CROSSWORD II
3/12
ACROSS
1 Monster such as Shrek 5 5+5=10,for
instance 8 Barber’s quick
job
12 “Me too!” 14 Creole vegetable 15 Sandwich also
called a grinder 16 Builder’s sign on
a vacant lot? 18 Cheese in a ball 19 Say yes to 20 Beautyrest
mattress maker 22
Like pigs in a blanket?
23 Dove call 24 Green Hornet’s sidekick Sport where everyone dresses like a catcher? Balances (out)
Actor Diggs Earl Grey, say Bleat Modernizes Some run between Olympic races
“We ___ to please” Kid’s query Divination deck Political group focused on supplying schools with building toys? Is victorious Cheer in Spain 27 33
35 36 37 38 41 42
43 44
46 50 51 52
Carnival attraction Arctic shipping hazard Peter or Paul, but not Mary 62 Fly high
63 Small bathroom fixture? Flow that may be 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit Rental company that used the slogan “We Try Harder” Essential acid variety
Split personalities? Acquire Terminates 54 58 65 66 67 68
69 70
DOWN
1
2 3
4
Fed. workplace watchdog Gunk Freeway entrance Boston college 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 13 14
17 21
24
25 26
28 29
30
Make tracks in the snow Coffee dispensers ’90s optical illusion fad Group with family ties? Overhaul Country known for rug weaving Some PTA members Clickable image Alpha’s opposite
Egg cell Unlikely to brag
Food that a chef might skewer Be of use Latin lover’s line
Step in a flight Kit ___ (breakable candy) Classic video game company 31 32
34 39
40 45 47
48 49
Strung along Stands the test of time Nurse, like a piglet Sack lunch holder Chain letters? “Very cool!” Deadly snakes School lunch holders Sharp barks 53
54 55 56 57
59 60 61
64
Qatar’s capital Little bit of land Cajole Gutter site ___ a hoot (cared) Perfect choice for a body double, perhaps Allow to borrow Cupid, to the Greeks Boring thing?
CLEARWATER — Clint Frazier seemed more comfortable talking about the Titanic T-shirt he was wearing Thursday than his collision with the outfield wall on Tuesday. In fact, Frazier seems like he would rather talk about anything else than his history with outfield walls.
The Yankees’ starting left fielder said he felt fine after hitting the wall — and seeming momentarily stunned — and was in the lineup again on Thursday as scheduled. He went 1-for-3 in the Yankees’ 6-1 win over the Phillies at BayCare Ballpark.
After a serious concussion in spring 2018 from running into the wall, it’s been a topic that Frazier has had more than enough of.
“I mean, I hit it pretty hard and I was a little caught off guard. I was asked where I was at, obviously, I was on the warning track laying on the ground. So I’m happy that I made it out injury free,” Frazier said. “I’m not really any more susceptible to a concussion than anyone else. Whenever you hit the wall it’s unfortunate, but I tried to make the play and obviously, I didn’t.”
The 2018 concussion forced Frazier to miss half a season and many believe contributed to his struggles in the outfield in 2019, when he was rated among the worst outfielders in baseball. In 2020, however, Frazier made huge strides with his defense.
Frazier, who made 27 starts in right field and 28 appearances while Aaron Judge was out with a calf injury, transformed himself from a player who cost the Yankees eight runs in 2019 with his defense, to a plus-2 in defensive runs saved last season. Frazier is in the top 69th percentile in Statcasts’ Outs Above Average. In 51 chances in right field in 2020, Frazier made one error.
Not only did he improve his numbers in the outfield, but he’s more in control of himself out there.
“It’s a combination of everything. I think it happens from time to time. I do think it’s avoidable at times and sometimes it’s not avoidable,” Frazier said. “The biggest thing I have to do is, make sure that when I get my read, I’m really aggressive at the beginning of it rather than kind of drifting and causing myself to not be able to look up and be aware of where I’m at. I want to play hard and I want to play smart at the same time.
“It’s a work in progress, to say the least.”
VOIT STILL STANDING
After missing two games with “knee soreness,” Luke Voit went 1-for-3 as the designated hitter Thursday. Voit made the last out of the third inning sliding into third and bounced up and walked off the field without a noticeable limp. He ran out a grounder to short in his next at-bat.
CHIRINOS CT-SCAN
Robinson Chirinos, the veteran catcher who is in camp on a minor league contract, suffered a fractured right wrist when he was hit on the hand with a pitch in Wednesday night’s game.
Chorizos will consult with a hand specialist this week.
He has been an interesting non-roster invitee because of his relationship with Gerrit Cole. The Yankees ace has talked up the veteran catcher, who he worked with in Houston in 2019.
STANTON SLOW DOWN
Giancarlo Stanton has felt so good this spring that the Yankees are reconsidering how they will use him. After last season, they saw him mainly as a designated hitter, as a way of keeping him healthy after a long history of injuries. Stanton has been receptive to the idea and told reporters Wednesday night he’d play in the outfield this spring.
Boone tapped the breaks on that a bit Thursday morning.
“I don’t have anything on the schedule yet for him to do that,” Boone said. “I haven’t really sat down and dove into that even yet. We talked about it a little bit early in camp. Really just wanting him to kind of find his workload, his routine, especially at the plate and stuff. So may or may not be a bridge that we cross here in the next week or 10 days or whatever we’ll have that conversation.”