Fullmer Wants Full-Time Job

During the Angels’ run to the World Series championship, Brad Fullmer accepted his relegation to platoon status for the good of the team. As the Angels defend their title next season, Fullmer hopes to be the everyday designated hitter.

When the Angels acquired him last January, they trumpeted him as their regular designated hitter. But he soon was benched against left-handers, and finished the season with 429 at-bats, the lowest full-season total of his major league career.

“I consider myself an everyday player,” Fullmer said Friday. “I think I should have 500-some at-bats.”

Fullmer hit .289 with 19 home runs, one year after Angel DHs combined to hit .212 with eight home runs.

After starting Fullmer five times against left-handers in April, Manager Mike Scioscia started him only twice against them the rest of the season.

Scioscia has said he believes Fullmer can hit left-handers, but his career average against them is .223 and right-handed hitting Shawn Wooten, the other half of the platoon, returns next season. Fullmer is eligible for arbitration -- and with it a nice raise from his $3.75-million salary.

General Manager Bill Stoneman said the Angels can afford to retain Fullmer, who could cost as much as $5 million and still might not play every day.

“That’s Mike’s call,” Stoneman said. “Mine is, does he fit on the club? The answer is yes. Right now, we’ve got him penciled in.”

Fullmer, 27, who is not eligible for free agency, declined to discuss whether he would seek a trade but said he would like to play regularly “wherever that may be.” Stoneman declined to say whether any teams had inquired about Fullmer this week at the general managers’ meetings, but a trade could be difficult at a time even big-spending teams are cutting payroll.

*

Dave Wallace, Dodger senior vice president of baseball operations, is being considered for a similar position with the Boston Red Sox, sources said. General Manager Dan Evans said the Red Sox have not asked permission to interview Wallace, who recently rejected a lucrative offer to become the New York Mets’ pitching coach for the second time.

Attempts to contact Wallace were unsuccessful.

The Red Sox would be especially interested in Wallace if 27-year-old Theo Epstein is promoted to general manager, believing they need to surround the young executive with a veteran group of baseball people. Wallace was considered one of the best pitching coaches while serving in that role for the Dodgers and Mets, and many officials on other teams said he is the Dodgers’ most respected baseball executive.

Evans declined comment on whether he would permit Wallace to interview with Boston.

*

The Dodgers announced there will be no increase in season-ticket prices for next season.

*

Staff writer Jason Reid contributed to this report.