FEB 20: The Pirates have formally announced the signing of Frazier. He has received an invite to spring training.
FEB 19: The Pirates and veteran corner infielder Todd Frazier are in agreement on a minor league contract, longtime New York Post scribe Kevin Kernan reports (via Twitter). Kevin Williams of the Shore Sports Network writes that Frazier himself confirmed the agreement to him. Frazier, a CAA Baseball client, will head to Major League camp with the Pirates as a non-roster invitee. Frazier will earn a $1.5MM salary if he makes the club, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic tweets. The deal is pending a physical.
Frazier, who turned 35 last Friday, is a 10-year veteran who has appeared with the Reds, White Sox, Yankees, Mets and Rangers since his 2011 debut. He has consistently been an above-average producer at the plate, having slashed .242/.319/.448 (108 wRC+) with 218 home runs and 73 stolen bases in 4,909 trips. Frazier has also twice hit at least 35 homers in an individual season, earned a pair of All-Star nods and been a plus defender at third, where he has put up 20 Defensive Runs Saved and a 24.6 Ultimate Zone Rating across almost 9,100 innings at the position.
While Frazier has enjoyed an impressive career thus far, he had to settle for a minors deal with the bottom-feeding Pirates because of subpar production between the Mets and Rangers in 2020. Frazier hit a mere .236/.302/.382 (89 wRC+) with four HRs and a career-worst .146 ISO in 172 PA. Frazier also notched rather ugly Statcast numbers, evidenced in part by a .295 expected weighted on-base average that ranked in the league’s 15th percentile and barely outpaced his real wOBA of .281.
Although his production fell off last year, there’s no harm in taking a low-risk chance on Frazier from the Pirates’ perspective. Frazier could at least be a bench option for the team behind the projected third-first tandem of Ke’Bryan Hayes and Colin Moran if he earns a roster spot. If Frazier performs well in that role, the Pirates may be able to flip him elsewhere prior to the trade deadline.
chuck123
Like it – veteran to lead by example for the kids
bmcferren
couldn’t they just have signed Neil Walker and at least got some good will out of this ?
thats it fort pitt
Agreed
ronnsnow
Why are people still so obsessed with Neil Walker? Who cares if he’s local, he’s not good.
Robertowannabe
I agree with you. I like Neil but he was done as a Pirate. As you say, many people are still obsessed with Neil thinking he was still the same guy he was in his mid to late 20’s before he back began to go out regularly and had other health issues. Bringing him back should only mean that he has a chance to play well enough to be able to be traded for a prospect or two at the deadline this year. Frazier gives them a better chance at that scenario than Walker does.
Dice 66
Blow off , Good guy good player ,
Robertowannabe
Is a good guy. Was a good player. The Bucs are in a full rebuild. Now is not the time to have a signing just because. Guys they sign now need to be signed for this year with the goal of hoping they play well enough that they can.be moved for another prospect. The last several GM’s started rebuilds but then would would follow through with keeping the minors full of replacements and trade chips so that holes could continue to be filled. See the Cardinals. They have done well in keeping their minors full of prospects and moved players that aged or used the abundance of prospects to fill holes. Until this season, they almost never made PR signings like Wainwright and Molina. I see them falling back a bit because of this. I do see them bouncing back quick because they do well at replenishing their MLB roster. The Pirates never acquired near enough quality depth to operate like the Cards
danny murtaugh
This is not hard. Frazier can spell Moran against lefties, Walker cannot. Moran is a LHB who hits righties much better than lefties. Frazier is a RHB who hits lefties much betters than righties. Walker is a SH, but anyone who has seen him play, knows that he much better against righties and truly anemic against lefties.
Trade chip and DH insurance both make sense, but first and foremost is Frazier’s ability to platoon with Moran, at least some of the time.
Robertowannabe
As a pirates fan, No. I want a true rebuild and what i see in Frazier for this year is DH insurance incase the DH goes universal. Not counting on it but also gives a veteran presence for spring training. I for one was not upset when Neil left. Will offer no more of a warm feeling than Frazier does at this point.
downeysoft42
I remember going to pirates game first time, buying a walker jersey shirt, and then watching them trade him a few weeks later lmao.
Robertowannabe
That would be my luck! I always figured that if I spent the money, it would jinx that player. LOL!
