Frazier shows off personality with red glove
TAMPA, Fla. -- What Clint Frazier called "one of the best days in Spring Training" arrived on Wednesday, as representatives from Wilson Sporting Goods unzipped bags of equipment outside the Yankees' clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Miguel Andújar, Dellin Betances, Zack Britton, Aroldis Chapman and Adam Ottavino were among the stars under contract with Wilson -- the official glove of Major League Baseball -- who received new gear prior to the club's second full-squad workout of the spring.
No one seemed to be more thrilled than Frazier, who customized his 12-1/2 inch A2000 in brilliant red.
"I want to feel good on the field," Frazier said. "I want it to be a representation of myself out there, having fun and just showing people that baseball players do have personalities as well. Basketball and football, those guys do a really good job of expressing themselves. I think it would be cool if we could do that ourselves in the game of baseball."
The color, of course, is a nod to the red hair that flows out of the back of Frazier's cap. He had the words “POP PIECE” embroidered along the side of his glove, which the 24-year-old said is a reference to his cat, Papi. He had the same words printed on his bats.
"His name's Papi, so I call him Pop Piece. I don't know why," Frazier said. "It's cool. Guys get to come in here and see their creation come to life because of these guys. It's going to be fun to break it in and go out there and try to play with it."
Frazier said that he has been using an orange glove for the past two seasons, and he is looking forward to showing off the new splash of color when games begin. Most important, however, is how it will feel on his left hand when he is patrolling the outfield.
"I think it's about comfort; whatever you think you have the best chance of catching the ball," Frazier said. "For me, it's not about how it looks, it's about how I perform with it. I want something that is going to open up and give me a good pocket, the best chance I have to catch the ball, because that's important."