Bees loaded with 'Major' talents

Brandon Wood, who belted a team-high 31 home runs for the Salt Lake Bees last season, had to feel good about his chances of making the parent Los Angeles Angels' opening-day roster this spring.

Instead, Wood was back in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, giving interviews during the Bees' annual media day prior to the season opener.

Wood hit .322 with four homers and 13 RBIs during spring training for the Angels. But if he is sulking about being sent back down to the minors, he's doing a good job of hiding it.

"There is no point in having negative thoughts. That won't help the situation," said Wood. "It's not just me. There are a lot of players on this team that are capable of playing in the big leagues. But you've got to stay positive. If you put your head in the sand and pout and get down about it, then before you know it, it's June or July and you're hitting .220 because you didn't have the right attitude."

Wood and the Bees will open the season when they host the newest Pacific Coast League club, the Reno Aces, on Thursday night at newly-renamed Spring Mobile Ballpark. First pitch is set for 6:30. Reno is the relocated Tucson Sidewinders and the top affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Wood, who will play primarily shortstop for the Bees, is right about the wealth of major-league talent on the Bees to start the season.

The player with the most experience in "the Show" is outfielder Reggie Willits, who set an Angels rookie record in 2007 with a .293 batting average. He's spent each of the past two seasons with the parent club, but thanks in part to the Angels' acquisition of Bobby Abreu, he is now back with the Bees for the time being.

Infielders Matt Brown and Sean Rodriguez also played well in spring training and were among the Angels' final cuts. Like Wood, they split time between Salt Lake and Anaheim last season.

"Being able to come to Salt Lake and have (the mountains) as a backdrop and to have the support of the fans during an economy like this, there are a lot more things that are more troubling than getting sent down to the minors," said Wood.

In all, the Bees have nine position players who have big-league experience, including catchers Bobby Wilson and Ryan Budde.