Dock_Elvis
I have a rule of never wearing another grown mans name on my back.
ABStract
Sounds like that rule comes from a place of insecurity tough guy
DODGER JR
But for your screen name you will refer to a guy that took LSD while he pitched in a game LOL
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Dodger-He used it before the game.
And he pitched a no hitter.
I recall part of the game but since it was in San Diego and I was not used to staying up late I did not keep listening to the game on the radio as it was just another game after three innings.
Citifield4eva
Abruti
VonPurpleHayes
That makes too much sense.
KermitJagger
No upside as a trade chip. If you’re going to sign a veteran like this, it’s all about the potential for bounce back trade value.
Robertowannabe
What you just described is value as a trade chip….
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Just like a raw hamburger, he’s not done!
Rangers29
Pirates are cornering the Frazier market.
chri
future headline – Pirates acquire Clint Frazier.
baseballpun
Pirates acquire Kelsey Grammer.
philliesphan77
Insists his Dad, dog and chair come along in the package.
gallenofbeer
Took me way too long to get this…
Matt Stairsway to Heaven
“Baby I hear the Bucs are callin’, tossed to first and sac bunts, mercy”
KermitJagger
Too bad his dad and dog would be skeletons by now.
MafiaBass
And Jesse Crain
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
So they’re obtaining Clint Frazier? If not, an inane statement. But all the troll followers are impressed. Meh
dazedatnoon
nice sign for a minor league deal
Nothing
This is the pirates equivalent of signing George Springer
Dice 66
? Good signing!
mils100
With 2 Fraziers and Newman and Kramer, the Pirates are cornering the 1990s NBC lineup.. Pirates definitely not Must See Tv.
Grade_1_teacher
Now they need to sign Bob Friend.
YourDreamGM
GM improvement, growing pains, lose lose draw #1 pick
johnnybadd2019
Lol
Cohn Joppolella
Not a bad signing at all; let’s hope he hits.
carlos15
This dude is such a clown
ItsStillMillerPark
lol minor league deal?
Come on Pittsburgh, he instantly just became your best player
PiratesFan1981
I wouldn’t say that. He is 35 years old and on a downward end of his career. If he has 3 years left in the tank, this year will show where he is at going forward. It’s a nice sign for the Pirates though. It will give the Pirates options should Hayes stalls out or injuries cause him to miss time this year. I like it
myaccount
I know the Buccos are the butt of a joke right now, but Frazier is bad at this point of his career and would hardly be an asset to Reynolds, Newman, Hayes, etc. He would probably be the 6th or 7th best player in their lineup and deserved an MiLB deal.
@DaOldDerbyBastard
Hilarious MillerPark.
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Same could be said for the Shaw signing Miller Park.
swaggyb
As a Mets fan, that image scared the hell out of me.
mlb1225
Not a bad signing. Gives them some corner infield depth and a potential RH platoon partner for Colin Moran.
Robertowannabe
Also insurance if somehow the DH does become universal this season.
KermitJagger
I see this more as mining for trade bait. At least I’m hopeful he works out and that happens.
Dbird777
As a Reds fan, this is very disturbing. He’s a legend here
Dock_Elvis
Gonna be weird for Teddy.
violentdreams11
I like this signing Frazier is an awesome dude he’ll get to play alot there aswell nice to see
mlbnyyfan
Someone to trade at the deadline. Has Eduardo Nunez found a minor league deal yet?
violentdreams11
I don’t think he’s found a helmet that fits yet
PiratesFan1981
I know he is 35, but didn’t he play RF at times in NY?
PapiElf
He’s only played 13 career games in the outfield and the last time was in 2013 with the Reds. I doubt he will now as a 35 year old, but you never know. The Pirates need help all over the field
Larry David's Joe Pepitone Jersey
He didn’t, but he did pitch in a game for the Mets last season. Something tells me that he might get another chance to do that this season.
disadvantage
Instantly slots in as Pirates number 3 hitter, and will run away as the team’s MVP with his .232 /.318/.380 14 HR 64 RBI line.
Grade_1_teacher
I think he will hit 25 homers but with 35-40 rbi because he’ll have no one to drive in.
