within 21 RBI of 1,000. They are numbers he has compiled from his first day in the minors in 1991 to his most recent last season. GETTING THE `ITCH' But all Wood has to show for those 17 minor-league seasons -- all those ground balls he has practiced fielding on divoted infields, all those cuts he has taken off the tired arms of batting practice pitchers, all those hopes of climbing to the top -- is 52 games in a major-league uniform. Why? Why does he bother to continue? ''There have been times where I've been pretty discouraged and gone home after the season saying I really have to sit back and think about it,'' he said. ``But then spring training comes around and I get that itch.'' Wood said he probably would have called it quits this past winter. But in the final game of the regular season, Wood -- a September call-up for the Marlins -- drove in the winning run in an 11-inning victory over the Phillies. It was an exclamation point ending to the season, one of his most memorable moments as a big-leaguer. Yet much of his glory was lost in the swirl surrounding manager Joe Girardi's impending firing. That was the story that day, not Wood's big hit. Wood didn't forget it, though. ''It gave me life for this year, basically,'' he said. And so Wood has returned again, to give baseball another try. An 11th-round pick of the Oakland A's in 1991, Wood was never earmarked for greatness. When he showed up to spring training one season with the A's and saw his competition, Wood figured it might take him a while to make it to the majors. That A's clubhouse was filled with big-time stars: Mark McGwire, Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Goose Goosage, Dennis Eckersley, Carney Lansford, Mike Bordick and Terry Steinbeck. Tony La Russa was the manager. ''You sat in a corner of the clubhouse and took it all in,'' Wood said. His roommate his first two years in the minors was Jason Giambi. ''Jason Giambi and I shared a locker in, I think, '93,'' Wood said. ``The [spring training] clubhouse in Phoenix was so small that the two of us shared a locker.'' But seven years passed before the A's called him up and, when they finally did in 1998, it was for all of one at-bat. Soon after, he was traded to Detroit, where he played a handful of games from 1998-99, notching his first hit and first home run in the majors, and then disappearing into the netherworld of the minors for the next seven seasons. Wood rationalized his situation calmly. ''You can have good numbers and be successful in this game,'' he said. ``But at the big-league level, if you're not an All-Star or a big-time prospect, they don't have as much demand for you.'' PATIENCE PAYS Wood's patience paid off last September when the Marlins called him up from Triple A, and the aging infielder made the most of his sparse playing time, going 6 for 13 and supplying the final snapshot of the season. Now comes another spring training, another tense time. The first cuts were made Friday, and many more will be made in the coming three weeks when the roster must be pared to 25. Wood, who can play all four infield positions, is a bit of a long shot to make the club. But he was in '98, too, until A's shortstop Miguel Tejada went down with an injury and manager Art Howe delivered the news he had long been waiting for: He had made the Opening Day roster. Wood can't say when it will finally end, when he'll put the dream to rest for good. ''I don't have answer for that,'' he said. ``I really don't. I guess as long as I'm successful, still having fun, and still waking up in the morning knowing that I can put on a uniform and go out and compete, I'll continue to go on for as long as I can.''
March 17, 200719 yr Author Wood is 1-2 again today....he plays all 4 infield postions....he has done EVERYTHING he can to make the club. The rest is on the management now.
March 30, 200719 yr Author Congrats and good luck Jason! 6-13 last season and a .415 spring! You deserved this and I think you are a better hitter than both Boone and Amezaga. Here's to a good season!
March 30, 200719 yr Hooray for Jason and his fan club. I look forward to many good solid hits-and maybe even from Aaron Boone.
March 31, 200719 yr Author Congrats to Wood! His stay will be short but congrats nonetheless Who will take his spot? I think he'll be on the team all year. I believe Amezaga will have a bad year and Boone will hopefully be gone by the trade deadline.
March 31, 200719 yr You also thought we should get Pablo Ozuna and Bernie Williams for CF, so... :| And that Eric Reed would be the starting CF. I wonder why he doesnt have that in his sig.....
March 31, 200719 yr Author You also thought we should get Pablo Ozuna and Bernie Williams for CF, so... :| And that Eric Reed would be the starting CF. I wonder why he doesnt have that in his sig..... Obviously Reed was my prediction to start AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING TRAINING! No one realistically thought Ozuna would play CF....it was just a thought. Reed did get jobbed anyway but I like DeAza. At least I wasn't way off like people saying Joe Borchard is a CFer. I picked Gardner and Wood also. Why does this matter anyway?
March 31, 200719 yr You also thought we should get Pablo Ozuna and Bernie Williams for CF, so... :| And that Eric Reed would be the starting CF. I wonder why he doesnt have that in his sig..... Obviously Reed was my prediction to start AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING TRAINING! No one realistically thought Ozuna would play CF....it was just a thought. Reed did get jobbed anyway but I like DeAza. At least I wasn't way off like people saying Joe Borchard is a CFer. I picked Gardner and Wood also. Why does this matter anyway? Reed didn't get jobbed, he was just outplayed by De Aza. it wasn't even close. Even Stevie Wonder could see that De Aza was by far the better player. The decision was the best for the ballclub. I don't think Reed wants to be a 5th OF at this point. Cody fills that spot better anyway, Don't worry he will be backup with the parent club in the near future
March 31, 200719 yr You also thought we should get Pablo Ozuna and Bernie Williams for CF, so... :| And that Eric Reed would be the starting CF. I wonder why he doesnt have that in his sig..... Obviously Reed was my prediction to start AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING TRAINING! No one realistically thought Ozuna would play CF....it was just a thought. Reed did get jobbed anyway but I like DeAza. At least I wasn't way off like people saying Joe Borchard is a CFer. I picked Gardner and Wood also. Why does this matter anyway? How did Reed get "jobbed"? He was outplayed, he had his chance last year and proved the he can't hit the ball. Even if he hit .450 this spring I'd still give the job to De Aza because he obviously has more potential. Spring training stats mean nothing and Reed proved that last year.
