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Todd Frazier phones father of toddler injured by foul ball at Yankee Stadium

Todd Frazierâs hard hit liner struck the toddler during the fifth inning of Wednesdayâs game against the Twins at Yankee Stadium.







Pete Caldera, Staff Writer, @pcaldera Published 7:09 p.m. ET Sept. 22, 2017 | Updated 7:20 p.m. ET Sept. 22, 2017 A young girl was struck by a 105-mph foul ball on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. USA TODAY Sports New York Yankees third baseman Todd Frazier(Photo: Noah K. Murray/USA TODAY Sports)


TORONTO – A day after his foul line drive struck a toddler in the face, Yankees third baseman Todd Frazier phoned the injured girl’s father to check on her.

“I told him I’m basically going to call every day just to see how she’s doing,’’ Frazier said before Friday’s Yankees-Blue Jays series opener at Rogers Centre. “And eventually, I want to meet up with them.’’

During a roughly five-minute conversation on Thursday, Frazier learned from the girl’s father that “she’s doing OK’’ and that, “I think they’re going to do more tests in a couple days and hopefully she should get out of there.’’

Frazier’s hard hit, hooking liner struck the toddler during the fifth inning of Wednesday’s game against the Twins at Yankee Stadium.

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INJURIED: Young fan struck by Todd Frazier foul ball at Yankee Stadium

Citing health information privacy laws, Frazier said he “didn’t really get into details’’ about the young girl’s condition.

“I didn’t want to cross any boundaries. I know how family is. I’m a big family guy,’’ said Frazier, the father of two toddlers. “I like to keep stuff between us, but he said she’s doing good.’’

But Frazier openly expressed his opinion that ballparks – such as Yankee Stadium – ought to extend the netting that would protect fans from 100-plus mph foul balls.

The Yankees return home on Monday to play their final seven regular season games, and Frazier would like to see initiatives in place by then.

“I’m all for protecting fans, protecting everybody,’’ Frazier said. “I think it’s one of those things where (club) presidents and GMs are going to pay close attention. I see teams are already doing it now.’’

During the All-Star break, the Mets extended their protective netting to cover the dugout areas at Citi Field.

A New York City councilman introduced a bill in May calling for ballparks with at least a seating capacity of 5,000 to install protective netting that extends to the foul poles.

On Thursday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement, saying that what occurred at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday afternoon was “extremely upsetting for everyone in our game.

“Over the past few seasons, MLB has worked with our clubs to expand the amount of netting in our ballparks. In light of (Wednesday’s) event, we will redouble our efforts on this important issue.’’

MLB hasn’t mandated the extension of protective netting, but Frazier obviously feels it should.

Plus, “I think 2018, that’s too late,’’ Frazier said. “I think it should be up sooner than that.

“I’m sure there’s something out there that could be put into place and it shouldn’t take that long, to be honest with you,’’ Frazier said. “If you have three or four days, hopefully we start getting that in sooner than later.’’

Frazier said he “wasn’t the same’’ after Wednesday’s game, worried about what happened to the toddler. But his phone conversation with her father made him feel more at ease.

“He’s a real nice guy,’’ Frazier said of the girl’s father, who wasn’t at Wednesday’s game; the child’s grandfather was present. “He told me not to stress over it, we understand how upset you were.

“He wanted to make sure that I was OK, which is kind of crazy to think,’’ Frazier said. “I can’t wait to meet him, and hopefully meet his family and have a little relationship with them.’’

If there’s anything positive that comes of this event, Frazier believes it’s the conversation about how to better protect the paying customers.

“Fans pay a lot of money to watch these games, of course.  And I think at the same time everybody understands that we do need protective netting,’’ Frazier said. “It’s something I think really has to be done.’’