3Rivers
Nah, the offense won’t be nearly as big a problem as the pitching.
los_leebos
If everyone’s healthy-ish, Pirates have no incentive to give T Frazier that much playing time over two promising young guys trying to prove themselves at 1st and 3rd. Frazier gets a 2-3 pinch hit HRs and another 3-5 in doubleheader starts. This is still a pretty underrated move, as both Moran and Hayes appear to be bat-first infielders with surprisingly passable glovework, aka Todd Frazier 10 years ago.
kwolf68
Bat first? You must know know anything about Hayes. His defense is elite and has been well regarded ever since he was drafted.
los_leebos
@kwolf lol yep, see below. Not up on my 20-21 Pirates prospects, can you blame a guy?
Jim Thome is my homie
Moran is neither young nor promising. He’s just another warm body.
PiratesFan1981
That is saying Hayes falters out of the gate which I doubt the Pirates give up on him that quickly. Hayes will get plenty of time to adjust to the league as they adjust to him. Plus Hayes is one of the best defensive third basemen in the league. So, Pirates will use defense over offense in a “tank season”.
los_leebos
Is Hayes a wunderkind with the glove? I thought he was more the “contact machine with untapped power” type of prospect. Thought his defensive was “surprisingly” passable, rather than a bankable part of his game. Either way, he looks like a household name in the making!
PiratesFan1981
Hayes has a grade 80 for defense. I’d say that is more than passable. He has potential to be gold glove 3B
Harvbanger
Los_Leebos: Hayes has already built a solid reputation as being a stud with the glove. He could be one of the majors top defensive 3rd basemen. His hitting was supposedly going to take some time to develop…but that’s not what transpired in September. He played like he was Pie Traynor in his prime.
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Now there is a name from the past!He used to scout some of my high school games.Unfortunately,he was not looking at me!His real name was Harold but got his nickname from stealing a pie when he was a kid.One of the great all time Pirates.
steelerbravenation
Are you a Pirate fan ?
Mendoza Line 215
Yes,why do you ask?
jimmyz
He won the minor league glove glove for 3b three years in a row and the minor leagues only give out one gold glove per position across all levels. He could probably handle shortstop.
ronnsnow
Are people forgetting how good Hayes was in 2020 and Reynolds and Newman in 2019? The Pirates are bad but they’re not THAT bad.
Enrico Pallazzo
Is this the only move the pirates have made this winter? Their owner should be dragged into the streets and beaten swiftly for being such a cheap-ass. Makes the whole sport look bad.
3Rivers
He’s not the only owner doing it, there are others. He might be the worst, by far, but not the only one.
Robertowannabe
Just about every owner is signing older guys to minor league contracts right now. Based on his year last year, he is not worth signing and having to push someone off of the 40 man right now. We do not even know what his contract is right now but other guys in this age range are signing for a million or so if they make the MLB roster plus incentives. That is the going rate for guys in their mid 30’s and on the downward trend.
Robertowannabe
and with the update. he will get $1.5 million if he makes the roster. That would be the going rate for a player like Frazier. Apparently no one was bidding more so you can’t call the Pirates cheap. BTW, the Pirates did make several moves this winter, trying to build for the long term. Trying to sign a couple of better FA would not help for the long term at the moment. With whom they drafted and acquired in the last couple of years, I want no one blocking anyone right now.
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Enrico-Why should the Pirates spend money on veterans who would block the way of the young players coming up?
los_leebos
you seem to be forgetting the moves where they gave up their good players.
Robertowannabe
They were not that good. I like several of the kids that they got in the trades.
Grade_1_teacher
I guess we know who will rep them at the All Star Game.
solaris602
Then he’ll have a chance to reprise his role as the ToddFather (2015) in the Home Run Derby. Those WERE the days
Dorothy_Mantooth
“Boy the way Todd Frazier played…
PEDs is his Gatorade…
With juiced-up balls they had it made…
Those were the days”
Deadguy
That’s a strong Accusation Dorthy_Mantooth
As far as its concerned he never tested positive, the balls he hit over the fence are a different story and Manfred is to blame for that.
Larry David's Joe Pepitone Jersey
Is the “Mets to Acquire Todd Frazier” headline already written?
bravesfan
A career of being terrible and he continues to get contracts … idk what it is, but I have never liked the guy. I’ve always felt the attention he got didn’t match the production he put on…
thecoffinnail
Frazier has been surviving on his reputation for power from his Great American Ballpark days. That park would turn Brett Gardner into a 30hr threat. Since leaving he has been a decent starter but nowhere near what he was in Cincy.
