Given that there is no position that the Reds really need to be readying Frazier for in the near future, would any one be seriously opposed to Frazier making the team as a utility guy this year and getting spot starts all around the field or is still more advantageous to let him play everyday at AAA?
The problem with this is the 25 man roster. If he made the team he'd be competing with Sutton, Miles and Janish. As it is I'm not sure all three make it. If you add Frazier then you might have to cut two.Originally Posted by Edd Roush
I don't think now is the time to put Frazier on the 25 man
I would love Frazier ahead of Sutton and/or Miles. Done and done. Give me a versatile guy off the bench with the bat to hit around .800 OPS every day of the week and twice on Sunday as he looks for an opening into the everyday line-up. Frazier could back up at every position in the infield and at the corners in the OF. He's the guy to give Votto the occasional day off.
I hope Frazier rakes all spring and forces his way onto the team. I would feel a lot better about the bench depth with him on the roster.
Frazier might actually be the best fit for the bench. Think about where the team needs backups. They'll have 2B-SS and probably 3B covered with a reserve infielder (Miles and/or Janish). There will be two left fielders, and Dickerson can back up center. Obviously, there'll be a backup catcher. What's still lacking is an occasional sub for Votto and a RH hitter to play right field now and then. Of all the candidates, that best matches up, I think, with Frazier, who could also be useful at 3B if Rolen gets nicked. I'm not saying that's the best thing for Frazier's sake, but it might be the best for the club.
The wildcard here is can Frazier be productive in such a role? Young players often struggle when they don't play everyday.
Since the baseline is Miles and Sutton, I am comfortable that, yes, he can produce in such a role. In fact, that's often how young guys break into the bigs. Dusty himself, as he is wont to remind us all, broke in like that. Kevin Mitchell caddied for the 1986 Mets. Etc. etc. etc.
I think it is a great way to break kids who are ready into the bigs, and Frazier is, by all accounts, ready.
ETA: Mods, if this is a discussion that needs to be spun into a different thread to avoid cluttering this one, please advise.
Last edited by membengal; 03-02-2010 at 11:38 AM.
Yes, please...start a new thread and I'll merge the above posts into it.
Starting this thread to keep a side discussion from eating the updates thread. Boss has indicated he will merge some posts herein.
Now that we've started a new thread, I don't have much to add. I'd have no problem giving Frazier a shot at earning a utility job with this team
There's some good Frazier and Dorn discussion in there, I will wait before pasting some of that discussion here to see if the mods merge it.
Is this a bad thing?
Thanks a ton, mods.
It just seems to me that for a team needing as much offense as possible, Frazier makes a ton of sense to have on hand with the big league club off the bench and filling in as needed for starts. I don't know that there is more for him to accomplish at AAA.
Answering my own question, I think I would like to see Frazier up on the big team to start 2010. I like Frazier as the primary back-up for 3b, 2b, 1b, lf, and rf which allows Janish to be a defensive replacement for ss and Gomes to be saved for when his bat can be best utilized for the end of the game.
If he can't start, he needs to go to AAA and play everyday. Reps and at-bats are gold for young guys. The last thing he needs is to play twice a week and get occasional pinch-hit at-bats against tough bullpen guys.
Not to mention, if I'm Frazier, I don't want to be labeled a utility guy off the bat.
I'm all for getting the most ML ready talent on the 25 man roster... And if you can get Frazier the needed ABs to be productive and not hurt his development, then by all means take him north. I am kind of anxious to see what a healthy Sutton can do... He's a switch hitter and he had solid minor league numbers. I know what Miles can do, and I hope I don't have to see him do it in a Reds uniform.
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