That's how former Bellarmine College Prep and San José State University standout Kevin Frandsen described his feelings when he heard his name called as a 12th-round pick by the San Francisco Giants in last June's Major League Baseball draft.

Frandsen had been listening to the draft over the Internet with family and friends, primarily to hear where his good friend and fellow Spartan teammate, Matt Durkin, would be drafted.

Durkin, a Willow Glen High graduate, was drafted by the New York Mets in the second round.

"I was just hoping to get drafted," Frandsen said. "I was thinking it would be somewhere between the eighth and fifteenth rounds. I couldn't have asked for much more. I have been an A's and Giants' fan my whole life."

Frandsen's selection did not come as any surprise to those who have watched him grow up eating and sleeping baseball and working hard to develop and improve his skills. His talents became evident in his Lincoln Glen Little League days and his work ethic was prominent throughout his years at Bellarmine and San José State.

Frandsen attributes his success to "working harder than the next guy and being consistent" when getting the chance to play.

"I just set my mind to believe that if I always worked hard, I would get playing time," Frandsen explained, "and when I did get to play, I never thought I had it made. I just kept on working."

Frandsen's father, Dave, a teacher and coach at Leland High, recalls his son being a dedicated worker from an early age.

"We had a batting cage in our backyard and Kevin became a better hitter by hard work through repetition and studying how to be better and then practicing that," the elder Frandsen remembers.

Kevin was never exceptionally physically gifted and that work ethic came in handy when he headed to Bellarmine. It resulted in a starting role at third base on the freshman team and again as a sophomore on the junior varsity team.

He had to fight to maintain that status as a junior and senior on the varsity. His efforts were rewarded with an all-league first team West Catholic Athletic League selection and a first team All-Central Coast Section selection. He holds the Bellarmine record for most hits in a season, nailing 52 in his senior season.

His hitting eye continued to be sharp throughout his four years at San José State, where he set a Spartan record for most hits in a career (250). Frandsen was drafted by the Texas Rangers after his junior season, but decided to stay for his final season at State. It was a good choice as earned first team All-Western Athletic Conference honors as a senior.

After being drafted as a second basemen, Frandsen was assigned by the Giants to the Salem-Kaiser Volcanoes, a Class A team in the Northwest League. The season began in mid-June, but after only 25 games came to a sudden and unexpected halt. While attempting to field a routine ground ball, the opposing runner barreled into Frandsen and broke his collarbone.

At the time of the injury, Frandsen had played in every game and was batting third in the order. He had a .296 batting average, including three homers, five doubles and 14 RBIs.

It was good enough to catch the eye of Giants management. He was invited to the Arizona Instructional League this fall after rehabilitation. Only 20 position players and 20 pitchers from the organization are invited to participate in that league each year, Frandsen said.

From Frandsen's perspective, the future looks bright and he has the confidence that he will fight through the adversity of the injury and improve his skills even more during the stint in the instructional league.

It's a big dream, but his hopes are to be on the San Jose Giants roster next spring. That would be a homecoming since Municipal Stadium, home of the San Jose Giants, is where Frandsen played most of his home games with San José State.

With hard work and a few good breaks, Frandsen's dream just might become a reality.