Robertowannabe
If he makes the Pirates roster, he will be back hitting in Great American Ballpark. He just won’t get the blazing riverboat stacks when he hits them in a Pirates uniform..
Dorothy_Mantooth
Gardner is a 30 HR threat right now in Yankee “Whiffle-Ball” Stadium, as is DJ LeMahieu.
Cohn Joppolella
Let’s hope they snag Markakis next.
Baller4mlb
Reminds me of the time the Pirates signed Garret Akins- pass! Sorry Frazier but even your best effort on the bench seems unlikely to make an MLB roster. You had a nice career. Time to coast off into retirement.
Rsox
Can play 1B against lefties and can backup Hayes at 3B so Moran doesn’t have to. Seems like a win for the Pirates
candymaldonado
Twenty Minutes From Now: Pirates, Mets Agree on Todd Frazier Swap
dirkg
Totally thought this dude had retired. Kinda surprised he’s only been in league 9 years. Hopefully he can make the majors and get that 10th year in.
Dunk Dunkington
he still has a pulse so there is a good chance he is making the Pirates opening day roster.
My right wing is crooked
Can’t wait to rehash all of the Pirate trashing that goes on in this site. Just a couple more years.
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My- they are mini trolls who just like to be negative and down on any team that is not their own.They eventually go away but unfortunately someone takes their place.They never say anything of any substance.
My right wing is crooked
One thing is for sure, he won’t be wearing #21(Clemente) or #33 (Wagner). Not sure if #29 is available.
Robertowannabe
You made me look Right now Wil Crowe has that number. If it means anything to Frazier, and he makes the roster along with Crowe, let the bargaining begin!!!
VonPurpleHayes
I was once at a Phillies/Mets game where I was describing Frasier to a friend as looking like douce-nozzle. I was talking privately, but the people around us must have overheard and were glaring at me. I apologized for my language, but soon realized why they were so upset…I was surrounded by his family and friends…Opps.
VonPurpleHayes
*Frazier
Robertowannabe
LOL!! THis made my day! Question for you, did any of the family members look like Todd? If so, no wonder the glares!!
VonPurpleHayes
@gozurman1 I was too busy hiding my head in shame to give them a good look, but I quickly realized who they were from the cheers and chatter. Apparently Frazier’s hometown is in Tom’ River New Jersey, not far from Philly.
Rsox
You gotta watch out for those New Jersey wives. They make Joe Pesci from “Goodfella’s” look mellow
nentwigs
With the signing of FRAZIER, Pirates will come out Punching !!
Orel Saxhiser
Or walking along the bottom of the pool (those who watched Superstars in the ’70s will understand the reference).
joew
been wanting the pirates to get him for a while now… but seems like a “couple” years to late.
Still 1st base still has some questions and having someone like Todd backing up and helping Hayes (and others) huge win for the pirates, if Todd bounces back fair chance he lands with a contender before the playoffs…. well.. unless the pirates are in the mix and.. well… hmph.
Bill M
Down goes Frazier!
… to the minors.
Dorothy_Mantooth
You know your career is coming to an end when you can’t get a major league deal with Pittsburg! Could be the end of the road for the Toddfather.
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Dorothy,the Pirates are smart enough to not waste a roster space on him unless necessary.
I agree with another poster.Five years ago I would have welcomed his addition.He May not have wanted to come to Pittsburgh then.Now he obviously has no other choice.
You are right,he may be done.
609Collectibles
I like this deal as long as Hayes still plays everyday. Ke’Bryan is the most underrated prospect in the sport, because of the team that drafted him.
Emerson83
Cmon he’s on mlb.com’s top ten. If anything he is overrated.
609Collectibles
He probably flew up those boards after his showing at the end of last year. Still think he’s one of baseball’s best kept secrets.
Orel Saxhiser
Speaking of the Pirates, Elroy Face turns 93 on Saturday. He is the oldest living former Major Leaguer that I saw play. The next two on my personal list are also relief pitchers, Al Worthington and Dick Hall. Number four is that Willie Mays guy.
