White Sox land all-star slugger Frazier in 3-way deal
After a baffling false start last season, are the Chicago White Sox back in the playoff race?
“We certainly feel better than we did at the end of the season,” general manager Rick Hahn said Wednesday.
Hahn had similar sentiments last winter after signing free-agent left fielder Melky Cabrera, designated hitter Adam LaRoche, closer David Robertson and setup reliever Zach Duke while acquiring front-end starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija.
We all know how that played out.
Samardzija (11-13, 4.96 ERA) did not pitch up to par — not even close — and Robertson and Duke also underachieved.
But a lack of production from Cabrera, LaRoche and the rest of the offense was the main reason the White Sox went 76-86, their third straight losing season.
Hahn went back to the drawing board and added more pop at catcher by signing free agents Dioner Navarro and Alex Avila to one-year deals.
He added more infield pop with Brett Lawrie, who was acquired from Oakland in a Dec. 9 trade.
On Wednesday, Hahn took it to a much higher level with Todd Frazier, who joins the Sox from Cincinnati in a three-team trade that also included the Dodgers.
The White Sox sent talented young outfielder Trayce Thompson, top pitching prospect Frankie Montas and injury-prone second baseman Micah Johnson to Los Angeles. The Reds received infielders Brandon Dixon and Jose Peraza and outfielder Scott Schebler from the Dodgers.
Frazier, 29, batted .255 with 43 doubles, 35 home runs and 89 RBI for the Reds last season. He also made his second straight National League all-star team. Over the last two years, Frazier has hit 64 homers and driven in 169 runs.
Thompson batted .295 with 5 home runs and 16 RBI in 44 games with the White Sox after coming up from Class AAA Charlotte in August.
Montas got a brief look in September after establishing himself as a top pitching prospect at AA Birmingham.
It was a high price to pay to get the Frazier trade done, but the Sox are more concerned with winning in 2016.
“We certainly are very aware that you have to give up something to get something,” Hahn said. “While we are thrilled to get Todd, it does sting a little bit to give up the three players we had to give up to get it done, which may be the hallmark of a fair trade in the end, which you are trying to do.”
Frazier is going to play third base for the White Sox, which moves Lawrie to second. He also is likely to bat cleanup behind Jose Abreu.
“I'm pretty excited, I've got to be truthful with you,” said Frazier, a New Jersey native and Cincinnati's “sandwich” draft pick (No. 34 overall) in 2007. “I know it's the American League; I know it's going to be a little different.
“It might take a little time to get acclimated, but I just saw the (Sox') lineup on TV, it kind of put a smile on my face to see the guys we've got. It's going to be a fun time. I really can't wait to see what we're all about.”
Frazier is under contract for 2016 at a bargain cost of $7.5 million, and the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder is arbitration eligible in 2017.
That is two years, minimum, of no worries at third base for the White Sox.
“We are thrilled to be able to add a player the caliber of Todd Frazier,” Hahn said. “We feel that addresses a spot that has been rather difficult to fill for an extended period of time at third base.
“We view him as one of the finer third basemen in the game, all-around third basemen, from an offensive and defensive standpoint.”
In addition to the power bat and solid glove, Frazier brings a big personality to the Sox' clubhouse.
“I want to be a team player like always,” he said. “I want us to win, man. If that takes everybody coming together or me being a leader, whatever it takes, I'm fine with it. I know these guys want to win, too. They're hungry.
“We've got the team to do it and leadership comes by a lot of people having your back. That's all you need is people having your back and understanding what goes on and show them the right way to do it.”
The White Sox have shored up third base, second base and catcher. Are they capable of spending some really big money on a free-agent outfielder like Alex Gordon, Yoenis Cespedes or Justin Upton?
“We shall see,” Hahn said. “We're going to continue to be aggressive on numerous fronts and certainly continue to talk to various free agents as well as other clubs about trades, and we'll have to see how the coming weeks unfold.”