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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2010 > March > 06 > Entry
Frazier ready for action - somewhere
Todd Frazier pulled down the wrap on his leg and showed a writer the mark on the inside of his right knee, which Cuban lefthander Aroldis Chapman used as the bulls-eye of a small target.
At that moment, guest instructor and former major-league star Tony Phillips was walking by and he stopped and said, “There you go, honey, it’s OK. It’s a little boo-boo, but it’s all right.” And Phillips planted a kiss on Frazier’s forehead before walking away.
When the laughter subsided, Frazier said, “He is so funny. He is hysterical. He is the kind of guy where you could go 0 for 4, or 0 for 20, and he’ll walk in and help you turn yourself right around. He is that funny of a guy.”
FRAZIER DIDN’T get to play in Friday’s opener against the Cleveland Indians, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t listening and learning.
“I was standing next to Phillips for three or four innings and he was pin-pointing things for me - ‘Watch this guy taking ground balls, watch this guy’s approach to defense,’” said Frazier. “He has good insights to the game. He did it for a long time.
“Some people would tell him he has that weird language with his own little personality,” Frazier said. “I can relate to that. Everybody is different, so you just go with whatever he’s got and relate. He’s just hysterical.”
Anybody who sits around the Comfort Suites pool in late afternoon can relate, too, if thley listen to Frazier and his Jersey Shore entourage having a good time.
Frazier insisted to manager Dusty Baker on Friday that he could play, but the medical staff listed him as “unavailable to play.” But Frazier kept after them and got off that list Saturday and Baker planned to give him a couple of at-bats against the Indians today.
“I was a little jealous of the guys yesterday, watching them play,” said the 24-year-old from Toms River, N.J. “They got to get the blood flowing and the feeling that baseball is coming back. I’m glad I’ll be back among ‘em and it’s time to go out and play.”
Right now, Frazier is a man without a position. He is listed as an infielder, but he plays outfield, too, and his destination is unknown.
“They haven’t said a word about where I might play, just to be ready for anything,” said Frazier. “That’s the motto going around right now and that’s fine with me. Doesn’t matter where I play, just a matter of getting in those at-bats.”
Frazier signed as a shortstop, but that’s out. The Reds have tried him at third base, second base and the outfield in the minors and with that experience Frazier hopes he has value as a guy who can come off the bench for now and play anywhere.
A NATIONAL MEDIA horde is expected in Goodyear Ballpark Monday when Aroldis Chapman pitches two innings against the Kansas City Royals.
Right now, his Cuban baby-sitter is fellow Cuban and Dayton Dragons pitching coach Tony Fossas, who knows Chapman will have to be weaned away from him soon, “Because I’m not going to be around. But he is getting better at doing things on his own. He left me a text message this morning that he was going to the ballpark on his own and I didn’t need to wait on him.
“He is blending in with the other players and he is trying to pick up bits and pieces of the (English) language,” Fossas said.
Fossas has an interesting take on Chapman’s outing Monday.
“With the way the economy is in Ohio, it would be nice if Chapman pitched two good innings,” he said. “Give Ohioans something to smile about, give them the thought that maybe he’ll show them that, ‘Hey, this boy is going to be good.’”
The Reds certainly hope so. You know that with $30.25 million invested, owner Bob Castellini wants to see his money put to good use - as quickly as possible.
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With Maloney, Wood and Leake having good outings so far Chapman will need to have a good outing to keep up. I can’t remember when the Reds had so many good young prospects competing for the 5th spot. I hope it translates in to a good year.