Kevin Frandsen was a journeyman utility player in his playing days and has found a home behind the microphone in retirement. Frandsen started as a part-time color analyst for the Philadelphia Phillies back in 2018 and has been with the Washington Nationals since 2022.
Frandsen has found his voice behind the mic and isn’t afraid to speak openly and honestly. He recalled an encounter with CJ Abrams’ parents in the elevator last season while appearing on the Audacy original podcast “Baseball Isn’t Boring” this week.
“CJ Abrams’ parents were in the elevator with me. His dad is fantastic, his mom is great. His dad’s like ‘Love, love what you bring to the table every day, your energy.’ And the mom’s sitting there like ‘Yeah,’ and he goes ‘She struggles, you’re hard on CJ sometimes.’ And I’m like ‘Because I love him,’” Frandsen recalled (18:30 in player above). “I love CJ and I love where he’s gone. I said ‘I’ve never seen anyone grow as much as he has in one season.’”
Abrams was one of the main pieces that the Nationals received from the Padres in the Juan Soto trade. He has high expectations and the 23-year-old shortstop showed flashes of brilliance last season. However, there were times early on when he was still growing his game.
There were things that he did that were mental things or effort things that he can’t do,” Frandsen continued. “He’s going to be the shortstop of the Nats for a long time. That kid is special. He’s got some serious, serious talent.”
Frandsen didn’t mind a player’s parent letting him know what they thought. In fact, that was better than a player relaying something that they heard through the grapevine.
“That was better than the player saying it because that was a firsthand source. That was from them, it wasn’t about like ‘Oh, I heard you were talking about me,’” he said. “You know what? When his family said that to me and the way I responded to it they were like ‘Oh, OK. You do?’ And I’m like ‘Do I go out of my way? No.’
“I find out where he’s from and there’s a trust that you now have with CJ because I know the family now. If they’re willing to say that to me – and I hope it doesn’t come off as a negative – it’s one of those where you’re going like ‘That was awesome’ because there was no miscommunication on anything. They understood me, I understood them.”
Abrams hit .245 with a .690 OPS in the first half of the season and although his average was still down at .246 in the second half, he brought his OPS up to .734 in those final 70 games with 11 home runs.
Frandsen didn’t treat Abrams any differently after the meeting with his parents.
“I was just me about him because all I know is all I saw was growth from the kid.”
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