RIP to a couple of former Pirates who died this week. Outfielder Angel Mangual on Tuesday and pitcher Juan Pizarro on Thursday.
So far in 2021, MLB has lost 19 former players including 3 Hall of Famers. Last year at this time, it was 13 players and zero Hall of Famers. So if it seems like a particularly rough year for baseball deaths, it’s because it has been (as if 2020 wasn’t bad enough).
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I did not realize Mangual was a Pirate.I remember Juan Pizarro who pitched in MLB for 18 years.
El Roy was a carpenter in the off season.Him,Haddix,and Law were in essence the only pitchers that the Pirates had against the Yankees in 1960.He was one of the great relief pitchers prior to the 1970’s when relief was where inadequate starters generally went.
Orel Saxhiser
Face had an 18-1 W/L record that year. If he took that stat to an arbitration hearing today, management would casually argue that won-loss record was a team-dependent stat. Face would then lose the case and be 18-2.
Also dying this week was the pitcher Lew Krausse Jr., who was signed by the Kansas City Athletics in 1961 for a $125,000 bonus. The scout who signed him was his father Lew Krausse Sr., who pitched for the Philadelphia Athletics in the ’30s. Junior made his Major League debut a week later, shutting out the Angels on three hits. In 1970 he started the first-ever game for the Milwaukee Brewers. After the ’71 season, he was dealt to the Red Sox in a 10-player trade that centered on the Sox acquiring Tommy Harper and the Brewers getting George Scott. Among the players who went to the Brewers was Billy Conigliaro, who died a week before Krausse.
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The Face fact shows that he pitched more than one inning and came into games when they were behind or tied.
That win % will never be broken,nor will 18 wins by a reliever.
Lew Krause hails from the Philadelphia area and I had not seen this announcement.He was a young pitcher with arm trouble who had his career absolutely derailed by it.I wonder whether the doctors could have helped him with his injury today.
Orel Saxhiser
Krausse was rushed to the bigs for no other reason than to sell a few extra tickets at the start of his career. An Incredibly dumb move. Larry Dierker was another one. MLB debut at 17, a 300 inning-season at 23, out of MLB at age 30. So many guys burned out early due to early use and overuse. But yes, modern medicine would have made a difference. It is ridiculous that Dr. Frank Jobe isn’t in the Hall of Fame. Talk about making a lasting impact on the game.
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Good points Cey Hey-I still cringe when I saw you get beaned!
Orel Saxhiser
Ordered by The Riddler.
panj341
Krause was a graduate of Chester High School, the same school that Danny Murtaugh attended. It was a big story in Delaware County when he signed that big bonus. He is in Delco Hall of Fame.
Orel Saxhiser
A Pennsylvania player from the town where I now live is currently the 10th-oldest living player: Bobby Shantz from Pottstown. He made a personal appearance shortly after we moved here four years ago. I wish I would have known about it. Dave Ricketts, Dick Ricketts, Howie Bedell, and banned Black Sox shortstop Buck Weaver are the other Major Leaguers from Pottstown.
Bedell, who is still living, was born in Clearfield but graduated from Pottstown Senior High School. He hit the sacrifice fly that scored Tony Taylor to end Don Drysdale’s scoreless inning streak. It was his third and final Major League RBI. He played nearly 1,400 games over 13 Minor League seasons. His 43-game hitting streak is a record for the now-defunct American Association. A baseball lifer who held various jobs in a number of organizations after his playing career was over.
All those years in the minors, mostly in AA and AAA, hardly ever struck out. That’s a long time being right on the fringe of your dream. Speaking as a Dodger fan, I’m glad Drysdale’s streak was broken up by someone like him.
Orel Saxhiser
One more thing: My wife’s grandfather was Pottstown High School’s principal when Bedell was a student.
And re Bobby Shantz: He pitched a while for the Yankees. The last pitch he threw for the Yankees was noteworthy. It was the ground ball in the 1960 World Series that hit a pebble and then Tony Kubek in the Adam’s Apple.
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Cey Hey-I could tell that you were not just another pretty face.
One of my coworkers was from Pottstown and used to commute an hour to work in Chester.
Howie Bedell came up with the Braves( I did not google it).I had him on a 1962 baseball card.I remember reading about the Sac fly the next day.
