After a rough game in the field on Sunday night, New York Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier did not speak with the media. On Tuesday, he opened up in a big way.
Frazier was unapologetic about not talking to the media (H/T, Bryan Hoch, MLB.com). Citing past issues such as the length of his hair, incorrect reports that he asked for a retired number, and not playing with a concussion, Frazier noted that he doesn’t think the media’s treatment of him has been fair.
There’s certainly validity in a lot of what Frazier said. Playing in New York (and especially for the Yankees), things can get overblown. Reports can go a long way in shaping a player’s reputation. It’s understandable that Frazier would be frustrated about them, especially if they were over embellished or completely false.
That said, not talking to the media after a bad game isn’t exactly the way to fix those issues. Frazier, by his own admission, played poorly on Sunday. By not talking about it, he only gave the writers, who he feels have unfairly hurt his reputation, a chance to create their own narrative.
Standing up in front of them and saying something as basic as “I didn’t play well, I need to be a lot better” seems like it would be a lot easier. If nothing else, he would have prevented at least some of the criticism he received.