Halos Talk: Your Los Angeles Angels Blog

–RHP Scot Shields (knee surgery) has begun throwing off a mound and could appear in game action this week for the first time since last May. Shields had surgery to repair a tear in his patellar tendon last June and was eased into activities this spring.
–The Angels reached contract agreements with six of their young players — INF Brandon Wood and RHPs Kevin Jepsen, Jason Bulger, Rafael Rodriguez, Matt Palmer and Brian Stokes. RHP Rich Thompson’s contract was renewed by the Angels.
–RHP Fernando Rodney has been cleared to start throwing off a mound. Rodney spent the first two weeks of camp limited to long toss and calisthenics by soreness in his shins.
–The Angels got a visit from the Harlem Globetrotters during their team meeting before the March 5 workout. Six members of the basketball team were brought in as a joke played on OF Bobby Abreu, who is involved in the ownership of a pro basketball team in his native Venezuela.
–1B Kendry Morales finally reported to camp after missing the first week of full-squad workouts because of a delay in receiving his work visa. Morales declined to comment on the investigation by Florida police and the MLB players’ union into allegedly unauthorized withdrawals from his bank account by a former employee of his former agent, Hendricks Sports Management. Morales did confirm that the missing money was the motivation for his switch to agent Scott Boras this year.
BY THE NUMBERS: 26 — Angels’ major league high and club record win total in spring training last year.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “He just threw some bowling balls up there.” — Angels manager Mike Scioscia on Joel Pineiro’s sinking fastball.

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The Angels are hoping Brandon Wood’s bat is ready for the major leagues. But his glove could buy him some time to find out.
“Brandon is a guy we’re very, very comfortable with on the defensive end,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “That will give us an important presence at third, which might take a little pressure off of what he has to do with the bat and still contribute.
“We do need production from that spot. Brandon is a guy we feel — if we have to ease him off a bit, if he’s pressing or if we’ll maybe let him run with some things — that he’ll get enough playing time to contribute and continue to develop and hopefully be on the positive end of this thing as we move through the season.”
Originally a shortstop, Wood was moved to third base two years ago and has handled the transition smoothly, continuing to play some at shortstop and even adding some first base to his resume. But it is at third base where he has a chance to step into an everyday role, replacing Chone Figgins, who signed with the Mariners as a free agent this winter.
Scioscia praised Wood as having Gold Glove ability at third base with the potential to be “a difference-maker” for the Angels on defense.
“That’s going to be one thing in Woody’s favor that’s going to help,” Scioscia said. “He has the makings of a terrific defender.”
WHERE: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, Ariz. The Angels have made Tempe their exclusive spring home since 1993, moving their minor league complex there as well after a major renovation in 2004.
AUTHORITY FIGURES: Manager Mike Scioscia is the winningest manager in franchise history (900-720 in 10 seasons) and was rewarded with his second Manager of the Year award in 2009 after guiding the Angels to their fifth division title in the last six seasons despite the death of young RHP Nick Adenhart early in the season. Scioscia is the longest tenured manager in the American League and holds sway over every aspect of the organization’s baseball operations. His teams are always well-versed in the fundamentals and rely on an aggressive offensive approach, putting pressure on opposing defenses with their willingness to steal, hit and run and take the extra base at every opportunity.

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Jepsen, Bulger a lethal Halos combo

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The batting coach confirmed Tuesday that the Dodgers have asked him about the possibility of managing after Joe Torre leaves, whenever that is.
Don Mattingly, batting coach for the Dodgers and one of the better Yankees who never made the Hall of…

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Maybe there’s no crying in baseball, but there certainly is hair.
From Rollie Fingers’ handlebar moustache to Al Hrabosky’s “Mad Hungarian” look to Oscar Gamble’s billowing Afro, the modern game has featured many prominent players with hair…

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Hunter criticized for calling black Dominicans ‘imposters.’

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Former face of the Red Sox franchise to become an ESPN analyst.

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New DH strikes out and singles against the Padres. Scot Shields and Kevin Jepsen feel good after simulated innings.

New DH strikes out and singles against the Padres. Scot Shields and Kevin Jepsen feel good after simulated innings.

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Four-run sixth inning is the key.

Four-run sixth inning is the key.

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