Memories of Todd Frazier

G-Fafif · January 12, 2020

Todd Frazier is now a Texas Ranger. He's from Toms River, originally.

That three-run homer off Doolittle will fall a little short of legendary since it only tied a dramatic game in the ninth inning (and the Mets didn't make crazy hay off their crazy streak), but it was Todd's highlight.

I liked him in all those promotional videos he did for the soft drink sponsor.

Pretending he'd caught a ball in the crowd at Dodger Stadium that he didn't was heady, but admitting it before the season was out wrought bad karma.

Like Granderson, made me forget he'd been MFY material. Good luck in the Lone Star State, Jersey guy.

Johnny Lunchbucket · January 13, 2020

Had an ungraceful, leaning-over, one-handed swing which was about the least aesthetically pleasing swings I can remember any Met having.

That said I wanted to hate Frazier more than I actually wound up hating him.

He was disappointing in the sense that acquiring him exhibited so little imagination on the part of the Mets even if by the end, on balance, he'd done pretty much he was asked to have done.

I'm also pleased he's moving on, and to a place where ugly white guys are so often heroes and wild turkeys are shot to death

smg58 · January 13, 2020

Good defender, seemed to be a good clubhouse guy, but his hitting approach was not a good fit for Citi Field. I agree with JLB that he did what he was asked. He certainly played to realistic expectations this past season.

seawolf17 · January 13, 2020

By most* accounts, a good dude. Local kid, good with the fans, smiled a lot, hit some home runs, did pretty much exactly what could reasonably have been expected of him. Thanks for your service, Todd.

*a guy I used to work with HATED him because they grew up playing baseball together and Frazier was always juuuust a little bit better than he was.

Centerfield · January 13, 2020

To me, Todd Frazier was a prime example of the half-measures that plagued the Alderson regime. Someone who was not going to cripple you financially, but not necessarily someone that would make the team better.

I thought he wouldn't be much of an upgrade over Flores, and in the end he wasn't offensively. Flores posted a higher OPS each year, but ultimately Frazier was more valuable due to the defense.

Speaking of his defense, he seemed very smooth with a strong throwing arm, but it seemed like I happened to catch all of his errors. I'm guessing it's just bad luck because his numbers on D are overall good.

That shot off Doolittle was something else. I was there the next night and the energy was amazing. I echo what JCL said. Ridiculously ugly swing. I didn't hate him as much as I thought I would. The salt and pepper thing was dumb.

kcmets · January 13, 2020

I probably disproportionately blamed him for the state of the Mets most days. Glad he's

not in the division where he'd likey go 3/4 each time we faced him.

LWFS · January 13, 2020

I'll miss the https://newyork.cbslocal.com/video/4210235-todd-frazier-chimes-in-on-toms-river-wild-turkey-problem/wildlife,

traffic reports, and weird little social-media interactions with local kids and community figures. It's like we're losing a local-news-team MVP.

Fman99 · January 13, 2020

Whatevs. We'll get 10 more guys like this in the next 10 years. Washed up ex-AL'ers with a power pedigree who can hit .235 for us.

January 13, 2020

To me, he was the final sign that the David Wright era was over. Signing him showed the team was moving on.

Edgy MD · January 13, 2020

That was my exact thought. The unspoken message of his contract was Sandy saying, "I can't say this explicitly yet, but I've given up on David Wright and so should you."

And yet, his contract was short-term enough, and his attitude professional enough, that his performance was never about being Wright's replacement. There's always a strong argument for interims — as palate cleansers, if nothing else.

G-Fafif · February 19, 2021

Todd Frazier is again officially an ex-Met, signing with the Pirates. His 2020 return was mostly baffling.

Edgy MD · February 19, 2021

Todd's first game back in uniform was an 0-5 he took in Baltimore on September 2. Met fans, to judge by Twitterer, were not particularly happy to see him back, but the 9-4 win softened his otherwise starchy collar.

But when he got tapped to start again the next day against the Yankees, fans were downright angry. "Is he now an actual regular?!" is something that somebody might have cried so I'm putting it in quotes even though I have no source for it.

But what a genius move — a super-genius move, in fact — it turned out to be, as he went 3-5 with a homer and two doubles as the Mets https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN202009030.shtml outlasted the Yankees in extra-innings. It was a game also recalled for a CRUSHING walk-off homer by a badly slumping Pete Alonso, and a pinch-running appearance that sealed Billy Hamilton's fate, getting thrown out stealing third in his final appearance in an honorable uniform.

Yeah, Todd only hit one more homer the rest of the way, but I was glad he shut up some malcontents and had one more day of triumph.

Edgy MD · February 20, 2021

Thinking that I kind of liked Todd in that he was just kinda cocky to match his being just kinda good, I realize he was also a former Brodie client who continued on with Brodie's former agency, and was later reacquired by Brodie.

Frayed Knot · May 10, 2021

DFA'd by the Pirates

Edgy MD · May 10, 2021

Just when the Mets have their top two thirdbasemen on the Injured List, too.

whippoorwill · May 11, 2021

He was hitting under .100

Edgy MD · May 11, 2021

Yeah, but if you hire a few sub-.100 hitters, Francisco Lindor gets all his confidence back.

bmfc1 · May 11, 2021

If Jeff McNeil is worse than "body cramps" and with the delay in JD's return, I wonder if Todd will be on Sandy's mind.

bmfc1 · May 13, 2021

Did Todd do any of this while with the Mets?

https://awfulannouncing.com/twitter/todd-frazier-calls-pittsburgh-radio-host-mark-madden-absolute-slob-twitter-spat.htmlhttps://awfulannouncing.com/twitter/todd-frazier-calls-pittsburgh-radio-host-mark-madden-absolute-slob-twitter-spat.html

Edgy MD · May 13, 2021

"What I'm proudest of in my career is how I used Twitter to enrich the public conversation and raise the standards of civil exchange," said (sadly) no one ever.

Fman99 · May 13, 2021

Did Todd do any of this while with the Mets?

https://awfulannouncing.com/twitter/todd-frazier-calls-pittsburgh-radio-host-mark-madden-absolute-slob-twitter-spat.htmlhttps://awfulannouncing.com/twitter/todd-frazier-calls-pittsburgh-radio-host-mark-madden-absolute-slob-twitter-spat.html

Ugh, throwing down F bombs on beat reporters and local sports talk yobs in Pittsburgh. Sad and gross.

Edgy MD · May 13, 2021

"I got released by the Pirates, and that was totally justifiable, but I DID get in a Twitter war with a Pittsburgh radio host, and man, did I come out smelling GREAT!"

Edgy MD · June 11, 2021

Todd Frazier has returned to New Jersey to join the Frontier League's Sussex County Miners.

The Frontier League is newly merged with the Can-Am League, so Todd can get ample opportunity to try out his French on Québécois reporters.

LWFS · June 11, 2021

That. Sounds. DELIGHTFUL. (All the more so if we get to see the Quebecois reporters' faces as he speaks.)

Lefty Specialist · June 12, 2021

Todd will get a chance to annoy the beat reporters in Tokyo.

Todd Frazier went 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, Eric Filia hit the go-ahead, two-run homer and Team USA clinched a spot in the Summer Olympics with a 4-2 victory over Venezuela in the final game of the Americas Qualifier. Team USA is going to the Olympics for the first time since 2008, the last time baseball was a part of the Summer Games.