As Todd Frazier deposited ball after ball into the seats at Great American Ball Park during the 2015 Home Run Derby in Cincinnati, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn looked on from his vantage point in the stadium and got the sinking feeling the third baseman he coveted in a trade wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
A few weeks earlier, Hahn had opened a dialogue with Reds President Walt Jocketty and GM Dick Williams about acquiring Frazier, the potential anchor the Sox had been lacking at third since Joe Crede patrolled the position.
But then Frazier put on a show for the hometown fans with 39 homers to capture the derby title and effectively end any trade discussions.
"On the off day after the All-Star Game, I called Walt and I said, 'After all that, you're not moving (Frazier) this year, are you?' " Hahn said with a chuckle. "(Jocketty) said, 'No, not now, but let's stay connected and we'll try to hook up in the offseason and see if we can find a fit then.' "
Hahn persevered and, after a few hiccups, concocted a three-team deal between the Sox, Reds and Dodgers that brought Frazier to the South Side.
Why was Hahn so dogged in his quest to land Frazier? Consider some of the names the Sox had tried at third base in recent seasons: Gillaspie, Nix, Morel, Ozuna, Teahen, Fields, Hudson, Beckham and Youkilis.
"It has been a bit of a black hole for us in recent years, probably going back to Joe Crede or perhaps even arguably Robin (Ventura) in his playing days," Hahn said. "So it was a priority this past offseason to try to fill that gap.
"The fact is, we needed to improve the offense. We wanted to make sure we weren't compromising ourselves defensively in any way, and we wanted to find a guy who could add some energy and leadership in the clubhouse. Frazier was far and away at the top of our list."
Though he's batting .213 through Monday's gmae, Frazier has delivered 30 home runs and 69 RBIs. The 30-year-old from Point Pleasant, N.J., has also played strong defense with seven errors in 102 games at third.
"I've heard a lot about Joe Crede and how good a player he was _ I'm just trying to meet my standards," Frazier said. "I really appreciate Rick bringing me over here to have an opportunity to excel at the position and basically just dominate. He told me he worked hard to get me and he finally did. It's on us now to worry about the future with me at third base. I hope I can play here for the rest of my career."
Frazier has another season on his contract and has given the Sox front office the rare luxury of not having to address a difficult position, at least in the short term.
"Having a guy who can just play that position and you know he's going to be out there every day is a plus," said Ventura, now the Sox manager. "It's not an easy position to play. He's a little more athletic than most third basemen. Even when we do shifts and we throw him over at short, he can handle that."
Executive vice president Ken Williams, whom the Sox tried to convert from outfield to third base in 1988, acknowledged it had been a struggle to find a mainstay at third.
"To (Frazier's) level, no, we haven't filled the bill since Joe Crede," Williams said. "It's not easy to find talent in this game. But it's not just (Frazier's) skill level. What guys do on the field (is) measurable, but what's not as easily measurable is the impact a guy can have in the dugout, on the bus, on the plane with the total morale of your team. The attitude _ the swag, if you will _ of your team.
"When you have a guy who is as positive as he is and the grinder that he is, but with a sense of humor as well, it's rare."
Frazier fits the mold of a prototypical third baseman: good power and solid defense. The Sox have some history with players of that ilk, namely Bill Melton, who patrolled third from 1968 to '75 and belted 160 homers while learning how to field the position as a converted outfielder.
"In the old days you were just a clunker," Melton said. "All you had to do was just stand out there, cement yourself in the ground, and as long as you hit home runs and RBIs, they didn't care if you caught it or not. Now the game is a lot more about defense. There's so much athleticism. You see how valuable that is because there are so few of them."
There are other big bats at third, including the Cubs' Kris Bryant, the Rockies' Nolan Arenado, the Blue Jays' Josh Donaldson, the Diamondbacks' Jake Lamb and the Orioles' Manny Machado. But top-flight third basemen are hard to come by because of the skill set needed and the rigors of playing the corner spot.
"It's definitely a tough position to play, and it's about finding guys who actually like to play there," said Crede, who played third for the Sox from 2000 to '08 and helped them win the 2005 World Series. "It's all reactionary. You just don't have that much time over there to make the plays.
"It's good for Rick not having to worry about finding a new guy over there. He can concentrate on different positions. I think Frazier is going to do fantastic and the Sox are fortunate to have him."
Like Melton and Williams, Frazier did not play third early in his career. He was moved from shortstop in 2008 while in Class A in the Reds system.
"I was upset, actually," Frazier said. "I had 11 errors the whole year and did pretty well at short. Looking back it was the best move that (minor-league infield coordinator) Freddie Benavides did. I always bust his chops, but I do thank him a lot for that."
The Sox are thankful they have halted the revolving door at third with Frazier and his power production.
"I think they credit Reggie Jackson with this saying _ 'If you're going to stand on the corner, you have to lean on the pole' _ and that fits for Todd," Hahn said. "That more traditional power-hitting third baseman, corner guy with solid defense, is what you're looking for. Having that addressed for the foreseeable future is real nice spot to be in."
