Walking A Razor’s Blade: How to Best Utilize David Fry
– by Mario Cresibene
After concluding the first part of the playoff series articles with Vogt as King Arthur and the Guardians as “The Guardians of the Round Table,” I got to thinking…and I came up with what I think is a very logical question: If David Fry were a fantasy weapon, what kind of weapon would he be?
But to answer that question, I first had to figure out who David Fry really is as a player.The truth is, David Fry’s the best offensive catcher we’ve got. Bo Naylor showed promise at the end
of the season, but I still see him fitting best in a “backup catcher” role. Austin Hedges is a game-caller and a needed presence in the clubhouse, but we all know he’s no offensive savant. So it’s clear that the lineup next year will be at its best when we have Fry at catcher. Vogt knows it, too — he’s said himself that he wants to get Fry back behind the plate as soon as possible. But Vogt also knows that we have to protect Fry’s arm after having Tommy John surgery.
The good news is that Fry’s arm can be spelled by playing him at other positions. He’s played first base, third base, left field, right field, and designated hitter. He’s one of those rare players who can fit almost anywhere you need him. So that’s the puzzle and also the balance that we need to find with Fry: He’s the best offensive catcher on the roster, but he’s also the one who needs the most protection. So what kind of fantasy weapon would he be?
After mulling over the options…passing over basic ideas like a spear, and flashier ideas like an enchanted dagger with fire capabilities…I settled on the perfect metaphor: an obsidian sword. It’s an uncommon weapon because it’s not forged from metal — it’s volcanic glass, carved and polished until it’s sharper than a scalpel. But it’s also brittle. You don’t take it into every battle because every swing is a risk it could shatter. Instead, you keep it wrapped in cloth, waiting for the moment when you really need its offense. That’s Fry. When he’s behind the plate, the lineup just feels different — sharper, more dangerous, more alive. But if we overuse him behind the plate and swing that blade too often, we risk losing it altogether.
Now, anyone who knows anything knows that if you are going to wield an obsidian sword you need to include a few other weapons that you can use as well. And fortunately, we already have those. We have options with Bo, Hedges, and Fry and I do expect the Guards to bring Hedges back again. That meas we can have those three behind the plate until Ingle is ready for a call-up later in the season. At that point, it might be time to make Hedges a coach and go with the three-headed dragon of Ingle, Bo, and Fry. But that’s a fantasy for another day.
