Todd Frazier showed off his baseball smarts by scoring on a bunt popped up on the infield
This browser does not support the video element.
You likely don't picture a speedster when you think of Todd Frazier. After all, with his gruff voice, love of wrestling and penchant for smashing home runs, he fits the image of a quintessential hulking slugger.
You'd be wrong, though. Though he's not going to top any stolen-base leaderboards or win many footraces, he has a 20/20 season to his name and led the White Sox with 15 stolen bases last year.
Frazier showed off those shrewd baserunning skills in the eighth inning of Sunday's 9-3 victory against the Padres. After the White Sox came back from a 3-1 deficit to take the lead, 4-3, Frazier was standing on third base when Tyler Saladino popped a bunt into the air. Wil Myers made the catch and stopped paying attention -- after all, no one runs when the ball is closer to the plate than the runner.
Myers thought wrong. Frazier went back to touch third, and with no one paying him any heed, raced for home.
It's a reminder of the ABC's from "Glengarry Glen Ross:" Always Be Completely-aware-of-your-surroundings-at-all-times.
Myers told MLB.com's Scott Merkin after the game, "It was just a good read by Frazier right there," the Padres first baseman said. "I felt like I could have been more aware of what was going on and make sure I checked him instead of turning my back to him."
<o:p>As for Frazier, he was more interested in what the run would be categorized as. "I'm just curious if it's a sac fly or not," Frazier said. "Me and [Saladino] were trying to talk, hopefully it is. Just one of those things. You just read what's going on, and you take a chance... I was thinking, 'Back's turned, take a shot,' and he actually flipped the ball up high enough, too, where I could take three or four more steps. It worked out perfect."
Frazier's sprint was also a fitting sequel to the White Sox strange run-scoring abilities from Saturday's 5-4 victory when José Abreu scored on three straight wild pitches.