Forbidden Love is a Cubs DNA series where our staff waxes poetic about a player on a team other than the Cubs. Maybe even one you think they should hate. In this installment, Staci turns her attention to poor, neglected New York Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier!
Poor, sad Clint Frazier. When the Cleveland Baseball Team traded him to the New York Yankees back in 2016 for Andrew Miller, he probably thought he would, you know, actually play. On the team. In the outfield. After all, every time the Yankees have had him up with the Big Squad, he's been a well above average bat against righties and around average against lefties--the kind of productive player that most teams would want for bench depth at the very least. Instead, however, Frazier continues to be shuttled back and forth to the Yankees' triple A squad. Why? Well, because since that time, the Yankees have traded for Giancarlo Stanton, dug in on Aaron Hicks, and... oh yeah, this guy came up:
I totally get why you wouldn't start Frazier in lieu of any of those guys. What I don't get... and probably never will... is why the Yankees won't either 1) trade Frazier for something they need, like starting pitching, or 2) give him more at bats and stop paying this dude:
The conundrum for the Yankees and poor Clint Frazier is that Judge and Stanton can't stay on the field. I've never seen two sturdier looking men be flimsier in actual practice. So of course, every time one of them goes down, out trots Frazier ready to fill in the muscle-bound gaps left by the Yankees big sluggers. And what does he get for his trouble? Talk of being traded every year, but never actually getting a chance to go somewhere to play every day. Thank goodness poor Clint Frazier has a good attitude.
Bless your heart, poor Clint Frazier. One of these days you will run out of options, and it will force the Yankees to figure out what to do with you. Until then, I'm still salty that they made you cut your hair. Dustin May has nothing on you, my friend. May you one day be traded to a team where your magnificent flow can finally be free.