March 31, 200719 yr Author You also thought we should get Pablo Ozuna and Bernie Williams for CF, so... :| And that Eric Reed would be the starting CF. I wonder why he doesnt have that in his sig..... Obviously Reed was my prediction to start AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING TRAINING! No one realistically thought Ozuna would play CF....it was just a thought. Reed did get jobbed anyway but I like DeAza. At least I wasn't way off like people saying Joe Borchard is a CFer. I picked Gardner and Wood also. Why does this matter anyway? Reed didn't get jobbed, he was just outplayed by De Aza. it wasn't even close. Even Stevie Wonder could see that De Aza was by far the better player. The decision was the best for the ballclub. I don't think Reed wants to be a 5th OF at this point. Cody fills that spot better anyway, Don't worry he will be backup with the parent club in the near future Getting jobbed wasn't the right word but DeAza did NOT clearly outplay Reed. DeAza hit about .350 and Reed hit about .370 and Reed played the best defense of the spring. They went with DeAza because of upside.
March 31, 200719 yr You also thought we should get Pablo Ozuna and Bernie Williams for CF, so... :| And that Eric Reed would be the starting CF. I wonder why he doesnt have that in his sig..... Obviously Reed was my prediction to start AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING TRAINING! No one realistically thought Ozuna would play CF....it was just a thought. Reed did get jobbed anyway but I like DeAza. At least I wasn't way off like people saying Joe Borchard is a CFer. I picked Gardner and Wood also. Why does this matter anyway? Reed didn't get jobbed, he was just outplayed by De Aza. it wasn't even close. Even Stevie Wonder could see that De Aza was by far the better player. The decision was the best for the ballclub. I don't think Reed wants to be a 5th OF at this point. Cody fills that spot better anyway, Don't worry he will be backup with the parent club in the near future Getting jobbed wasn't the right word but DeAza did NOT clearly outplay Reed. DeAza hit about .350 and Reed hit about .370 and Reed played the best defense of the spring. They went with DeAza because of upside. And you're complaining? There's a lot more to outplaying than just a batting average.
March 31, 200719 yr Author You also thought we should get Pablo Ozuna and Bernie Williams for CF, so... :| And that Eric Reed would be the starting CF. I wonder why he doesnt have that in his sig..... Obviously Reed was my prediction to start AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING TRAINING! No one realistically thought Ozuna would play CF....it was just a thought. Reed did get jobbed anyway but I like DeAza. At least I wasn't way off like people saying Joe Borchard is a CFer. I picked Gardner and Wood also. Why does this matter anyway? Reed didn't get jobbed, he was just outplayed by De Aza. it wasn't even close. Even Stevie Wonder could see that De Aza was by far the better player. The decision was the best for the ballclub. I don't think Reed wants to be a 5th OF at this point. Cody fills that spot better anyway, Don't worry he will be backup with the parent club in the near future Getting jobbed wasn't the right word but DeAza did NOT clearly outplay Reed. DeAza hit about .350 and Reed hit about .370 and Reed played the best defense of the spring. They went with DeAza because of upside. And you're complaining? There's a lot more to outplaying than just a batting average. Exactly like defense in the bermuda triangle. Hopefully DeAza is almost as good as Reed at D.
March 31, 200719 yr You also thought we should get Pablo Ozuna and Bernie Williams for CF, so... :| And that Eric Reed would be the starting CF. I wonder why he doesnt have that in his sig..... Obviously Reed was my prediction to start AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING TRAINING! No one realistically thought Ozuna would play CF....it was just a thought. Reed did get jobbed anyway but I like DeAza. At least I wasn't way off like people saying Joe Borchard is a CFer. I picked Gardner and Wood also. Why does this matter anyway? Reed didn't get jobbed, he was just outplayed by De Aza. it wasn't even close. Even Stevie Wonder could see that De Aza was by far the better player. The decision was the best for the ballclub. I don't think Reed wants to be a 5th OF at this point. Cody fills that spot better anyway, Don't worry he will be backup with the parent club in the near future Getting jobbed wasn't the right word but DeAza did NOT clearly outplay Reed. DeAza hit about .350 and Reed hit about .370 and Reed played the best defense of the spring. They went with DeAza because of upside. Not sure how many games you saw, but De Aza looked awesome out there. In all aspects of the Spring, De Aza outplayed him. (Ok yes, his avg is lower, which I am sure you will bring up, but I believe his SLG is much higher)
March 31, 200719 yr Author I'm not arguing with you. I like both DeAza and Campusano better than Reed.
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