CLINT’S READY TO ROLL!
Frazier’s finally healthy & can’t wait for the spring training bus rides
TAMPA — With spring training games beginning on Saturday, Clint Frazier is now looking at some long bus rides. Friday morning, the Yankees’ top outfield prospect will take the two hour and 15 minute bus ride to Fort Myers to face the Red Sox. On Sunday, it’s back on the team bus for another nearly two hour ride to Port Charlotte to play against the Rays.
“I am really excited about those bus trips,” Frazier said. “You never would have heard me say that during the season last year. But I am really excited to get going and get the chance to play.”
Frazier missed most of last season dealing with post-concussion symptoms after hitting his head in a spring training game. That year-long battle to get back to feeling normal has left him with a new perspective.
“It took a season away from me, but it also gave me something,” Frazier said. “It taught me how to battle and taught me how much this game means to me. I worked really, really hard to get back to this point again. And I know how much I want it.”
Frazier will get plenty of chances to ride the bus this spring. Aaron Boone said that Frazier has alleviated the Yankees’ concerns about his concussion with his rehab and the Yankee manager wants to see what he can do.
“He’s ready to go. He looks great, feels great, so I think I am going to play him in left and probably DH him the next day,” Boone said of the weekend. “He’ll be one of the first guys who plays in the first two games.”
Frazier, 24, broke into the majors in 2017 and slashed .231/.268/.448 with four homers and 17 RBIs in 39 games. In 15 games in the big leagues last season, he hit .265/.390/ .353 with no homers and one RBI.
Since he’s returned to working out in the outfield Thursday he worked with Carlos Beltran on his defense - he’s had no concerns about the fluke play that led him to trip and then hit his head, causing the concussion.
“I am not worried about it, it was such a freak play, I just don’t think about it when I am out there,” Frazier said. “I’ve gotten back to this point. I am ready to just go out and play.
“And ride the bus,” Frazier added with the laugh. “I’ll be happy to take all the bus trips they have for me.” TIMES UP
A 20-second timer will be on the pitchers when the Yankees and Red Sox open their Grapefruit League season on Saturday. MLB issued a statement Friday saying the timer will begin in three stages this spring, but “no decision has been made” whether they will use it in the regular season.
Veteran pitcher J.A. Happ, who works fairly quickly anyway, said he would just go about his normal routine until he is forced to deal with it.
Boone said that he expects most of his pitchers will not see it as an issue.
“I think it’s going to be fine, even a good thing. I don’t think it’s going to affect us that much,” Boone said. “I
think we’ll probably get to the point where we don’t even really notice it. It’s not part of guys having any angst. I think early days of spring training the umpires are getting used to it as well. They will try and get that rhythm and feel. Hopefully we educate ourselves to the rhythm of it.
“I don’t think players are going to have to make some massive adjustment.”
This week the timer will operate “without enforcement.” Next week, “umpires will issue reminders to pitchers and hitters who violate the rule, but no ball-strike penalties will be assessed. Between innings, umpires are expected to inform the club’s field staff of any violations.”
Later in spring, “and depending on the status of the negotiations with the Major League Baseball Players Association,” umpires will be instructed to begin assessing ball-strike penalties for violations.
The rule is already in play in the minor leagues. The rule requires the batter to be in the batter’s box and alert to the pitcher with at least five seconds remaining on the timer. They pitcher has to begin his windup or motion to come to a set position before the 20second timer expires.
The timer is not used on the first pitch of any at-bat. The timer begins when the pitcher receives the ball from the catcher on the second pitch of an at-bat. NO CONSOLATION
The stakes are seemingly high in the battle for the starting first baseman job, because either Luke Voit or Greg Bird are likely facing a demotion. Boone said Friday that he sees DJ LeMahieu as his backup first baseman, not Voit or Bird. That would give the Yankees more roster flexibility, a reason they signed LeMahieu in the first place.
“Even if both guys are healthy and producing and strong, it’s not necessarily a case where we keep both (so as) to keep that roster flexibility,” Boone said. “I can see a scenario where we did though. We’ll see how spring shakes out, but I see LeMahieu getting some reps there and being the backup.” REMEMBERING CAFARDO Aaron Boone opened his daily press conference Friday by remembering long-time Boston Red Sox writer Nick Cafardo. The Boston Globe baseball columnist passed away at the age of 62 Thursday after being stricken at the Red Sox spring training complex.
“Relationships are important. I would count many in this room with that. With Nick and what happened yesterday. I know a lot of you are hurting, but that’s one of those that rocks our baseball community,” Boone said. “I just want to send out my prayers and thoughts with Ben (Cafardo) and the entire Cafardo family and all those are close to him.
“I had a really good relationship with him, going back to ESPN,” continued Boone, who worked as a “Sunday Night Baseball” analyst. “It’s certainly a tough day in our baseball family.”
Cafardo, who is survived by his wife and two children, was well-known for his Sunday notes column. Thursday, after the news broke of his death, social media was flooded with remembrances and tributes from writers, players, executives and even celebrities like Seth Meyers.