{"id":21016,"date":"2019-06-17T13:42:27","date_gmt":"2019-06-17T17:42:27","guid":{"rendered":"lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/\/?p=21016"},"modified":"2019-06-17T13:45:07","modified_gmt":"2019-06-17T17:45:07","slug":"clint-frazier-demotion-signifies-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2019\/06\/17\/clint-frazier-demotion-signifies-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Clint Frazier Demotion Signifies Future"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonbaseball.com\/2019\/06\/15\/edwin-encarnacion-traded-new-york-yankees\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recent acquisition<\/a> of<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/e\/encared01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Edwin Encarnacion<\/a><\/strong> by the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonbaseball.com\/mlb-teams\/new-york-yankees\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New York Yankees<\/a>,\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/f\/frazicl01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Clint Frazier<\/a><\/strong> has been demoted.\u00a0He was optioned to Triple-A Scranton\/Wilkes Barre following Sunday&#8217;s 10-3 win against the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonbaseball.com\/mlb-teams\/chicago-white-sox\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chicago White Sox<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Clint Frazier: It\u2019s a tough pill to swallow. It\u2019s never fun, especially with how much I felt like I\u2019ve contributed to the team this year. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/V3lxQ9f5EQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/V3lxQ9f5EQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; YES Network (@YESNetwork) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/YESNetwork\/status\/1140381946620416000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 16, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>The Situation<\/h2>\n<p>Clint Frazier has been enjoying a solid season. His .283\/.330\/.513 slash lines would make him an everyday player on just about any team. His 11 home runs and 34 RBI in 209 plate appearances have been underrated contributions to help keep a team decimated by injuries afloat.<\/p>\n<p>Despite his numbers, he has long been viewed as the odd man out in the outfield. Once <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/j\/judgeaa01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Aaron Judge<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/stantmi03.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Giancarlo Stanton<\/a><\/strong> return from injury, Frazier has been expected to become an after thought for the starting lineup. In fact, Frazier seemed the obvious choice to be sent down when Stanton returns Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>That being said, the fact that he was sent down on Sunday is actually a bigger deal than initially viewed. This is because <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/t\/tauchmi01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mike Tauchman<\/a> <\/strong>was chosen to stay over Frazier. Tauchman has the advantage of being left handed, but his numbers are far inferior to Frazier&#8217;s. His slash line is .202\/.297\/.385 with four home runs and 13 RBI in 118 plate appearances.<\/p>\n<p>Even though Tauchman&#8217;s left handed bat is more favorable with the acquisition of another right-handed bat, he will most likely be sent down once Stanton is healthy. Therefore, the better hitter should be kept around for Monday night.<\/p>\n<h2>The Issue<\/h2>\n<p>Frazier has been making headlines of late. His defensive play has been sub par, making a bevy of errors in right field. His defensive runs saved sits at -7 in just 40 games, and his range factor is a minuscule 1.43.<\/p>\n<p>This inept-defensive display has already put him under scrutiny, but that has been amplified by his handling of the media. After a forgettable-June 2nd game in right field against the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonbaseball.com\/mlb-teams\/boston-red-sox\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Boston Red Sox<\/a> on <em>ESPN<\/em>, Frazier did not address the media. This opened a downpour of criticisms.<\/p>\n<p>This battle against the media dates back to Frazier&#8217;s arrival in New York. In 2017, allegedly false <a href=\"https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/articles\/2702052-brian-cashman-refutes-claim-that-clint-frazier-asked-for-mickey-mantles-number\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reports cited<\/a> Frazier wanting the team to allow him to wear <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mantlmi01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mickey Mantle<\/a><\/strong>&#8216;s retired number seven. In 2018, he got into an argument with team broadcaster <strong>Michael Kay<\/strong>, after<a href=\"https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/articles\/2789905-michael-kay-apologizes-to-clint-frazier-for-criticizing-yankees-ofs-concussion\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Kay commented<\/a> on his absence from the team do to a concussion.<\/p>\n<h2>The Outlook<\/h2>\n<p>Being involved in a trade seemed all but inevitable for Frazier. Despite his defensive inabilities, he has a world of talent offensively. His name immediately pops into minds when imaginative trade scenarios pop into fans heads. He has been fictitiously traded for <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/d\/degroja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jacob deGrom<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/syndeno01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Noah Syndergaard<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wheelza01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zack Wheeler<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/scherma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Max Scherzer<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bumgama01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Madison Bumgarner<\/a><\/strong>, and so many more top flight starting pitchers in the last two seasons.<\/p>\n<p>Frazier&#8217;s demotion is the culmination of drama coming to a head. His potent bat makes him appealing to any team looking to rebuild. His desire to simply be himself in the New York market has seemingly done more bad than good. Not to mention, his lack of defensive stability and versatility pegs him as the odd man out on the roster.<\/p>\n<p>His recent demotion, exiled in favor of Mike Tauchman, only further confirms the inevitable. As pieces come and go during the July 31st trade deadline, Clint Frazier will be a player on the move, out of the Bronx.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo: <a id=\"kGGJzJ89QblQlcvyPknqNQ\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1149751398\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'kGGJzJ89QblQlcvyPknqNQ',sig:'DP8k0_hcEzsJRVjFa6MancmoR53QizYrUS25exq18zw=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1149751398',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the recent acquisition of Edwin Encarnacion by the New York Yankees,\u00a0Clint Frazier has been demoted.\u00a0He was optioned to Triple-A Scranton\/Wilkes Barre following Sunday&#8217;s 10-3 win against the Chicago White Sox. Clint Frazier: It\u2019s a tough pill to swallow. It\u2019s never fun, especially with how much I felt like I\u2019ve contributed to the team this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2758,"featured_media":21026,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1071],"tags":[501,390,220,78,79,1676,2759,76,683],"class_list":["post-21016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-yankees","category-mlb","tag-aaron-judge","tag-clint-frazier","tag-giancarlo-stanton","tag-madison-bumgarner","tag-max-scherzer","tag-mickey-mantle","tag-mike-tauchman","tag-noah-syndergaard","tag-zack-wheeler"],"modified_by":"DJ Kleinbard","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2758"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21016"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21016\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}