I think that one of the Ricketts brothers was a catcher for the Pirates and the other a pitcher for the Cardinals.
Shantz pitched five innings I think in that game and pitched well.That is one of the rare WS where it was true that any team can win in the postseason.But usually not when the disparity was that great unless they get extraordinary lucky breaks like Virdon’s ground ball which had double play written all over it.
Shantz was drafted by the new Senators team in 1961 but then traded to the Pirates.It is a shame that players of his physical stature have no chance to even get drafted from the amateur ranks anymore.
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Panj-Danny Murtaugh was a god in Pittsburgh.He was just a great common sense guy.I remember the day he died in 1976 at a young age,I think 58.It was a big loss for Pittsburgh.He ended up not listening to his doctors who were behind his first “retirement” in 1964.He came back on three separate occasions.
I worked in Chester for a very long time and got to meet his son Tim who was a local politician.
Orel Saxhiser
For some reason, height now matters when evaluating pitching prospects. I don’t understand that at all.
The Yankees outscored the Pirates by a bunch in that World Series. Hal Smith, who died last year, hit the HR that put the Pirates in front. Had the Yankees not come back to take the lead in the ninth, no Mazeroski HR. Since Maz is considered a controversial HOF choice, it can be argued that Shantz’s pitch is the reason why Maz is enshrined in Cooperstown.
Dave Ricketts was a catcher. McCarver’s backup on the 67-68 World Series teams. His baseball cards were distinguished by dark-rimmed eyeglasses.
We live here because it’s my wife’s home area. My original hometown is Whittier, California. My homies include Richard Nixon, Nomar Garciaparra, and one of my favorite rockers, Chuck Prophet. I was a kindergarten kid in 1963 when JFK was assassinated, which was followed 79 days later by The Beatles’ first appearance on Ed Sullivan. Kinda weird being in Nixonland when JFK was killed. Dick’s parents lived less than a mile from our apartment on Whittier Boulevard. Tennessee Ernie Ford was our landlord. Nixon and The Beatles, quite a memorable first year of school.
Although I’m a Dodger fan, I wasn’t interested in baseball until a couple of years after moving from California to New Jersey. My first big-league experience came with the Cub Scouts in June 1967: a bat-day doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. I got a bat with Joe Pepitone’s signature, my dad took me off to the side and taught me how to swing it, and I was hooked. The Yankees lost both games to the White Sox. Opposing catchers Jake Gibbs and Jerry McNertney hit the first two HR I witnessed. When it came time to choose a favorite team, I went with my hometown Dodgers. I have vivid memories of watching Mike Kekich hurl a one-hit shutout on TV against the Mets in 1968. Darn that Ron Swoboda.
Since I was never into flying, I didn’t make it out to Dodger Stadium until August 2018 — at age 60! It’s the basis for a book I will write later this year (after I finish my current one, which is my first).
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I was not aware that Hal Smith had passed away a year ago at age 89.I am sorry for that.
Maz got into the HOF because of his fielding records and being the greatest ever at turning the double play.The Series notoriety did not hurt though.He also had Joe Brown pushing it.I went to Cooperstown for his speech which he aborted after three minutes.He hates public speaking.Ted Williams was the main voice against inclusion,I think mainly because his HR overshadowed Ted’s last year,and because Williams thought that hitting was the only reason for player induction into the HOF.
I saw Bob Costas host a show on the 1960 WS ten years ago.He had a panel of Dick Groat,Bill Virdon,and Bobby Richardson,who was the only MVP on a losing WS team ever.It was a great show,and Hal Smith was given a loud ovation when his turn at bat came up on the screen showing the Bing Crosby taped seventh game.Smith swung so hard at the first pitch that he almost corkscrewed himself into the ground.
I saw another show once that rated the most important hits in ML history.Number two was by Tony Womack,an ex Pirate,in the 2001 WS.The hr by Maz,believe it or not,was #3.
Hal Smith’s was #1.
Orel Saxhiser
Stories surrounding journeyman players like Smith are a big reason for my sustained love of the game. There’s a real-life element to it.
Dick Groat just recently retired from doing color commentary for Pitt Panthers basketball games, I believe last year.
