Todd Frazier, White Sox work to get veteran out of early slump

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He’s a little frustrated and admitted Monday that he hasn’t quite been himself at the plate.

But Todd Frazier said he remains upbeat and is ready to move on after a difficult first 12 games.

The White Sox third baseman watched video and did extra work in the cage before the start of a four-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels in an attempt to get right.

Frazier -- who was acquired in a three-team trade in December -- struck out four times in Sunday’s loss for only the third time in his career. So far he has produced at a .163/.196/.327 clip with two home runs and six RBIs in his first 51 plate appearances.

“If (I said) it didn’t bother me, I’d basically be lying to you because it does,” Frazier said. “It bothers me a lot. It’s something you never want to go through in any profession.

“I haven’t struck out four times in a long time. It happens. Does it? Of course. But you’ve got to figure out a way to get through that and we’ve been working with the coaches.”

After four strikeouts Sunday for the first time since July 28, 2014, Frazier suggested he may have chased too many pitches out of the zone.

But that hasn’t been the case for most of the season.

His PITCHf/x Plate Discipline has actually improved this season to 31.7 percent, down from 34.5 for his career, according to fangraphs.com.

The White Sox think Frazier has actually been hurt more often because he has missed his pitch. Frazier has only made contact on 77.8 percent of pitches in the strike zone, down from 84.4 last season and 82.3 for his career.

“He wants to do well, not for himself but for his teammates,” hitting coach Todd Steverson said. “And at that level sometimes you get a little outside yourself. It doesn’t mean it’s indicative of who you’re going to be for the next 550 at-bats. But he may have got a little outside of himself. That said, it’s easy to bring himself back when he realizes that I’m better than this, what I’m doing to myself.”

White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Frazier is a player he doesn’t feel he has to worry about.

Ventura thinks he may be pressing, a point to which Frazier agreed. But Ventura likes how the veteran’s struggles haven’t carried over into the field; Frazier has already produced one Defensive Run Saved, according to Fangraphs.

The White Sox think that as long as Frazier can simplify things, he’ll bounce back.

“He does a lot of things other than just swing the bat,” Ventura said. “Just play the game, relax and let it come to you a little bit more. He's going to be fine.

“I talk to him every day. He's fine. He's not somebody to worry about, for me. He just plays the game. I think there's a lot of times there are guys that want to do a lot of things to help you win. Sometimes you don't need to do that. Just let it come to you and he's going to be fine.”

A two-time All-Star, Frazier has experience slumps before. He’s confident he and the White Sox offense will soon start to hit. It makes it easier that the White Sox are 8-4, too.

“Just one of those stretches,” Frazier said. “We’d rather have it earlier than later in the year. Everybody is upbeat. I’m upbeat. First 50 at-bats, you can just wash them out the door. Nothing you can really do now. Just attack it and go about your business.”

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