When GM Tony Reagins said his Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim would look to solve their problems internally, he meant it. Sort of.
On April 29, the Angels picked up infielder Kevin Frandsen off waivers from the Boston Red Sox.
Frandsen, 28, spent six years bouncing back and forth between the minors and major leagues after he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2004. His longest stay in the bigs came with the Giants in 2007 when he batted .269 with five home runs and 31 RBI in 109 games.
But the Northern Californian’s dream to stay by the bay eventually came to an end.
Frandsen left his heart in San Francisco when he was traded on March 26 to the Boston Red Sox, who eventually released him after he hit .258 in 17 games for Triple-A Pawtucket.
For his minor league career, Frandsen is a .314 hitter and has shown remarkable versatility, playing every infield position as well as both corner outfield spots.
The Angels are still looking for Brandon Wood to solidify the starting third baseman’s job, but given his experience at the big league level, Frandsen may turn out to be a more-than-capable replacement this season.
Already in his Angels debut, Frandsen went 3-for-4 and scored a run en route to a 4-3 extra-inning victory over the Seattle Mariners. He is currently 3-for-6 with one walk as a Halo.
Wood, meanwhile, is mired in a miserable slump, with just four hits in his last 30 at-bats and only 19 hits in 111 at-bats this season. He’s also struck out in 30 percent of his plate appearances and is hitting .171 overall with three extra-base hits and seven RBI.
If those numbers don’t improve drastically in the next two weeks—and at this point, there’s no reason to expect that they will—then look for Frandsen to start picking up the slack.
Especially if super utility man Maicer Izturis continues to struggle with injuries.
Tightness in his throwing shoulder landed the valuable Izturis on the 15-day disabled list back on May 8. He is eligible to return just in time to kick off interleague play when the Angels face the St. Louis Cardinals this Friday.
Over 14 games played this season, Izturis leads the Angels with a .500 average with runners in scoring position, a hallmark of his offense throughout his career.
His smooth fielding style and refined athletic ability also make him an outstanding fielder with tremendous range. Like Frandsen, Izturis can play any infield position, save for first base.
And it is for that exact reason that Frandsen may be able to stick with the big league club after Izturis returns to the lineup.
At present, the Angels’ only backup option at first base is Bobby Wilson—a catcher who has only just recovered from a terrific collision with Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira.
Robb Quinlan, the usual suspect to give Kendry Morales a break in the field, couldn’t get into a rhythm at the plate this season and was sent back to Triple-A to get some regular playing time.
His absence, coupled with injuries and poor play from the rest of the bench, created the perfect environment in which Frandsen will thrive.
Frandsen will provide the kind of infield support the Angels so desperately need, and could easily become the No. 2 man at any position around the horn should Izturis wind up on the DL.
Or when manager Mike Scioscia finally realizes Wood just can’t cut it in the majors.
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