New York Yankees: The Curious Case of Clint Frazier

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Once again, The New York Yankees have bypassed Clint Frazier as an addition to the roster, but it may be more about how he offers no value as a bench player

It was the “calf pop heard round the world” as this season’s feel-good story, New York Yankees outfielder Cameron Maybin, suffered a devastating calf injury that will sideline him for an extended period of time.

The logical next move was to add another bat to the bench, but the Yankees selected pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. from their Triple-A affiliate, Scranton Wilkes-Barre, to replace Maybin on the roster. Thus, Clint Frazier was overlooked and his major league career put on hold once again.

The biggest question coming from Yankee fans is did Frazier deserve this fate of being passed over in favor of another bullpen arm? The answer is yes and no as the sport dictates keeping an extra arm or two on the roster.

However, this was a subtle roster move by Yankees general manager Brian Cashman who wanted to send a message to Frazier that some of his recent actions will not be tolerated any longer by the organization.

Frazier is a Bona-Fide Hitter, Not a ML Player

At the time of his demotion, Clint Frazier was batting .283 with 11 HRs, 34 RBIs, and an .843 OPS. No question, he was on the path to hitting 20-25 HRs this season.

That type of offensive production confirms Frazier is a bonafide hitter, but his fielding skills are poor and must be improved before he is considered a major league player.

Frazier’s on-field troubles begin and end with his outfield defense play and that was put on full display during a nationally-televised Sunday night game against the Boston Red Sox. He looked lost and tentative going after fly balls and the Yankee Stadium boos grew louder with every mis-play. You felt his struggles in the field did carry over to his at-bats as Frazier failed to run out several hard-hit ground balls. Showing a lack of hustle is a bad trait to have as a young player.

Typically, the Yankees bench is comprised of veterans who are at the point in their careers willingly to accept a limited role on a contending team.

Obviously, with a lineup like the Yankees, no pinch-hitters need to apply. Frazier will have to show a better glove in the field before gaining any consideration for a role off the bench in New York.

Maturity is Key For Return to The Majors

At times, his tone with the press was very unprofessional and raised some eyes within the Yankees organization. Frazier’s first misstep was refusing to speak with the media following the Red Sox game, and later, he compounded the situation by accusing them of misrepresenting his postgame actions.

It’s part of your job to stand in front of your locker and answer the media’s questions like a professional athlete. Take responsibility of your missed plays by calmly answering their inquiries. Frazier has to learn that having a group of reporters waiting at your locker comes with the territory, especially following a tough night on the field.

If you duck out the backdoor and refuse to speak with the media, then your extending a meaningless non-story further. Plus, you’re forcing your teammates to defend you as a player.

The final straw for the Yankee brass was his child-like reaction to being demoted as Frazier removed all pictures of himself in a Yankee uniform off his Instagram account. His actions doesn’t warrant a defense as he acknowledged earlier that his time with the Yankees was coming to an end once Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge returned to the lineup. These types of outbursts raises the question if Frazier can block out all of the distractions that are associated with playing in New York.

No one should have a problem with Frazier being disappointed with being sent down, but enough with the theatrics and let’s get back to work. The first order of business is getting rid of his “me-first” attitude and tempering that sense of entitlement to play in the majors. It’s okay to cut him some slack because of his youth, but Frazier needs to mature quickly.

One person in his corner is Yankees principal owner Hal Steinbrenner. He told the New York Post that “he’s got a great career ahead of him,” when speaking of Frazier, but that won’t refrain Cashman to include him in a deal to acquire a top-flight starting pitcher.

(Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

What’s On Frazier’s Checklist Back to The Majors

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Frazier has a chance to become an outstanding baseball player, but there is work that still needs to be done before he’s a finished product. I’m encouraged that Brett Gardner has taken Frazier under his wing after his mishaps, which hopefully accelerates his path back to the majors.

There is no reason to believe that Frazier cannot improve his defense play as it’s important for him to continue to play every day and shake off the rust from missing time due to a concussion sustained two spring trainings ago.

The after-effects from this head injury were quite serious (severe headaches and blurred vision) as Frazier missed most of the 2018 season. He needs the innings offered at the minor league level to smooth out the rough edges in his game. This cannot be accomplished by sitting on the bench with the Yankees.

Hopefully, this current minor league stint inspires him to play harder and force the Yankees hand to create a spot on the roster for him. If not, then Frazier becomes a valuable chip on the trade market prior to the deadline on July 31 as his talent is valued by other teams.

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No question that Frazier will get another chance to play in the majors. It could take place this season or in 2020, but that’s up to him.

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