Can’t mask his desire
Clint covers up for safe run at Yankee spot
Clint Frazier’s role in a coronavirus-shortened, 60-game season has likely been diminished. The one-time top prospect known for his lightning-quick bat speed, had a chance to be a contributor back in March, when the Yankees outfield was ravaged by injury. Four months later, with the outfield seemingly healthy and Frazier dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, playing time will be hard to come by for the 25-year-old.
But Frazier is already playing the part of a role model this season.
In the first week of the rebooted spring training, Frazier is the only Yankee who has consistently worn a mask in intrasquad scrimmages. In a day and age when mask wearing has become a political statement, Frazier, who has been limited to being the designated hitter, sees it as his contribution to trying to keep the Yankees healthy.
And it wouldn’t hurt if his example made it easier for fans to wear a mask as well.
“I started by trying it in practice. And then I tried it in the batting cage and then I wanted to try in the game because there are two people in the box with me and they are close in proximity,” Frazier explained Sunday before the intrasquad scrimmage. “I think that it’s an easy task to do. I’m obviously here because I want to play, but we do have stuff that’s going on around us and there’s a lot of people that have this impact them in a way and there are people in our organization that I’m trying to be respectful toward.
“I’m just trying to overall make sure that I can do the best part that I can and make sure that our team does stay healthy because you know, we have three guys right now that aren’t here because of it and I want to make sure that I’m not the reason why it spread to anybody and that I can play if it does get spread to someone else,” Frazier continued. “This is a big year for me and I want to play and I want to make sure that if there is somebody out there that sees me wearing the mask, maybe they’ll do it as well. It’s just an easy thing to do. And it doesn’t bother me at all. I mean, at first it was a little weird, but I feel like it’s something that’s just become second nature at this point.”
Every little bit of precaution helps while playing baseball in a pandemic.
The Yankees have already had their first in-camp confirmed COVID-19 case. The team announced Saturday closer Aroldis Chapman tested positive for the virus on Thursday. DJ LeMahieu and Luis Cessa were not allowed to report to New York because they tested positive for the virus before leaving for camp.
The Chapman news was a stark reminder of how difficult this is going to be. Playing baseball in the midst of a pandemic that has infected 3.29 million Americans and killed more than 137,000 is risky even with the growing health and safety protocols that MLB and the union have issued. Several players, including David Price and Buster Posey have concluded the risk is too high to their families and have opted out.
While most of baseball is trying to adapt to new rules and protocol, like anyone, they find that old habits are hard to break. More and more Yankees are wearing masks on the field for drills and social distancing, which was hard at first.
“Of course there’s always going to be more that we can do,” Aaron Boone said. “And hopefully as time goes by, and as we’re getting better and more used to and accustomed to just naturally being aware of all the things we can do to take care of ourselves. As of now, it’s just that constant kind of reminders in group settings but also individually of trying to make sure guys are being smart and being accountable.”