Phillies avoid arbitration, sign third baseman Kevin Frandsen to contract

We may now have a clearer picture of where the Phillies intend to go at third base in 2013, as the club has signed Kevin Frandsen to a one year, $850,000 contract, avoiding salary arbitration. Incentives could bring the overall value of the deal to $1.2 million, reports Jerry Crasnick.

Frandsen, 30, did an excellent job with the Phillies in 2012, posting a .338/.383/.451 line in 210 plate appearances after a midseason call-up. Yes, his BABip was .366, so the regression monster is fast asleep under his bed, but as a former highly touted prospect in the Giants system, there's at least the faintest glimmer of hope that the guy can put it together and be at least an adequate portion of a third-base-by-committee situation should the Phillies fail to make a big move in a very thin market for a full time player at the position, such as Kevin Youkilis.

Baseball Reference WAR had Frandsen at 1.5, and Fangraphs at 1.6 WAR; not bad for less than half a season's worth of plate appearances.