Kennedy Is Set for the Latest Challengers

Adam Kennedy has heard footsteps before. Some thought David Eckstein would displace him as the Angel second baseman in 2001, and it appeared Chone Figgins might make a run at his job last season.

“It happens; it’s part of the game,” said Kennedy, who has fought off all challengers for six years now. “It’s not necessarily bad.”

This spring, those footsteps have grown in volume and numbers, so much so that the area around second base is looking a little trampled.

Four of the team’s top six prospects are middle infielders, including second baseman Howie Kendrick, who Manager Mike Scioscia said is ready to hit in the big leagues, and whom Baseball Prospectus tabbed as the fifth-best prospect in baseball.

Kennedy, 30, is entering the final year of a three-year, $9-million contract, and those who have seen the Angels essentially discard Troy Glaus and Bengie Molina to clear room for younger players the last two years are speculating that Kennedy will be among the next veterans to depart.

“My heart is here, but the reality is, over the years, I’ve seen guys move on,” Kennedy said. “If that’s the case, I’ve had a great time here, and I can’t complain about the teams I’ve been on, the relationships I’ve had. If that’s how it plays out, I can’t argue with it.”

Kennedy’s job appears safe for now, because as good a hitter as Kendrick is -- he batted .367 with 19 homers, 43 doubles and 89 runs batted in while splitting 2005 between Class-A Rancho Cucamonga and double-A Arkansas -- his defense is in need of considerable seasoning.

“His bat is far ahead of his glove at this point, but he’s making strides,” Scioscia said of Kendrick. “This guy can hit.”

Kennedy, meanwhile, is one of the best defensive second basemen in the league, and with the Angels relying so much on pitching and defense, his glove is critical to their playoff chances. Still, the Riverside native has no illusions about playing out the rest of his career in Anaheim.

“You appreciate what you have, because you can be traded within an hour,” Kennedy said. “Whether you’re going to be a free agent or not, that possibility is there.”

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Bartolo Colon and Kelvim Escobar, the pitchers for whom the Angels have the most World Baseball Classic concerns, each threw eight minutes of live batting practice Wednesday, Colon making gradual progress in his recovery from a shoulder injury and Escobar making a quantum leap in his return from an injury-plagued 2005.

“We’re seeing a steady progression with Bart, but Escobar is going through the roof,” Scioscia said.

“He’s ready. He’s really picked it up.”

Escobar is more confident about his WBC participation after learning Venezuela Manager Luis Sojo will use two starters in each of the team’s first three games.

That will enable Escobar to throw as many innings and pitches as a reliever as he would as a starter, thus building the endurance he needs to return to the rotation this season.

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Scioscia said Francisco Rodriguez obtained his travel visa in Venezuela, and the closer is expected to join the Angels for workouts today or Friday.

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Veteran Tim Salmon, who is attempting a comeback from shoulder and knee surgery, took the day off after participating in drills for six days.