Marc Hulet over at FanGraphs wrote a letter to the Florida Marlins about Reds prospect Todd Frazier, who's blocked from making the big leagues right now with Cincinnati. Hulet suggests that it would behoove the Marlins to explore bringing on Frazier, who's floor is something like a right-handed Eric Hinske.
↵Reading this, I wondered why the Astros aren't making moves for a player like this. Certainly, Chris Johnson is coming around at the plate, hitting more and more line drives and seeing his average start to rise from the Mendoza depths it was at. But, he hasn't done anything besides provide power, which Frazier could certainly add.
↵The other benefit to Frazier is he'd provide average defense at third, which is much more than Johnson could provide. Johnson is a bad third baseman, but he can hit. If Frazier can hit and play decent at the hot corner, why not give him a chance to stick for a few years?
↵The Astros are in an enviable position in that respect. They're a team with few set spots in the lineup. Sure, it would be nice to see what Johnson has at the plate, but if the Astros could swing a deal with the Reds, giving up a Bill Hall or Clint Barmes for Frazier and a younger player, wouldn't they have to do it? Johnson hasn't proven he can be a cornerstone guy by any means, so why not give another player a chance to prove valuable.
↵Oh, right. They're trying to be champions.
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