Focused, Hard Working, and Ready for the Next Step

By Kim Dunbar

September 2005 - The parallels between Holy Cross senior Tucker Frawley and Baltimore Oriole Brian Roberts are uncanny: Both are second basemen who wear Number One on the back of their jerseys and they both top the hitting charts in their respective leagues. But most notable of these similarities is their height: Frawley is 5’8”, Roberts 5’9”.

For Frawley, size will play a huge role in his upcoming and final season at Holy Cross. While he has an impressive resume that will appeal to more than a handful of major league organizations, his size is a deterrent in the scouting process. But if all goes well this season, Frawley will be more – much more – than just a blip on the scouting radar.

According to second year baseball coach Craig Najarian, Frawley is the best second baseman in the region. "There is a difference between a great athlete and a great baseball player, and there is no question he is a great baseball player. He is a very effective player regardless of his size," he said. This past season playing for the Crusaders, Frawley tied for 32nd in the nation in batting average (.409) on his way to being selected to the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division I First Team. He was the leadoff hitter for that team in their June game at Fenway Park. A twotime All-Patriot League selection and two-time Holy Cross team Most Valuable Player, Frawley spent the summer playing for the Concord (NH) Quarrydogs (the same team HC assistant coach and Worcester Tornadoes infielder Scott Loiseau played for while he was in college) of the New England College Baseball League (NECBL), proving himself as one of the best hitters in the league by batting over .400 with a wood bat.

"The wood bat brings out your hitting flaws," said Najarian. "Tucker has made the necessary adjustments which will make him even better this season [when he swings the metal bat]."

Frawley's success with the wood bat is impressive, but what Najarian and Frawley himself consider his best attribute is his ability to focus and work hard. "There will always be someone faster than me and stronger than me, but I take confidence in knowing that I can work as hard as anyone," said Frawley. The New Haven, CT native has been playing baseball for as long as he can remember, but sites determination and good old-fashioned hard work as the keys to getting as far as he has.

"If you have a pressure situation and want him to deliver, that’s when he is at his best. That's what sets him apart from other people," said Najarian. "He is as focused a player as I have ever had. He comes ready to play everyday."

While he is only a middle infielder, something Najarian thinks might worry scouts, Frawley said he has mastered second base and is willing to do whatever it takes to get to the next level, even if it means switching positions. "I just want the opportunity to play baseball in the minor leagues. It has always been a dream of mine and something I have been working toward," said Frawley. Besides, he's done it before; in high school he was a catcher and switched to second just to be in the lineup.

In Concord, Frawley performed for the scouts at each and every game. "I'm confident they know what I'm capable of doing and hopefully I caught someone's eye," he said.

While Frawley and Najarian will be fielding calls and visits from the scouts in the next few months, Frawley will be doing what he does best, focusing on the present. "I'm just going to enjoy my last year at Holy Cross."