Prospecting

I had to laugh when I heard Brandon Wood was released by his Dominican winter team this week after hitting .167 through 48 at-bats.

Throw Wood on the pile of overvalued “can’t miss” prospects Bill Stoneman and Arte Moreno favored over the future Hall of Fame bats they were offered for them.

A list that now includes Jeff “the next Johnny Bench” Mathis, Kendry “don’t call me Clemente” Morales, Dallas “anything but a curveball” McPherson, Nick “Wild Thing” Adenhart, Jered “I’ve seen more movement on batting cage fastballs” Weaver and Erick “Cool-hand” Aybar.

Meanwhile, the one guy they should have kept, Bobby Jenks, gets released outright for an alleged drinking problem that has yet to emerge at the major league level.

Wait a minute. Didn’t Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle have drinking problems?

Good thing they never played for the Angels’ organization.

Steve Keegan

Minden, Nev.