Cincinnati Reds' Todd Frazier speaks of the rookie award bestowed upon him – MLB News
With the announcement of Major League Baseball Players Association Players Choice Award, wherein Cincinnati Reds’ Todd Frazier was named National League’s outstanding rookie by his peers in the league, the Reds’ third baseman spoke of the excitement he felt.
The Reds won the National League Central title this year – something which probably would not have its likelihood had it not been, among other contributions, from this young rookie player. His emergence as a competent and prolific contributor both on the plate and in the field is a harbinger of something great to come for the Reds.
However, the rookie award was indeed a formidable challenge for Frazier. Facing him were Washington Nationals’ outfielder Bryce Harper and Arizona Diamondbacks’ Wade Miley.
Miley, for example, remained sixth in National League for his most wins and 10th in ERA with 3.33 in the 32 games that he played, having had a total of 144 strike-outs.
The 20-year-old, Harper on the other hand, remained fifth in the league with 98 runs in 139 games that he appeared in, maintaining a consistent .270 batting average with 22 home-runs and 59 RBIs.
"Wade Miley was steady all year. He did his thing," Frazier said. "Harper came on strong at the end. I came on in the middle when we had a couple of guys go down.”
However, that which distinguished Frazier was his adaptability and the skills that he unleashed throughout the season. While challenges were numerous, he handled them with sheer subtlety and assertiveness that won him laurels.
Take for example the 47 games wherein he had to play under the tremendous pressure in the absence of Joey Votto – the All-Star first baseman who had undergone knee surgery. Frazier had .305 batting average in his absence with 32 RBIs and eight homers, keeping the offence high and mighty.
Frazier admitted it never was easy for him to fill in that space.
He said, "Just understanding the presence that Joey Votto has, and Scott Rolen, to come in and play the game, not to their capabilities but to mine, it was a big value. Filling those kinds of shoes was pretty hard. But I understood at the same time that you can't do the things those guys can do. Do what you can do and trust yourself. That's the bottom line. I trusted what I could do."
However, his .273 average in 128 games will serve as an evidence of his capability and set of skills to adjust accordingly whatever role he is assigned.
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