Todd Frazier has free agency and a potential big payday awaiting him should he have a successful 2017 season.
But as the White Sox third baseman readies himself for the club’s first full-squad workout of spring training on Saturday, he said he’s only focused on the present.
“I’ve thought about it, but not to the extent where it’s going to bother me the whole year,” said Frazier, who arrived to camp a few days early. “Let’s work on this year, right now. When the time comes, let’s see what happens. Chicago is a nice place to play, and I’d like to play here.”
Frazier has been hitting every day, a good sign considering he sprained his left index finger lifting weights last month. It was an injury that had bothered him at the end of last season, but he said it feels fine now.
That’s a good thing for a player who said he’s ready to improve on “basically everything” from last year.
Frazier took the good with the bad in his first season with the Sox after being traded by the Reds. He had a career-low .225 batting average and a career-high 163 strikeouts. But he also hit career-best marks with 40 home runs, 98 RBIs and 64 walks.
“I just try and build off what I did last year and think about the positives — the home runs, RBIs, all that stuff,” Frazier said. “But I need to try and hit the ball to right field more, get the average back up, on-base percentage.”
As for the state of the Sox, Frazier said it was “upsetting” when he heard about the Chris Sale trade in December because he wants a pitcher like Sale on his team. But he’s ready to move with the team in a new direction, though he could be traded before the season is up.
Frazier said he doesn’t like the word rebuild, preferring to say the Sox are “refueling.” Either way, he’ll embrace his role as a leader for the younger players and said he thinks veterans Geovany Soto and David Robertson are among those who can also help.
He also thinks it’s good to have a balance of younger and older players pushing one another and reminisced about playing with third baseman Scott Rolen in his early days with the Reds.
“I always thought ‘Hey, I can beat him out. I just need that chance,’” Frazier said. “It’s great. You have these younger guys pushing you and older veteran guys trying to push them too as well. It’s a back and forth little battle. I can’t wait to see what we’ve got working Saturday.”
Photos as the White Sox practice at spring training at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.
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