Kenny Williams likes Chone Figgins. The rumors popped up again this offseason: one Sox slugger for one very versatile player. And with the Angels currently in town this week, the Chone Figgins vs. Scott Podsednik offseason signing talk has been brought into play.

There’s no question Figgins would have made an immediate impact on this squad. It’s likely he would have been the Sox’ center fielder, as it was a hole that desperately needed filling this season. But he’s mobile. When Josh Fields was struggling at third, Figgins could have seen time there as well. (He’s certainly a better fielder at 3B.) And he’s putting up some of the best hitting numbers of his career — .308/.397/.408 with three homers and 36 RBI — as he was an All-Star for the first time this July. That near .400 OBP would look swell at the top of the Sox’ lineup.

But what the Sox did instead was sign Scott Podsednik — a move no one thought much of other than, “hey, it’s 2005 again!”

Scott Podsednik is not Chone Figgins. Really never was. Nor will he be. But Podsednik has exceeded the most wildest of expectation with his more aggressive approach at the plate. He’s got a slash line of .302/.356/.398. His defense has been suspect, sure. His steal rate could be higher. But he’s filled in that leadoff/center field role well enough. He’s got a positive WAR at .9. And perhaps the most important number to throw out? He’s making $500,000 this year. Chone Figgins is making over 10 times that at $5.75 million. Pods’ production is certainly not 10 times worse.

Taking a peek at FanGraphs, Podsednik’s wins above replacement/production slates him to make $4.2 million a year in the open market. The Sox are paying a fraction of that. Though, Figgins is having such a great year, the Angels are underpaying him, too. FanGraphs has him slated as a, gulp, $17.2 million a year player with his 4.0 WAR. Yet, comparatively, Pod’s value is still a better rate.

For this year, the Sox are content with Podsednik. He’s much better than anything else they had (Brian Anderson, DeWayne Wise), and he’s doing it on the cheap.

What they do this offseason, when both Figgins’ and Podsednik’s contract is up, remains to be seen.