Todd Frazier debuted with the Reds this season after playing three years at Rutgers. (Getty)
Reds rookie Todd Frazier sat down to speak with The Daily Targum before a recent game in Washington. Frazier played three years at Rutgers, where he won Big East Player of the Year and led the Scarlet Knights to the Big East title in 2007, before Cincinnati drafted him 34th overall. After growing up as a shortstop, Frazier now plays mostly first base, third base and left field.
The Daily Targum: What do you remember most about your time at Rutgers?
Todd Frazier: We had a blast — not one bad person on the team, if you can believe that. We had a fun group, especially my junior year with a couple seniors. We won the Big East. They were just fun guys and we had a blast. School-wise it was a little tough, but that’s Rutgers. Academically, they’re going to challenge you. But the nightlife was great there too.
DT: What was your favorite place to eat?
TF: I went to P.J.’s Grill a lot. You ask Tony Wargo, a teammate of mine, and he’d always say if there was only one place I could eat, it would be there because their chicken parm sandwiches are unbelievable. Pizza City — their pizza is great. Old Man Rafferty’s was a great place, too. Me and my family used to go there all the time. That was my spot.
DT: Where did you live?
TF: I started out in Clothier dorm. The next year me and a few athletes stayed in the Birchwood Apartments, and that was perfect. We had a house, but long story short, we didn’t have heat in the house when it was cold, so we had to get out of there. We put oil in, and the fire marshall came and said, ‘This house is unlivable.’ They had a place for us, so we stayed there the next couple years. It was perfect.
DT: Any good Fred Hill stories?
TF: He’s just a funny guy. He has words that you never understand. To this day, I’m still confused to what some of it meant. We’d just look at each other and start laughing. But he had more energy than most of the guys on the team. We swept a series against South Florida and we’re screaming, ‘Dance, Moose, dance!’ and he started dancing. He was just a great guy to be around. I still call him from time to time to check in on him.
DT: I know I’ve seen you come back for some basketball games, too.
TF: I always come to Syracuse games. I don’t know if you should say this, but they’re my favorite team. I’ll root for Rutgers during those games, but I’m a big Jimmy Boeheim fan. If Rutgers ever beats them I’ll get real excited.
DT: How do the Little League World Series, high school state championships and Big East championship compare?
TF: It’s tough — people ask me that all the time. Little League, when you’re young that’s what you dream of. That was awesome. You can’t really put into words what that meant, and then winning the high school state championship. When you’re in that time, you think it’s the greatest thing. If I was to try to rank any of them, I wouldn’t be able to because when you win anything, it’s always the best. Winning the Big East was fun because you’re more grown up.
DT: You pitched in the World Series, but when did you give that up?
TF: I gave that up after high school. I could pitch, but no chance could I pitch at the college level. I had a good arm, but I got lucky here and there. I had a losing record in high school, which I don’t like to talk about, but my high school coach brings it up all the time.
DT: Does your experience at shortstop help since you’ve been bounced around professionally?
TF: They always say shortstop is the best player coming up when you’re little, so I knew with my range and footwork I could play all the different positions. Do I miss shortstop? Yeah, of course I do. But at the same time, if I had to go back there now, I know it wouldn’t be as easy.
