Is the offense in serious trouble?

[reds44]

I'm not sure where people get the idea that Thirdbase is a problem.

Frazier is at 744 for the year.
NL average 729

It might not be a problem, but it's not great and it's probably not going to get any better. Frazier kind of is what he is.

[cumberlandreds]

I guess I just don't like Frazier hacking ways. If you had a better hitter at any of the other three positions I mentioned, Frazier would be just fine. The LF,SS and C positions are real problems though. If you could find a 3rd baseman that's better you could flip Frazier to LF and it would be much better offense.

[dsmith421]

I'm not sure where people get the idea that Thirdbase is a problem.

Frazier is at 744 for the year.
NL average 729

Frazier is a victim of circumstance - he's effectively being asked to fill Ludwick's role as an 800-850 OPS power bat and he's just not that guy. If Ludwick was in the lineup producing like he did last year I doubt many would have an issue with Frazier's production.

[Raisor]

Then the rest of the NL is a real problem this year?

Imagine how much better Frazier could be if he learned to recognize breaking balls out of the strike zone, some clearly way out of the strike zone..better.

Think how much better Frazier would be if he was a better hitter.

[Raisor]

Frazier is a victim of circumstance - he's effectively being asked to fill Ludwick's role as an 800-850 OPS power bat and he's just not that guy. If Ludwick was in the lineup producing like he did last year I doubt many would have an issue with Frazier's production.

That's not Frazier's problem.

That's a management problem

[dsmith421]

That's not Frazier's problem.

That's a management problem

I agree, which is why I'm not killing Frazier for not being Ludwick. He is what he is.

[Tony Cloninger]

Think how much better Frazier would be if he was a better hitter.

Exactly! Wait ...what?

I always think how much more handsome I would be ...If i was better looking. So I guess I see your point.

[Wonderful Monds]

That's not Frazier's problem.

That's a management problem

That doesn't make 3B any less of a problem, though.

Not that it's necessarily a huge problem, as much as it is the team needing to get offense from *somewhere* else.

(Plus a decent chunk of that number is predicated on Chase Headley and Pablo Sandoval actually being well below average hitters, which I do not believe.)

[Raisor]

That doesn't make 3B any less of a problem, though.

Not that it's necessarily a huge problem, as much as it is the team needing to get offense from *somewhere* else.

And once again, that's not a Frazier issue

[NebraskaRed]

It might not be a problem, but it's not great and it's probably not going to get any better. Frazier kind of is what he is.

251 games into his career is a little too early to gauge exactly what his abilities are.

2011 (only 121 PAs): .232/.289/.438/.727
2012: (465 PAs): .273/.331/.498/.829
2013: (328 PAs so far): .243/.335/.408/.744

I think he's obviously slumped a bit the first half of this season, but let's give him some more time before we decide that he "is what he is."

[Tom Servo]

I think as the summer goes along Frazier will start launching more balls out of the park and raise that SLG % and finish somwhere in the .260 range for batting average.

[Gary Redus]

Short answer ... yes. As has been discussed in other threads - Cozart in the two hole is a major problem. The clock has struck mid-night on Xavier Paul - he is what he is - a fill in and decent bat off the bench. Phillips was very good for the first couple of months - really embraced being a run producer - but long term that isn't his role. Hit him second.

[Wonderful Monds]

And once again, that's not a Frazier issue

OPS+ of 99

No, not at all.

[Kc61]

Frazier's problem this year is obvious, just look at ths numbers.

His K rate is about the same. His walk rate is actually better than last year, meaningfully better.

His OBP is about the same as last year. But his BA and SLG are much worse.

The answer is pretty obvious, his LD and FB rate are way down and his ground ball rate is way up. The guy is simply beating the ball into the ground. Ground ball rate was 33% last year, it is 45% this year.

Either the pitchers have figured this out, or Todd needs an adjustment in his swing, or something.

Cozart has the a similar problem, higher GB rate, lower LD rate, but to a lesser extent. Frazier's GB rate increase is dramatic and obviously needs to be fixed.

Frazier is not striking out much more, which is a good sign.

[toledodan]

Short answer ... yes. As has been discussed in other threads - Cozart in the two hole is a major problem. The clock has struck mid-night on Xavier Paul - he is what he is - a fill in and decent bat off the bench. Phillips was very good for the first couple of months - really embraced being a run producer - but long term that isn't his role. Hit him second.

agree 100 percent.