Todd Frazier wins the Home Run Derby 'his way'
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CINCINNATI – In 2011, during a Cincinnati Reds Caravan visit to Chillicothe, Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman said this about Todd Frazier, who has since become a two-time NL All-Star and the face of the organization.
"His time has come. He has the opportunity that a lot of players never get, and whether or not he can cut it is up to him."
Even the Hall of Famer couldn't have imagined how one guy could bring in over 40,000 fans in one wild celebration, but he won the Derby "His Way."
When Frazier hit his 15th and final home run of the championship round, holding his arms up in victory in front of his home team crowd with a big bright smile to boot … baseball was alive and well in Cincinnati on a perfect night at Great American Ball Park.
Frazier defeated Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the championship round, 15-14, winning the Derby as the No. 2 seed.
The NL starting third baseman for the All-Star Game Tuesday, Frazier had to battle from the very first round, hitting 14 home runs in the first round, just enough to beat the 13 homers hit by former Derby champion Prince Fielder.
Frazier's performance was absolutely amazing in the first round, having the 13 homers in 4:30 of time, with the tie-breaking 14th homer bringing the Cincy crowd to their feet.
He went on streaks in the first round where he hit line drive homers, and some of his other shots out of GABP were no doubters. But the 14th home run brought a noise from the GABP stands that hasn't been heard since the Reds last won a NL Division championship in 2012.
Get this about just the first round performance of Frazier … he hit more in that lone round than he did in all of his '14 Derby debut at Minnesota's Target Field.
In that '14 Derby, Frazier was the runner-up, reaching the finals where he lost to then-Oakland Athletics slugger Yoenis Céspedes, who hit a total of 28 home runs. Frazier finished with 10 total homers, losing the final round, 9-1.
[[In-content Ad]]The second round was full of more "Let's Go Frazier" cheers at GABP, as the current son of Cincinnati by way of New Jersey continued to bring happiness, something that hasn't happened much at the stadium this season.
Cincinnati really stood tall at the conclusion of Round 2 with Frazier hitting his eighth (and round-tying) homer with 12 seconds left on the clock, and with five seconds left in the round, the ball sailed over the wall, sending him to the finals of the Derby.
Yes, Reds fans were on their feet in full force in celebration.
In the finals, "The ToddFather" continued to keep the fans on their feet with the aforementioned 15 homers, winning the title for the first time with a salute to his second "hometown," and with that, he's left his footprint on all Reds fans for many years to come.
This year, Frazier was the host of the All-Star Game, and at the Derby he had a smile on his face during batting practice with Frank Sinatra blaring throughout Great American Ball Park, as he's become Cincy's adopted son, understanding what it means to be a Major Leaguer.
That smile stayed once he took his Derby-winning final swing, and his Sinatra tune went from "flying to the moon" to doing things "My Way."
The Reds' third baseman is a breath of fresh air in a profession that is full of players who don't play a kids game with the spirit of who the game was made to be played by.
Frazier is the perfect person to represent the Reds and Cincinnati for the All-Star weekend. He plays with the flair all ball players – young or old – should all want to achieve.
Monday night, Frazier did that and more for a fan base that needed something to cheer about, bringing Cincinnati back to the national stage the only way he knows how … his way.
"His time has come. He has the opportunity that a lot of players never get, and whether or not he can cut it is up to him."
Even the Hall of Famer couldn't have imagined how one guy could bring in over 40,000 fans in one wild celebration, but he won the Derby "His Way."
When Frazier hit his 15th and final home run of the championship round, holding his arms up in victory in front of his home team crowd with a big bright smile to boot … baseball was alive and well in Cincinnati on a perfect night at Great American Ball Park.
Frazier defeated Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the championship round, 15-14, winning the Derby as the No. 2 seed.
The NL starting third baseman for the All-Star Game Tuesday, Frazier had to battle from the very first round, hitting 14 home runs in the first round, just enough to beat the 13 homers hit by former Derby champion Prince Fielder.
Frazier's performance was absolutely amazing in the first round, having the 13 homers in 4:30 of time, with the tie-breaking 14th homer bringing the Cincy crowd to their feet.
He went on streaks in the first round where he hit line drive homers, and some of his other shots out of GABP were no doubters. But the 14th home run brought a noise from the GABP stands that hasn't been heard since the Reds last won a NL Division championship in 2012.
Get this about just the first round performance of Frazier … he hit more in that lone round than he did in all of his '14 Derby debut at Minnesota's Target Field.
In that '14 Derby, Frazier was the runner-up, reaching the finals where he lost to then-Oakland Athletics slugger Yoenis Céspedes, who hit a total of 28 home runs. Frazier finished with 10 total homers, losing the final round, 9-1.
[[In-content Ad]]The second round was full of more "Let's Go Frazier" cheers at GABP, as the current son of Cincinnati by way of New Jersey continued to bring happiness, something that hasn't happened much at the stadium this season.
Cincinnati really stood tall at the conclusion of Round 2 with Frazier hitting his eighth (and round-tying) homer with 12 seconds left on the clock, and with five seconds left in the round, the ball sailed over the wall, sending him to the finals of the Derby.
Yes, Reds fans were on their feet in full force in celebration.
In the finals, "The ToddFather" continued to keep the fans on their feet with the aforementioned 15 homers, winning the title for the first time with a salute to his second "hometown," and with that, he's left his footprint on all Reds fans for many years to come.
This year, Frazier was the host of the All-Star Game, and at the Derby he had a smile on his face during batting practice with Frank Sinatra blaring throughout Great American Ball Park, as he's become Cincy's adopted son, understanding what it means to be a Major Leaguer.
That smile stayed once he took his Derby-winning final swing, and his Sinatra tune went from "flying to the moon" to doing things "My Way."
The Reds' third baseman is a breath of fresh air in a profession that is full of players who don't play a kids game with the spirit of who the game was made to be played by.
Frazier is the perfect person to represent the Reds and Cincinnati for the All-Star weekend. He plays with the flair all ball players – young or old – should all want to achieve.
Monday night, Frazier did that and more for a fan base that needed something to cheer about, bringing Cincinnati back to the national stage the only way he knows how … his way.