One thing in Maz’s favor for me is the annual magazine he used to put out. Pure love of the game. I don’t begrudge people who make various halls of fame. It’s a tremendous accomplishment and the baseball one is harder to get in than most. However, Maz’s enshrinement was disrespected by the then-burgeoning WAR crowd. It’s as if the defense doesn’t matter, which we frequently see from commenters on baseball boards. Our defense stinks, but we’ll be fine because we can really rake. Even with today’s emphasis on strikeouts, I still believe that defense separates the contenders from the pretenders. Up-the-middle defense is the first thing I look at when assessing teams at the beginning of a season. It’s funny how the baseball always seems to find the weakest fielder at the worst possible time.
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Very good point Cey Hey.
That is why the Pirates need to put Tucker at shortstop for a full year to see if he can hit.
Orel Saxhiser
I think Cherington is the right guy to oversee the rebuild. But yes, this will be a good year to find out which young players can handle what. A rebuild shouldn’t be as daunting in that division, but if they’re going to go with Tucker as a defense-only, then they really need to churn out some pitchers. The O’Neil Cruz situation really sets them back. They badly need bats. A tragedy beyond baseball, obviously. Coupled with Vazquez, it really puts a crimp on the rebuild. I wonder what would have happened had Vazquez been traded in the few weeks prior to his arrest. The Dodgers were in the mix but Huntington supposedly wanted a boatload of prospects.
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I think that the NL West will have the best division in baseball with two of the best teams in baseball,and the NL Central will have the worst,with possibly just St Louis over .500.
I thought that the Dodgers should have traded for Vazquez,as another relief pitcher could have put them over the top in 2019.NH had him signed on a team friendly contract.It was just one of many things that derailed the Pirates as the next couple of years is a golden window of opportunity for the small market teams in this division.
The Dodgers are smart enough to keep their good young players,but sometimes you have to go for the gusto.It wasn’t like they have a mediocre farm system.I think that it depended on who NH wanted,but my guess is the younger catcher and perhaps the young pitcher with the blonde almost Afro who did well last year.I doubt Lux was involved since he was so highly regarded,although I read that he had some troubles last year.This just goes to show you that they are nothing until they make it in MLB.
atmospherechanger
Cey Hey, good stories. The Lew Krausse signing & debuting a week later is fascinating.
Dice 66
? Good signing!
Very Barry
Why is Todd Frazier still trying to play? Why is someone signing him? Call it a career dude!! Let some young guy or journeyman get a slot at some at bats. Frazier was toast 3 years ago!!!!! He’s done!! Cannot hit above .200!!! Has not done it for 3 years!!!!!
Orel Saxhiser
What qualifies you to decide that another person should quit their job? You don’t flip burgers nearly as high as you used to but nobody is demanding that you stop flipping burgers. Leave my fellow Rutgers alum alone.
Btw, Frazier gets $1.5M if he makes the club. Good incentive to keep working.
Robertowannabe
Journeyman? Mr. Frazier resembles that now. So he should quit so another guy just like him get those at bats?
rocky7
Not according to Steve and Connor…an above average hitter…you know in that .213 range.
DTDATL
You know your career is over when the best you can get is a minor league deal with Pittsburgh
Dumpster Divin Theo
Fly me to the moon. B/w Let me hear your hands clap
psychotic goldfish
This is a good signing for a team like Pittsburgh. Frazier isn’t the player he once was. but a very young team like the Pirates could use a veteran leader. Pittsburgh isn’t winning anything this year, and Todd Frazier isn’t going to do anything to change that. But in a few years maybe he will. He is a leader and will show the young players what is needed to survive in the majors.
Jim Thome is my homie
I’d rather spend the 1.5M on Frazier than the 1.225M to Erik Gonzales.
ElGaupo77
Both can OPS > LHP and play good defense at their positions (1B and SS).
ElGaupo77
.800
Mendoza Line 215
I think that Gonzalez should be the utilityman which seems to be the reason that they traded for him.He can play multiple positions.Tucker needs to be given the shortstop job for one year and prove that he is a decent hitter as he is a fine fielder.
Flanny
We all know he’s just gonna end up back with the Mets at the deadline anyway lol, it always happens. Pirates are just a placeholder haha.
axisofhonor25
Todd if you’re desperate enough to sign a minor league deal with the mess of an organization that is the Pirates, it’s time to retire. However, always rooting for him and a class act. Good luck!