After an awful first-half of the season, the New York Mets have had a respectable few months, topped off by a series win at the Los Angeles Dodgers this week. Although it turns out of those wins may have been helped along by underhand methods.
During the Mets’ Monday win over the Dodgers, Todd Frazier took a spectacular catch, diving into the stands to snag a foul ball and keeping hold of it despite tumbling over the barrier. However, the ball Frazier emerged with wasn’t the ball that had been hit by the Dodgers’ Alex Verdugo – it was a rubber ball that he had grabbed after losing hold of the original one.
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.@SteveGelbs reveals the TRUTH behind the @FlavaFraz21 diving “catch” on Monday. Video don’t lie! pic.twitter.com/P4a1gBQIXe
Some Dodgers fans noticed the deception and tried to get the third base umpire’s attention, so Frazier decided it was time to escape the scene of the crime.
“I was trying to get out of there as quick as possible,” Frazier said on Wednesday. “I saw someone pointing at the right ball and I was like, ‘All right, I’m just going to have to play this off.’ I got in the dugout and was telling people I was flabbergasted that I even got away with it.”
The Dodgers have not lodged any complaints over the incident although they are in a tight playoff race in the National League West, where they trail the Colorado Rockies by 1.5 games.
As for Frazier, he didn’t sound too repentant. “It is Hollywood,” said the veteran. “Sometimes you’ve got to act out a little bit.”