Editorials

Todd Frazier Cheated The Dodgers; And It Was Pretty Funny

The Mets defeated the Dodgers on Monday by a score of 4-2. That night, on a 1-2 count to Alex Verdugo, something pretty interesting happened. Todd Frazier took a tumble into the stands catching a foul ball on a great play. Or so we all thought.

 

Should The Dodgers And Their Fans Be Angry?

The Mets ended up taking two out of three games at Chavez Ravine. This comes at a time when Los Angeles needs to win every series they play. Anyone following the Dodgers could write about this play that Todd Frazier made in the series opener with a sense of cheated anger. It could be spun in a light of cheaters never win and that the team is owed one by the baseball Gods.

Baseball Is A Game, and Games Are Fun

I am not going to do that, and Dodgers Nation as a whole shouldn’t either. First of all, isn’t this a children’s game played by grown men? Aren’t we taught at all costs to gain an advantage to win? Todd Frazier didn’t take a bunch of steroids to hit an extra 20 home runs this season. He didn’t take amphetamines to speed up his reflexes at the plate. He did what every players since MLB’s inception has done, including many former (and beloved) Dodgers. Consequently, if Dodger fans want to feel anger, we should have won that series regardless of the result of this (hilarious) play. At the end of the day, this was hilarious and so artfully well done.

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AJ Gonzalez

AJ is a lifelong Dodgers and Lakers fan who grew up in California. His whole family is also lifelong Dodgers fans. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, two kids, his guitars, and beagle Kobe.

5 Comments

  1. No, I have never been told by my parents, teachers, or coaches that “…at all costs to gain an advantage to win.” As a baseball coach for more than 40 years I never taught my players how to cheat, or that it was OK to cheat, or gain an advantage by cheating. Years ago our high school left fielder was asked by the home-plate umpire (other umpire did not show up to the game) if a batted ball bounced over the fence or was a home run. All of the fans knew it was a legit home run and the left fielder honestly told the umpire that the ball was a home run. The team went on to win the game, but the LF’er left a lasting impression on every one that his integrity was more important than gaining an advantage. I hope that you are not in a position to teach or coach any youth as long as your philosophy is “…at all costs to gain an advantage to win.”

  2. In a game with the Dodgers, third baseman, Todd Fraizer actually cheated and later kind of bragged about how he got away with it. Absolutely nothing has happened.
    One can wonder if this is the first time he’s done it? It’s a game that’s based on truth. . Only is a culture of the “art of the actual act of cheating” is more important than truth could this ever be okay. Pete Rose was banned for betting on games he wasn’t even involved it.
    I feel this little act of actual cheating is far worse

  3. It’s a slippery slope to laugh off or dismiss such things as harmless.

    You write: “He did what every player since MLB’s inception has done, including many former (and beloved) Dodgers.”

    Examples please.

    1. 1) Orel (one of my heroes) regularly doctored or allowed balls to get scuffed for more movement. Phil Niekro, Gaylord Perry did it every game he started.
      2) Most of MLB in the 70’s did amphetamines to speed up their reaction time.
      3) The steroid era.
      4) Hidden Ball Trick.
      How much different is than fooling a player without having the ball? It’s a slippery slope, your point.

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