TAMPA, Fla. _ Clint Frazier's feet usually are magnets for attention based on his street-style cleats, notably some variation of tricked-out Jordans, customized for baseball use.
This year, however, Frazier is doing more with his feet than making a fashion statement _ and the impact was on display Thursday when he pulled a long, loud home run over the 30-foot-high concourse at Steinbrenner Field.
Frazier's DNA is loaded with power, and remember it was GM Brian Cashman who famously described his bat speed as "legendary" upon getting him from the Indians in the Andrew Miller swap. But Frazier felt at times as if he wasn't maximizing that ultra-hyped potential, like "trying to fire a gun with the safety on."
So Frazier made a few tweaks this winter, revisiting some foot-related mechanics he picked up from Matt Holliday during his '17 pinstriped tenure. Frazier opened up his stance, moving his front foot more toward the left edge of the batter's box, with an exaggerated inward bend to that leg, up on his toes.
"He said to point your left pocket at the pitcher," Frazier said, recalling Holliday's advice.
The desired effect helps Frazier keep his weight back longer, then gives him the ability to better uncoil his hips, with better timing, on the swing. He pulverized a 91-mph fastball for Thursday's homer in the Yankees' 7-1 victory over the Rays, and also smashed a hard grounder to third that was nearly too hot to handle.
It worked for Holliday, who finished as a career .299 hitter with 316 homers over 15 years, and Frazier already is a big believer in his new stance this spring, which is turning into a huge one for both him and the Yankees. Even if the mechanics are sound, Frazier is benefiting just as much from the confidence boost.
"Your body speaks feel, it doesn't speak English," Frazier said. "So whatever feels right, I want to keep doing. It feels right, it feels strong, so it's like, why not?"
It's not only Frazier's feet that are well-adjusted at the moment. His head is, too. Frazier realizes the opportunity that's in front of him, especially with Giancarlo Stanton (calf strain) doubtful for Opening Day and Aaron Judge returning slowly from a sore shoulder. He's never had a better shot to go north with the Yankees straight out of Tampa, but Frazier isn't looking too far ahead.
"I knew that it was going to be an uphill battle to try to win a spot on the team," Frazier said, "and a few things have happened since I got here to probably make it maybe a little bit more attainable. But I still have to finish the camp healthy. I still have to go out there and perform and ultimately show them that I might be able to play the position the way they want me to if called upon."
For all the defensive work Frazier did during the offseason, he knows there's still a lot left to prove in the outfield. On Thursday, Frazier played a big-hop double off the rightfield wall, but his throw to second was nowhere near the bag. He's trying to get his feet moving before the pitch now _ "revving my engine," he says _ in order to go from 30 to 100 rather than starting at a flat-footed zero.
The Yankees don't need Frazier to be a Gold Glover out there. If he can hit to his lofty projections, they'll be thrilled with adequate, or something closer to it than Frazier was last season. While his outfield antics, and dust-ups with the media, got most of the headlines, Frazier still smacked 12 homers in only 69 games. The Yankees could use a weapon like that again, particularly if they can't rely on Stanton to stay healthy, and manager Aaron Boone notices the progress from Frazier this spring.
"I like what I'm seeing, I'll say that," Boone said. "With Clint, I think we sometimes in the past assume the negative on work things. He's had some bumps along the way, but I've never questioned how hard he's worked. I will say there's been a real level of focus and professionalism, and he's in a really good place physically, mentally and just how he's approaching things."
That's the kind of attention Frazier is seeking now. Not for his haircut, or Instagram posts, the sideshow stuff that always seemed to drag him down, whether it was unfair or not. There is a clearer path now to helping the Yankees, and Frazier is doing everything possible to make sure he can.
"I think that all eyes are on me in the outfield for the right reasons, obviously _ or I guess the wrong reasons," Frazier said, smiling. "But I know that it's not just about defense. I've got to show that I can still hit at the major-league level and do it on a consistent basis."
This spring, in Frazier's mind, he's perfectly positioned to do just that.
