NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For as much as some Angels fans seem to be clamoring for a return of Howie Kendrick, it isn’t looking likely.

Although the Angels have been in touch with Kendrick’s agent, the club has clearly not placed a high priority on re-signing Kendrick, or any free agent second baseman.

The reason is simple. The Angels don’t have enough resources – financially or in player assets to trade — to upgrade at all three of their weakest lineup spots. They can probably upgrade at two of them, and left field and third base are more pressing needs.

At the moment, they have no left fielder and their best bets for third base are Kyle Kubitza or Kaleb Cowart, neither of whom has produced at the major league level.

Meanwhile, at second they have both Johnny Giavotella and Cliff Pennington, who are not stars but are major leaguers.

Last season, Giavotella hit .272 with a .318 on-base percentage. The American League averages last season were .255 and .318. Pennington is above average defensively, so he could fill in for Giavotella in the late innings.

Kendrick hit .295 with a .336 on-base percentage last season. He is also 32, and he would cost the Angels a draft pick.

If the Angels do end up with Kendrick, it likely would be the result of a combination of other moves. For example, if they trade both C.J. Wilson and Hector Santiago, perhaps netting a low-cost left fielder or third baseman for Santiago, they could free up enough resources to upgrade at all three spots.

At the moment the Angels are about $16 million under the threshold for the luxury tax, which they insist is not a firm deal-breaker but has nonetheless been a line owner Arte Moreno has been reluctant to cross.

As for tradeable assets, the Angels dealt two of their best prospects in the Andrelton Simmons deal last month. That means they probably can’t trade for any impact players besides one-year rentals with bloated contracts.