Kennedy Is Hoping to Stay but Preparing to Move On

If this is it for Adam Kennedy, the final homestand in what appears to be the second baseman’s last season with the Angels, then he’ll move on without any regrets or bitterness.

He has won a World Series title and established himself as a top-notch defensive infielder while playing practically every home game the last seven years with his father in the Angel Stadium stands. No matter what happens from here on out, the good will have far outweighed the bad, and for that, he said, he will be forever grateful.

“There’s been a lot of good times and a lot of good baseball,” Kennedy said Monday before the Angels played the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium. “Seeing the stadium going from mostly empty to almost never empty, it’s been a fun transition. It’s really become a first-class organization and it’s been fun to be part of it.”

Is he almost resigned to the prospect of playing elsewhere in 2007?

“I definitely would hope not, but if it is, it’s reality, it’s been nice and I have nothing bad to say about the situation at all,” Kennedy said. “It’s part of sports. Even though guys do their jobs, it’s time for them to move on. I’m not the first person it’s happened to or the last.”

The Angels appear intent on making room at second base for rookie Howie Kendrick and adding Kennedy to the list of aging contributors from their 2002 World Series team who have been cast aside in favor of younger and sleeker models.

As he glanced around the clubhouse Monday afternoon, Kennedy said he was not trying to push the reality of his situation to the back of his mind. But the fact that the Angels were still contending for a playoff spot with a week to go helped him direct his energies elsewhere.

“The good thing is that there’s still something to play for, so the total focus isn’t on not being around any longer,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy, 30, said his body “feels great right now, and hopefully there’s five, six, seven more years in there.” Asked whether he would like to remain in the American League, Kennedy said he didn’t have a preference.

“I definitely would like to play for someone who has a chance to play past September, that’s for sure,” he said. “You get spoiled, you know.”

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The Angels kicked off a weeklong celebration honoring Tim Salmon by showing the outfielder on the giant video screen in the third inning.

Salmon was standing in the dugout instead of the field, however, and may not play much in his final week before retirement unless the Angels are eliminated from playoff contention.

Salmon had pulled an inches-thick stack of tickets from his locker a few hours before the game and said he expected about 40 friends and family members at each game this week. He was scrambling to find extra tickets for Sunday’s finale.

ben.bolch@latimes.com