Pirates’ Frazier excited about opportunity to play regularly

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Adam Frazier is getting to be a regular starter this year as the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ second baseman.

Frazier spent the first three seasons of his career as a utility player, making 95 starts at second, 61 in left, 20 in right, five in center, three at third base and one at shortstop.

“I think it helps anybody coming to the yard every day and knowing where you’re going to be,” Frazier said. “My goal is to play as good as I can and be ready each and every day, give the team all I’ve got and win games.”

He takes over at second from two-time All-Star Josh Harrison, who left as a free agent. Frazier is expected to hit leadoff for the Pirates, who were 19th among the 30 teams in runs last season with a 4.3 average.

Frazier has a .280 career average with 18 home runs in 300 games.

“I’d like to see us keep his legs underneath him, keep him strong, keep him fresh because we can use the offense, especially at the top of the order, where he has had most of his major league at-bats,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said.

Frazier had a .237 batting average and three homers in 55 games for the Pirates last year when he demoted to Triple-A Indianapolis last June. He returned to Pittsburgh six week later and hit .306 with seven homers in 57 games.

“I worked on a few things, being more aggressive with my hands and my feet, so when I came back up, I felt pretty good,” Frazier said. “I just continued to work, and things fell into place.”

Frazier certainly made an impression on Hurdle.

“He came back and put a foot down,” Hurdle said. “It was fun to watch. I think he found something that works, and he can replicate it.”

Notes: The Pirates held their final workout at the Pirate City training facility and will move their camp five miles to their spring training ballpark for the exhibition season. The Pirates open Saturday against Philadelphia in Clearwater. LHP Steven Brault is scheduled to start for Pittsburgh. . County music singer Garth Brooks’ stay in camp ended Friday. He had been working out with the Pirates since pitchers and catchers reported Feb. 11. . C Elias Diaz missed his third straight workout because of illness.