When the Pittsburgh Pirates released Todd Frazier at the end of spring training, it wasn’t so much stunning to as it was humbling for the 10-year veteran and two-time All-Star infielder.
Instead of joining another team, he made alternate plans.
The 35-year-old Frazier signed a minor league contract with the Pirates and reported to their alternate training site in Pittsburgh, part a group that shuttled back and forth from the clubhouse at Heinz Field to practicing on PNC Park’s pristine grass to adjusting to taking swings on the artificial turf of the batter’s box at Pitt’s Charles L. Cost Field.
Things got really unfamiliar for Frazier as he accompanied the Pirates on their 10-day, nine-game road trip as a member of their taxi squad. MLB rules allowed him to do everything but sit in the dugout during games.
“That was probably the most different (thing) I’ve been part of,” Frazier said. “You practice with the team, work out, BP, ground balls, then see you later. Knowing that you’re not going to be in the dugout, it’s weird. You’re driving home when they’re playing a game, and you’re in the hotel. It’s very weird, it’s very different.”
No wonder Frazier called it a “breath of fresh air” when he was told that he was back on the big league club, trading baseball purgatory for a Pirates uniform just in time to serve as designated hitter for Thursday’s game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. The Pirates purchased Frazier’s contract after rookie third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes re-aggravated his left wrist injury Wednesday night while taking swings.
“You feel like you’re getting called up again for the first time,” Frazier said of the excitement. “The guys are happy, you’re happy. You feel that air when you’re stretching before the game. You’re very humbled and, you know what, you really don’t take that for granted. It’s something I know eventually that it could be my last time doing it, so I don’t take any of that for granted.”
Despite a strong spring training in which he had two doubles, tied for the team lead with three home runs and had six RBIs in 12 games — Frazier called it one of the best spring trainings of his career — the Pirates chose to keep the versatile Phillip Evans over the veteran Frazier.
Bringing Frazier back was an odd conversation for Pirates manager Derek Shelton. A day earlier, he surprised infielder Rodolfo Castro with news that he wasn’t joining the taxi squad but rather making his major league debut. Now, Shelton was welcoming a 10-year veteran and two-time All-Star already traveling with the club back to the big leagues.
“It was a little strange,” Shelton said. “I mean, you’re telling the guy that was traveling with you, ‘Hey, you’re back on the active roster.’ A little different.”
That the development came only a day after Neil Walker formally announced his retirement was a reminder to Frazier that he’s in the twilight of a career that could end at any time. Frazier said he talks with his wife about retirement all the time, believing he could be happy with hitting 218 home runs for six teams over a decade in the big leagues.
“Because it’s baseball. It’s one of my favorite loves. It’s something, ever since I was 5 years old playing t-ball, it’s always what I wanted to do. Why pack it in now?” Frazier said. “I feel like I have some good years ahead of me. I’m not saying years meaning five or 10, maybe one or two. At the end of the day, I’m realistic. I understand what I can do and can’t do. I’ll know when I need to get off. I want to play as long as I can, and this year, I got another chance to do it, so why not make the best of it?”
Frazier not only brings a veteran presence to the Pirates but a charismatic character in the clubhouse and on the field. Shelton called Frazier’s in-game chatter “about as good as anybody I’ve ever been around” and “extremely entertaining” — his in-game wearing of a microphone for AT&T SportsNet during a Grapefruit League game was proof — and is counting on him to add some pop to a light-hitting lineup. Teammates have taken to calling him the Toddfather, and Frazier said the Pirates’ Latin players jokingly call him “Grandpa.”
Todd Frazier is a national treasure. pic.twitter.com/CH23O01Tya
— Pirates (@Pirates) March 11, 2021
“I’m really excited to get back into a big league dugout and cheer the team on. I’m a big team guy. I like to get the guys fired up, but I like to produce, too,” said Frazier, who is 0 for 7. “I’ve been back up for two games, and I haven’t really done much with that but, at the same time, it is two games. My younger self would not be sleeping at night, but I know where I’m going to be and where the numbers will be eventually, once I get clicking here.”
Frazier can take some solace in knowing he still has some power in his bat, as he had a 110.5 mph exit velocity on a Jose Urena 2-0 fastball that sailed 412 feet before center fielder JaCoby Jones chased it down and caught it at the warning track in left-center at Comerica Park in the Pirates’ 4-2 win over the Tigers on Thursday afternoon.
“I went from 100% sky high to down in the dumps,” Frazier said. “You take it for what it is. I’ve had a bunch of those in my career where a guy robbed me and made a great play, but we ended up winning again.”
Frazier is looking forward to making his Pirates debut at PNC Park when they return for a homestand. In 39 games as a visitor, he has a .307/.379/.553 slash line with nine doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 23 RBIs, so it will be “exciting” to finally play for the Pirates.
“I love playing at that stadium. Playing there is probably the most comfortable I’ve been and the best I played at a visiting park,” Frazier said. “Now I’ll be at my home park, so, hopefully, that helps me and gets me on the right track there.”
Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Kevin by email at kgorman@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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