Frustrated Fraizer looking to hike his batting average
When they acquired Todd Frazier from the Reds in a three-team trade on Dec. 15, the Chicago White Sox weren't expecting him to win a batting title.
The Sox got Frazier for his power bat, above-average glove at third base and leadership skills.
Still, Frazier has room to improve when it comes to making contact. Heading into Saturday night's game against the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field, he led the White Sox with 7 home runs.
An 0-for-19 start to May, however, dropped Frazier's batting average to .191.
"It's pretty frustrating," Frazier said. "I have a bunch of walks. I've been on base, but God almighty, it's one of those things where I've been through it once before."
Maybe the tide is starting to turn the other way. In the third inning Saturday, Frazier hit his eighth homer of the year, a solo shot off Twins starter Ervin Santana.
With the Reds in 2013, Frazier went through a 3-for-49 slump. Even if the current slide continues a while longer, he's going to stay in the lineup.
"He's going to work through it," manager Robin Ventura said. "He's a big part of our lineup, we know he's going to hit. The best part is, he's not taking it on the field. I mean, he's made some great plays at third base to help us win games. We know his bat's going to come around and help us win games."
While he's not hitting as well as expected, Frazier's power potential out of the cleanup spot still provides protection for No. 3 hitter Jose Abreu.
"That's a big responsibility for me," Frazier said. "I'm hitting behind him. And say he was struggling in April, I have to step up. Now he's stepping up for me. Once we find that happy medium, maybe next month when we start to play against our division a little more, we'll just keep taking off."
The day after:
Jose Abreu almost went after Trevor May Friday night after the Twins' reliever hit him in the ribs with a 97-mph fastball.
After the game, Abreu apologized for briefly losing his temper, even though no punches were thrown by either side after the benches emptied.
On Saturday, the Sox's big first baseman explained why he was sorry.
"I respect this sport too much, and what I did probably didn't look good, it didn't look like I had respect for this game," Abreu said through an interpreter. "That's why I apologized, not because I did something bad. It's just because in the eyes of the people who saw the game and all the kids, it wasn't the best reaction."
Comeback trail:
Catcher Alex Avila, out since April 24 with a hamstring injury, played his second game with Class AAA Charlotte Saturday night during his rehab assignment.
"Some time next week, I don't know exactly the day right now," manager Robin Ventura said when asked if Avila is close to coming off the disabled list. "Everything seems all right at this point."