Pittsburgh Pirates’ infielder Todd Frazier was designated for assignment on Monday, and based on his social media activity, it doesn’t seem like he’s taking it all that well.
“The Toddfather” initially signed a minor league deal with the Pirates during the offseason. Come spring training, Frazier opted out of that contract only to re-sign with the club a few days later. Prior to the Pirates’ game against Cincinnati on Monday, it was announced that Frazier had been DFA’d.
That same day, Frazier was egged on by local sports radio host Mark Madden. Madden has a history of getting under athletes’ skin, including Steelers’ linebacker T.J. Watt and JuJu Smith-Schuster, but most don’t take the bait.
Frazier did, and it got ugly. Madden mocked Frazier first by calling him a “scrub,” and the former Yankees and Mets third baseman quickly fired back, unapologetically fat-shaming Madden. Frazier calls him a “slob” and a “flounder” and pretty much rips apart Madden’s physical appearance.
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Todd Frazier gets down and dirty with a Pittsburgh radio host on Twitter
In their petty, profanity-laced exchange, Madden then “bat-shames” Frazier, criticizing his terrible numbers which were what got him designated for assignment in the first place. This season, Frazier had just three hits in 40 plate appearances and was DFA’d by the Pirates to create a roster spot for outfielder Ben Gamel.
Other Twitter users weren’t afraid to join in, with one telling Frazier, “Your autographs sell for less than the cost of a ballpark hot dog, so there’s that.”
No matter how you spin it, the Twitter spat doesn’t look good for either person. An 11-year MLB veteran and former two-time All-Star, Frazier will be searching for a new team and can’t afford to bring any social media drama with him. And the feud instigator, Madden, a 60-year-old aging radio personality, could learn how to stop stirring up the pot. It is truly pitiful that Frazier is being cut by the notoriously pathetic Pirates. Let that be enough.