Jim Tracy holds out hope for Brandon Wood.

“He’s making a statement,” Tracy said. “Back in December we brought him to Denver because there were things with his swing that needed attention. Where it was at, it wasn’t going to work. … He’s worked extremely hard, and he’s taking very competitive at-bats right now.”

In five major league seasons, Wood proved to be a terrible hitter, complining a .186/.225/.289 slash line in 751 plate appearances. In the minors, however, those numbers were .284/.352/.536, so there does seem to be a bit of a disconnect. If Tracy and the Rockies staff can fix his swing, they could wind up with a decent hitter. Wood just turned 27 this month, so if he’s going to break out, this is the year to do it. Players who don’t prove themselves by seasonal age 27 usually fall out of the game.