Big Swinger: Kevin Frandsen is playing dozens of games this summer before heading to college this fall.




Photograph by Sebastian Widmann







Put me in, coach

Kevin Frandsen's superb swing leads him to San Jose State baseball team

By Chantal Lamers

Memorize the name Kevin Frandsen. Someday, the 18-year-old Willow Glenite may have his own professional baseball card.

Frandsen put on his first baseball uniform when he was 5. But the toehead, tanned face baseball player has come along way since tee-ball.

Frandsen finished his senior year at Bellarmine College Preparatory with an outstanding baseball record. He had 52 hits during the season. According to Bellarmine coaches, 52 hits in a single season is more than any player has achieved in the last 20 years--possibly more than any player who's ever graced the Bellarmine uniform.

With high school graduation less than three months behind him, the second baseman hasn't had much time to reflect on his good-old high school years. This summer, Frandsen has already played over 60 baseball games.

But he doesn't mind that his summer has been spent under the beating sun on a dusty baseball diamond. Frandsen says some guys his age play ball to please their parents. And then there are the ones like him, who have dreamed of making the big league since little league.

It may feel like the big league, under the lights of his own backyard batting cage. He retreats to his backyard when he isn't practicing with his team or playing a game. He hits 200 to 300 balls in his batting cage.

"When we moved in here we had a big back yard with a lot of space," he says. The Frandsen family got to work and built a batting cage. The 40-foot-long cage has become a haven for him to practice, under the lights and tarps, inside the netting, Frandsen has perfected his swing there since he was 7-year-old.

Frandsen was pitched a four-year baseball scholarship to San Jose State University, a Division I baseball college. He'll major in business this fall. Late this month, he'll begin practice with a new team and continue his promising baseball future as a Spartan.

Frandsen began turning heads with his swing when he was a junior at Bellarmine. During a C.C.S. baseball game, he made nine hits out of 13 at bats.

"You kind of get in the rhythm, in the zone, when everything goes right for you. That's what started it off, that's when people started looking at me," he says. "I knew I could get to that point and even further. Everyday I keep practicing."

Frandsen plays for the Santa Clara Red Socks. The Palomino team of highly skilled 17 and 18 year old baseball players are some of the best in their league. The Red Socks are also the defending World Champions, and will compete to hold on to that title Aug. 11-14 in Santa Clara.

Red Socks coach Chuck Blair says that Frandsen will have a great future no matter what he does. "Ball or whatever, he'll succeed."

Blair, who's been coaching the Red Socks for 15 years, calls Frandsen a spark-plug. "He's a smart ball player," Blair says. "He's hard working and a smart individual."

Blair says Frandsen is exactly the kind of teammate players need--the kind of guy that's always picking up the rest of the team.

Bellarmine baseball coach Gary Cunningham says Frandsen is determined to succeed and isn't one to take shortcuts. "He pushes himself to the best he can possibly be," Cunningham says. "He works, works, works."

Cunningham says Frandsen's 52 hits this season is virtually unheard of in high school baseball. "It's a very rare feat," he says. He says to get 30 hits is outstanding, to get 40 is superb and to get 52 is just incredible.

At Bat: Frandsen began turning heads at Bellarmine Prep., where he had an almost unheard of 52 hits in his senior year.




Photograph by Sebastian Widmann







Not only does Frandsen have baseball skills, but he has a good work ethic and loves to practice. "It's not a chore, it's a passion," his coach says.

Cunningham has watched players come and go during his 14 year rein as the Bellarmine baseball coach. He coached 1992 graduate Justin Baughman, second baseman for the Anaheim Angels. Cunningham coached Pat Burrell, who graduated in 1995, and is the first baseman for the Philadelphia Philles. He also coached Mike Wright, who grew up in Willow Glen, and now catches for the San Jose Giants.

Cunningham says what these three professional players and Frandsen have in common, is that they all have this drive to be the best they can be. "That quality there is one that's great to have," he says.

Wright grew up in the home behind Frandsen's. Since Frandsen can remember, Wright has been his role model. Just like Wright, Frandsen played Bellarmine and San Jose State ball. When Frandsen needs advice, he looks to his old neighbor.

Sometimes, Frandsen says, Wright comes over and hits a few balls in the batting cage.

Last May's C.C.S. games were a bad experience for Frandsen. The game went into extra innings. Bases were loaded, it was the bottom of the eighth. Frandsen was up to bat. Frandsen swung. "I've never hit a ball harder than that in my life."

The ball hit the pitcher in the chest. The pitcher scrambled for the ball and threw it home to the catcher and got the runner out. The catcher threw it to third--a double play to end the inning.

In the next inning, the opponents scored five run. Bellarmine lost. For a while, he blamed himself. But as summer passes, he's letting it go.

The aspiring professional ball player doesn't have much time to sit around, thinking about what went wrong that May afternoon. Early last June, he spent three days at Cal State Fullerton. Frandsen was one of 40 young men chosen for a Northern California All-Star team. Over 300 players tried out for prestigious team.

When the Fullerton games came to a close, 20 players were chosen from the Northern and Southern California teams to play in the Sunbelt Classics. Frandsen earned a spot and a plane ticket to Oklahoma.

At the Sunbelt Classics, the team of 20 young men from California went up to bat against seven teams from around the U.S.

California won the tournament 7-1. Another 15 players from the tournament were given All Tournament Awards for outstanding performances throughout the eight games. Frandsen took home one of those awards.

Other players who took home awards were on their way to the pros--first round draft picks. Frandsen said it was an honor to be recognized in the same category as those players.

"I just want to keep getting better and start proving myself."

Frandsen says that while his batting and field work have got him where he is today--his improvement on the field is vital. "I like being better in the field. The team winning the game is more important than what you do individually."

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The Red Socks play in the World Championship Aug. 11 to14 at 7:30 p.m., at Washington Park in Santa Clara.

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