Hitting is contagious. It’s something that you see and it’s nice to know even late in games that at any point they are ready to strike. – New Bees member Grant Green
SALT LAKE CITY — Grant Green calmly stepped up to the plate in his second at-bat Wednesday night and delivered a line drive to center field for a single.
It wasn’t much, but it felt like enough for the newest member of the Salt Lake Bees.
“It’s still PCL, in all honesty,” said Green after his first game in a Bees uniform, a 6-3 win over Iowa. “Hitting is contagious. It's something that you see and it’s nice to know even late in games that at any point they are ready to strike.”
Green finished the game 2 for 5 with two runs scored.
The 26-year-old has spent the majority of the 2013 season with Triple-A Sacramento, where in 82 games he hit .325 with 27 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs and had 50 RBIs.
Green, a California native, expressed his excitement of joining the Angels franchise and the opportunity of potentially joining the MLB club someday.
“Of course it is. I grew up 10 minutes away from Angel Stadium. It’s definitely going to be nuts, when, if or whatever it is when I get there. But right now I’m a Salt Lake Bee and I’ll worry about that when it comes," he said.
ANGELS TAB NELSON: Bees infielder Chris Nelson had one heck of a July.
The Bees' "replacement" third basemen, filling in while Luis Jimenez recovers from a right shoulder strain, had his contract selected by the Angels Wednesday afternoon.
Nelson finished 0 for 4 with a strikeout in the major leagues Wednesday night, getting the starting nod from Halos manager Mike Scioscia in a 2-1 loss to the Rangers.
“He’s a straight-up pro,” said Salt Lake manager Keith Johnson, who admitted that Nelson has been finding his groove this July.
“(Chris) has been bouncing around between big league teams for a while, and since he’s been back with us he’s continued to find his groove,” said Johnson.
In the month of July, Nelson compiled a solid .382 batting average with four home runs and 17 RBIs to go with a 1.056 OPS.
Nelson’s move to the Angels comes after infielder Alberto Callaspo was traded to Oakland for Green earlier this week.
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